Easy going, sun-loving, bee-friendly and possessing a distinctive and long-lasting fragrance, all lavenders deserve a place in the garden.
With their eloquent leaves and richly colored flowers, these plants are ideal for both flower beds and daring arrangements, and are known for their medicinal and culinary properties. With so many uses, more and more varieties are becoming available.
In terms of placement, lavenders are great as low fences, look great in front of roses, and are essential in silver and gray flower beds.
In addition to working well in traditional and modern flower gardens, many are also excellent in pots. Although they love the sun, these small evergreen shrubs will thrive without direct sun, as long as the shade is on the side and the plants are open to the sky.
Lavenders are also drought resistant. All it really takes to care for lavender is to find a spot with good drainage – and they will be some of the most reliable perennials you can grow, although certain types will need to be replaced after 15 years.
These different lavenders will fill your garden with an unforgettable, long-lasting fragrance, and the flowers and buds of these classics can be cut fresh or dried.
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Find fragrance and charm in these lavenders
The choice between the various types of lavender will depend on where do you want to plant them. Whether you prefer English, French, dwarf, lavandin, or fringed types, if you’re looking for landscaping inspiration, give some thought to strength and moisture. This affects health, growth speeds, floral displays and fragrance.
Take into account what type of foliage you prefer, as well as flower color or shape. Even flowering seasons vary; some varieties develop earlier than others.
Our selection of the best lavender varieties includes options for flower beds and pots, from compact shrubs to more prolific, sculptural flowering plants. Check it out below:
1/15 “Alba”: tough, tall and one of the strongest lavenders you can find. For gardeners interested in growing sensory gardens, this lavender (Lavandula x intermedia) has exceptionally fragrant foliage, as well as the conical white flowers. In addition to the flowers looking great dry, due to the rich fragrance, this variety is quite hardy. It works well in partnership with shrub roses and drought-tolerant plants such as cistus. Prune a third of the plant immediately after flowering, even if that means cutting back some late flowers. (D. Hurst/Alamy/Gardeningetc)
2/15 “Papillon”: With its dense violet flowers crowned with lilac frills, “Papillon” is one of the most striking types of lavender you can grow. This cold hardy plant (L. stoechas) is ideal if you are looking for Mediterranean garden designs and want to add a continental flourish. Short and elegant with narrow aromatic leaves, this lavender works well in hardy plantings as well as in pots. It goes well with cistus, broom, honey flower and other Mediterranean annuals. Cut to 23 cm immediately after the first flowers wither. (Botany Vision/Alamy//Gardeningetc)
3/15 “Imperial Jewel”: lovers of dry landscaping (xeriscaping) and drought-friendly plantations will love the “Imperial Gem”, one of the resistant lavenders L. angustifolia. If you’re looking for the best drought-tolerant plants, this charming mix of purple flowers and silvery foliage will work as a treat. It is also lovely in large vases. They combine beautifully with cistus, euphorbias and perovskia. When pruning, remember to cut back by a third after flowering. (Anne Gilbert/Alamy//Gardeningetc)
4/15 “Hidcote Giant”: Relatively tall but robust, “Hidcote Giant” is a rather laid-back but charming choice. These hardy lavenders (Lavandula x intermedia) have broad, grey-green leaves that are particularly aromatic and short stems of flowers in traditional lavender blue. If you need a planting partner for all types of euphorbia and cistus, these lavender varieties are ideal. Larger and less tidy than the “Hidcote”, they are also good for difficult conditions and for drying as well as mixed beds. When pruning, cut a third after flowering. (Dorling Kindersley Ltd/Alamy/Gardeningetc)
5/15 “Musted”: Popular for many decades, this hardy lavender (L. angustifolia) is named after legendary botanical designer Gertrude Jekyll’s garden at Munstead Wood. “A lot of use is made of this dwarf species of lavender, which is also among the best summer flowers,” said Jekyll. Purple, fragrant and rosy, “Munstead” is a gorgeous choice for country house gardens, drought sites and historic gardens. Just cut it by a third after flowering. These compact English lavenders are excellent partners for roses, yuccas and coronilla. (Amomentintime/Alamy/Gardeningetc)
6/15 “Richard Gray”: is a medium-sized superb and delicate floral. These lavenders (Lavandula x chaytoriae) are compact and semi-hardy. They have super silvery foliage, beautiful in their own right, but they also make the perfect background for the cylindrical spikes of purple flowers. Given its compact size and striking coloration, it is a beautiful specimen of plant for enameled pots, as well as for xeriscaping. If you are growing rosemary, this lavender is an excellent match. It also partners well with Convolvulus cneorum and “Jackman’s Blue” rue. Prune well after the first flowering and tidy up in autumn. (Holmes Garden Photos/Alamy/Gardeningetc)
7/15 Beezee Series: While many varieties of lavender can easily spread, the Beezee series is a hardy, compact type of English lavender (L. angustifolia). The plants in this new summer flower series have slender spikes and come in five shades of blue, pink and white. With grey-green summer foliage that turns more silver in winter, it is ideal for vibrant violet window boxes, elegant vases and delicate flower beds. It makes a delicate plant combination for taller lavenders and ornamental sage. Cut a third after flowering. (Kernock Park/Plants//Gardeningetc)
8/15 “James Compton”: Found growing wild in southern Spain, “James Compton” is one of the most beautiful cold-hardy lavenders (L. pedunculata). Narrow, gray-green leaves support tall stems topped with dense clusters of honey-scented purple flowers with long purplish-red «sails.» These Spanish Lavender varieties are great in Mediterranean gardens and drought friendly. They make some of the best coastal plants and work well if you are into gravel landscaping as well. Pair it with cistus, fritillaries and poppies in pastel tones and you can during the flowering season. (Avalon.Red/Alamy/Gardeningetc)
9/15 Little Lady (“Batlad”): Little Lady is one of the tidiest and bushiest lavenders you can grow. This hardy variety (L. angustifolia) has exceptionally green, glossy foliage that is strongly aromatic. It also has deep purple flowers that sit low on the plant on short stems for maximum impact. If you want to plant a lavender hedge, this is an excellent variety to try. It also makes an excellent specimen in terracotta pots. Cut back a third after flowering and partner with helianthemums, creeping gypsophila and ornamental sage. (Holmes Garden Photos/Alamy/Gardeningetc)
10/15 “Meerlo”: Lavandula x allardii like this one grows well in heat and humidity. These tender, vigorous plants have beautifully variegated, highly scented foliage and pale blue flowers in summer. “Meerlo” is a small bushy lavender and works best as a specimen. It’s a good choice for potted gardening, though it also looks great with bluebells. Cut dead flowers continuously as they wither, with more intensive pruning occasionally. (Plantipp.eu/Gardeningetc)
11/15 “Sawers”: This grows as a dense mound of exceptionally fine silvery foliage, beautifully throwing up pointed spikes of large fragrant purple flowers. If you want to grow bee-friendly plants, this lavender is noted as a decoy for pollinators. This lavender is lovely in vases and xeriscaping designs. It is a great plant partner for euphorbia, rosemary and coronilla. Cut hard after the first flowering and tidy up in autumn. (Holmes Garden Photos/Alamy/Gardeningetc)
12/15 “Hidcote”: Gardeners looking for the hardier types of lavender will love «Hidcote. This classic hardy variety (L. angustifolia) is still going strong after 100 years. Not to be confused with «Hidcote Giant», it has slender, pale-green leaves. gray with narrow, dense spikes of rich violet flowers that open in midsummer. Anyone passionate about growing bearded iris will find this lavender the perfect planting partner. Perfect in country house gardens, historic gardens and drought-friendly gardens Cut a third after flowering. (Tim Gainey/Alamy/Gardeningetc)
13/15 “Miss Katherine”: this is another of the hardier lavenders (L. angustifolia) and by far the best pink color. So if you’re looking for a garden color scheme with a pastel feel, this one is ideal. This beautiful lavender pink pairs perfectly with blue flowers, silvery foliage, and white or red roses. Featuring a star on each fragrant flower, as well as grey-green foliage, it looks beautiful in dry hedges and gardens. Cut a third after flowering. (Holmes Garden Photos/Alamy/Gardeningetc)
14/15 ”Nana Alba”: is one of the most striking lavenders in our selection due to its pure white flowers. Another of the hardier varieties (L. angustifolia), this dwarf old lavender has broad, gray-green and exceptionally aromatic foliage, with stems in grayer tones. Thanks to its bright flowers, this lavender is ideal with purple flowers and lavender collections where the rich violet varieties show off the white perfectly. This hardy lavender also works well in mixed borders and dried flower displays. Cut a third after flowering. (Avalon.Red/Alamy/Gardeningetc)
15/15 “Phenomenal”: This stunning lavender is winter hardy. Medium-sized (Lavandula x intermedia), it has silvery foliage and fragrant spikes of slender purple-blue flowers on tall stems. It is unusual to combine winter hardiness with heat and moisture tolerance. Thanks to its hardiness, this lavender works well in gardens where other lavender varieties struggle during the colder season. It looks beautiful next to all types of winter heather, as well as phlomis, perovskia and rosemary. Cut a third after flowering. (Botany Vision/Alamy/Gardeningetc)
*Via Gardening Etc
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