Lavender is a popular plant. Understandable, because the wonderful scent of the leaves and flowers and the beautiful purple bloom make every garden a piece of France.
Varieties of lavender
The common or English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is actually not a herb, but a small shrub. The plant has been cultivated for centuries by pharmacists and in monastery gardens for its medicinal properties. There are many varieties of the English lavender. Our favourites:
Lavendula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ is a purple bloomer and a strong plant. There is also a variety with flowers, which bloom white and slowly turn to pink. This is Lavendula angustifolia ‘Hidcote Pink’. This plant grows to a height of 60 cm and has grey-green leaves.
white lavender
Lavendula angustifolia “Munstead” is a true lavender blue. There are also white, violet and pink cultivars. This variety flowers nicely, but does not smell as intense.
A beautiful white bloomer is the Lavendula angustifolia ‘Arctic snow’. The plant remains relatively low and is one of the few true white lavender varieties.
Lavendula angustifolia ‘Pacific Blue’ is a taller variety whose flowers are very suitable for making oil. They smell like lavender should smell.
The lavender that grows in the south of France is the crested lavender Lavendula stoechas. This plant is sensitive to frost, but can withstand drought well. In the open ground he does not even need to be watered! This plant thrives on acidic soil and liming is therefore not necessary.