This strain of lavender that is grown from seed is remarkably uniform and produces superior compact plants with deep purple buds that open to lighter lavender spikes. Just 20″ x 20″ on average. The flowers are born on 8-10″ straight stems. Aromatic foliage is gray/green and dense. This is my favorite variety of lavender for the garden. Unlike, many larger types ‘Hidcote’ seldom splays or splits when in bloom, instead the compact plants hold their flower spikes vertically and in a tidy way. The flower color is deep and uniform. Lavender has a limited life span. It generally goes south or ages out after 5-7 years. You can extend this lifespan substantially if you take care of the plants. That means infrequent but deep irrigation, soil that is not overly enriched, and diligent hard pruning after bloom has ended. Don’t just cut the spikes off at their base, instead go about an inch lower into the stem. This will cause the plant to branch and retain a dense and compact habit. It will also extend the life of your lavender. Excellent variety for hedges, knot gardens, herb gardens or just a lovely bloomy summer subshrub. Blooms late May-July. Loved by all pollinators- not surprising for a plant in the mint family. Drought adapted when established. Moderate deer resistance. Full all day sun.
Genus: Lavandula
Lavandula x angustifolia ‘Purity’
We asked the man who knows lavender the best which white Lavender did he recommend? And he fired this off the top of his head and then brought one for us- Thank you Andy Van Helvingen. A REALLY stunning plant. Compact with many CLEAR WHITE flowers in dense clusters at the end of strong straight stems. The plant is compact and grows that way – much slower. To 16″ x 18″ with bloom spikes above. Flowers early June to August. A charming plant that does not cling to discolored brown flowers instead they just kind of melt away so it does have an extra pristine appearance at all time. Shear spent blooms to their base to encourage a more dense and floriferous shrublet in the future. Wonderfully aromatic hybrid with english Lavender. Moderate deer resistance. This would combine in a perfect way with pink and blue flowered varieties- ‘Hidcote’. Avoid planting closely with L. x intermedia, cause those will flop and smother this little gem. Great for small hedges, rock gardens, and herb knots. Pungent for drying, potpourri. Full sun and rich to average soil with reasonable drainage. Not good in shade. Lavenders also require very good air circulation- plant accordingly. Average life span 5-7 years, Light summer water.
Lavandula x lanata ‘Ana Luisa’
So many lavenders that we’ve decided to go with the very best. This hybrid is a cross between english lavender (L. angustifolia) and wooly lavender (L. lanata) and gives you wonderful almost white wooly foliage with deep purple thick flowers. To 2′ tall and 2′ wide in time this rounded evergreen shrub blooms for an incredibly long time beginning in early summer. Full sun and rich to average soil with light but consistent summer water. Very easy to grow in our climate. Shear the spent flower spikes and cut into about 1/2″ new growth for a compact and more densely blooming habit. Excellent landscape plant, informal hedge or specimen in a border. This Lavender looks good year round- better winter appearance than most. Lightly deer resistant. Not their first choice but not 100% immune to browse either. Aromatic foliage. Wonderful white foliage contrasts greatly with deep green foliage for depth in plantings. Bred and named by Andy VanHelvingen of Vanhelvingen Herbs.
Lavandula angustifolia ‘Pastor’s Pride’
When you have a small garden you want to get as much bang for your buck as possible. Enter this great cultivar of English Lavender that blooms not just once but over and over again until frost. Medium lavender blue flowers cluster at the top of straight wiry stems to 10″ long. A naturally compact plant to about 2′ x 2′ ultimately. Silver evergreen aromatic foliage. Rich, to average well drained soil in full sun with light summer water. Somewhat drought adapted. Looks better , re-blooms better with light water. Saches, Lavender wands, potpourri- everblooming fragrant hedge. Very good Pastor. Very good.
Lavandula stoechas
Spanish lavender is a floriferous and easy to grow shrub for full sun, well drained soil and little to no summer water when established. In mid spring to mid summer thick purple flowers have two protruding purple petal-like bracts from the top. Great contrast with the silver foliage. to 2′ x 2′ in a season. Cut back hard after blooming. Often self sows, seedlings are easy to spot (and smell). Moderate deer resistance. Lifespan 3-5 years.
Lavandula angustifolia ‘Miss Katherine’
You don’t often think of lavender flowers in the color of pink, but this compact heavily flowering selection produces masses of clear pink flower spikes for months in summer. Mixed with purple and white flowered varieties and you get much more depth of contrast. The purple and white both look better. Compact gray foliaged shrub for average, well drained soil and light summer water. Full sun. To 2′ tall in bloom the foliage usually maxes out at a globe 14″ x 14″ . Cut back hard after blooming for a denser more compact plant. Fragrant flowers, foliage. Moderate deer resistance. Very easy to grow. Hedges, specimen. Etc.