Lavender is one of the sweetest of herbs. Besides being used in potpourris, perfumes and cooking, it is a lovely garden ornamental.
We are about as far north as lavender can be grown but with a little care it does very well here.
The most common type of lavender available in local nurseries is the English L. angustifolia. The varieties you will most often find are ‘Hidcote’ and ‘Munstead.’ ‘Hidcote’ is very fragrant with deep blue-purple flowers and small silver leaves. ‘Munstead’ flowers a little earlier than ‘Hidcote’ and its fragrant blooms range from pale blue to deep violet. Both grow to about 12 to 18 inches tall. There are many other lavender varieties but you will struggle to grow them in our climate unless you can overwinter them in a greenhouse.
Lavender grows best in average, slightly alkaline soil in full sun. Good drainage is essential for survival. Once, established, lavender can survive very dry conditions. It is a great candidate for rock gardens. Some compost and bone meal will help get the plants off to a good start but no future fertilizing is needed.
Lavender dies back in winter and takes quite a while to green up in spring. One year I was certain all my lavender plants were dead so I bought replacements. A week later the leaves on the “dead” ones started to turn green and new leaves began to sprout. So I was faced with the pleasant task of finding new spots for five baby lavender plants.
Each spring, prune back the lavender plants hard, to about 1/3 of their height. It seems drastic but this will encourage bushy growth and more bloom. They respond very well to being shaped and plants that are not pruned have a tendency to fall open in the middle and sprawl. In fall, cut off dried blooms and prune lightly to neaten up the plant if necessary. Don’t cut into the woody stems in fall. Cover with a light mulch over winter.
Lavender flowers are easily dried. Cut the stems on a sunny morning after the dew has dried. Tie the stems in groups of ten or twenty and hang upside down for a week or two to dry.
The flowers can remain on the stems to scent a room or be stripped from the stems for potpourri or sachets. A sachet placed in your pillowcase will ensure a good night’s sleep. Place a sachet in your dryer (use only with unscented dryer sheets) to infuse your clothes with lavender’s clean scent.
Lavender adds a sweet note to recipes. A teaspoon of dried lavender or a tablespoon of fresh lavender can be added to any bread recipe. Combine the same amount with sugar or lemon cookie dough for a special treat or add it to brownie mix for a sweet floral accent.
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