How to grow Lavender
Whether grown to line a pathway, fill summer pots or add to a wildlife-friendly border, lavender is a well-known and much-loved Mediterranean shrub which is highly versatile in the garden.
Lavenders are available in hardy, half-hardy and tender short-lived varieties. The hardiest types tend to be English and hybrid lavenders, whilst French and Spanish varieties require a little more care over the winter to survive. All have a recognisable aromatic fragrance and will attract pollinators to your garden.
Most Lavender varieties have silvery-grey foliage, but some are more vibrant green. Flower colours range from whites and pinks to several shades of purples and mauve. Plants remain compact with light annual pruning and will reach an overall height and spread of 50-60cm.
Key Information
Soil pH
Position
Hardiness
Where & when to plant Lavender
Position- Full sun
Soil- Well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil
Flowering Period- June-July
Hardiness- Hardy perennial
Spring is the ideal time to plant Lavender when the soil is just starting to warm up which will allow your plants to settle in before they flower in early summer. Avoid planting in winter as young plants may rot in cold, wet ground.
Lavender thrives in full sunshine, so be sure to pick a sunny spot for your plants where you will enjoy their scent. Bear in mind the overall height and spread of your chosen variety when you choose a location for your plants.
Lavender should generally be planted at about 90cm apart in the border or in groups, but if you are planting as hedging or groundcover, then the plants can be placed more closely together.
Lavender can also be grown in pots of peat-free loam-based compost or soil. Ensure the pot is large enough to accommodate your lavender as it matures, has large drainage holes, and add plenty of crocks and grit to the bottom of the pot. Pot grown plants will require additional watering in dry periods.
How to plant Lavender
Dig a hole for your plant twice as deep and wide as the pot it arrived in.
Lavender plants prefer poor soil and do best in neutral to alkaline soil types. If your soil is heavy clay, then add plenty of drainage to the planting holes in the form of coarse grit.
Loosen your plant from its pot and place in the planting hole at the same depth as it sat in its pot.
Fill around the edges with loose soil and firm in around the base of the plant before watering well. Water plants once or twice a week for the first few weeks until they are settled. Lavender do not like to sit in wet earth and should not need watering once established unless in periods of drought.
What to plant with Lavender
It is no wonder sun-loving lavenders have been adored by gardeners for centuries. These adaptable shrubs pair well with many other plants in summer and their strong scent is said to deter aphids. Lavender, therefore, makes an excellent companion plant to garden roses providing a beautiful lower storey to a rose-bed, and interest at the base of a wall or fence below climbing varieties.
Please contact our excellent Customer Care Team at Hayloft if you would like any help or planting tips for your Lavender. Below are a few ideas to help get you started
Herb Garden
Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Mint, Basil, Sage, Marjoram
Prairie or Dry Garden
Echinacea, Stipa gigantea, Stipa tenuissima, Perovskia, Achillea, Euphorbia, Nepeta, Stachys byzantine, Phlomis, Sedum
Cottage or Traditional Garden
Roses, Alchemilla mollis, Foxglove, Fennel, Grasses, Oriental poppy, Bearded iris, Astrantia, Aquilegia, Hardy geranium, Geum, Hosta, Hydrangea, Salvia, Cardoon, Peony
How to care for Lavender
Lavender demand little attention once established. They do not require feeding as they prefer soil which is low in nutrients.
Trimming off the faded blooms will encourage a second flush of flowers later in summer.
Once flowering has finished in late summer, prune all flower spikes and the tips (2-3cm) of the foliage. Try not to cut back into older, woody stems as the plant may not produce new growth from this area.
If you are growing tender varieties of lavender in pots, then your plants should be brought into a sheltered position, ideally a greenhouse, for protection over winter.
How to propagate Lavender
You can easily increase your stock of lavender plants by taking cuttings or collecting and sowing seed.
Softwood, or semi-ripe cuttings are best taken in summer. Choose non-flowering shoots which are 8-10cm long and remove them from the plant either with a sharp knife or by pulling gently, taking a piece of the tougher stem (heel) with it. Strip the leaves off from the bottom half of the cuttings.
Fill a small pot with a mix of loam-based compost and grit and place your cuttings in the soil around the edge of the pot. Do not sink the cuttings in any deeper than the leaves. Water the pot lightly and cover with a clear plastic bag to retain humidity. Place the pot in a warm, sunny spot and the cuttings should root within 4 weeks.
Once rooted, you can pot each cutting on into individual pots to grow on. Plants grown from cuttings will be identical to the parent plant.
Lavender can also be grown from seed. Bought or harvested seed can be sown from early spring until mid-summer. Sow seeds onto the surface of seed compost and cover with a layer of vermiculite, or a thin layer of sieved compost. Water the seed tray well and cover with a clear plastic bag. A temperature of 21-25°C is required for germination, so a propagator, or sunny windowsill is the best spot if it is early in the season. Germination should occur within 2-4 weeks after which time the clear bag can be removed and once large enough to handle, the seedlings can be pricked out and grown on in individual pots. Plants grown from seed may not match the parent plant.
What to plant with Lavender
It is no wonder sun-loving lavenders have been adored by gardeners for centuries. These adaptable shrubs pair well with many other plants in summer and their strong scent is said to deter aphids. Lavender, therefore, makes an excellent companion plant to garden roses providing a beautiful lower storey to a rose-bed, and interest at the base of a wall or fence below climbing varieties.
Please contact our excellent Customer Care Team at Hayloft if you would like any help or planting tips for your Lavender. Below are a few ideas to help get you started
Herb Garden
Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Mint, Basil, Sage, Marjoram
Prairie or Dry Garden
Echinacea, Stipa gigantea, Stipa tenuissima, Perovskia, Achillea, Euphorbia, Nepeta, Stachys byzantine, Phlomis, Sedum
Cottage or Traditional Garden
Roses, Alchemilla mollis, Foxglove, Fennel, Grasses, Oriental poppy, Bearded iris, Astrantia, Aquilegia, Hardy geranium, Geum, Hosta, Hydrangea, Salvia, Cardoon, Peony