Lavender

By Sarah Brocklehurst

Tips on growing this fragrant evergreen shrub

'The flowers have a high oil content which is good for drying'

Growing tips and uses Lavenders are half hardy to fully hardy with evergreen, aromatic foliage and L. angustifolia forms a compact, bushy shrub. Good locations and uses include a border, a rock garden, as edging to a path or bed, grown in pots, or as a low hedge. In cold, frost-prone area, the half-hardy types will benefit from the protection of a sunny wall. Pots of lavender can be overwintered in the greenhouse in inclement weather.

Grow lavender in a well-drained and fairly fertile soil in a place that gets full sun. The fragrant, purple flower spikes appear from mid-to-late summer and lavenders make good plant companions for roses. They also act as a magnet for bees.
Sow seeds under cover in spring, or take semi-ripe cuttings in summer. Trim the flower stems and foliage in autumn – use garden shears to cut back faded flowers to within 2.5cm (1in) of old growth. You can choose to prune in spring if frost is a danger. Never cut into old, bare wood. Regular pruning from year one will help prevent lavender from becoming 'leggy'. Old lavender, however, will eventually become leggy, showing a lot of dead, bare stem – at which point you'll hopefully have benefited from taking cuttings of the plant previously, and can dig up and replace it.

Drying tip If you are drying any type of lavender, cut the flowerheads before they are fully open, then tie into bunches and hang in a dry place.

For further gardening advice, hints and tips, go to www.gardensmonthly.co.uk