If there is one plant most people can recognise its a lavender, or Lavandula to give it it’s Latin name.  Where would a typical English garden be without it.

Lavandula ‘Munstead’

Whilst there are a huge number of lavander varieties, we prefer to use L. ‘Munstead’ as it has a neater, more compact form and doesn’t tend to flop and dominate a border.  Like most lavanders, plant in a sunny spot to ensure abundant flowering.  The most common mistake when planting lavanders is to use a rich compost, if possible plant in sandy soil with low nutrient levels.

Looking after lavender is simple, just cut to within 2cm of old wood after flowering.  We find that after three or four years lavenders tend to get woody, not taking kindly to pruning, so we’ll replace them after this time.

Pair with Salvia officinalis Icterina’, Sedum ‘Purple Emperor’ and Origanum vulgare ‘Aureum’ for a great sunny effect.