Lavenders

Sep 09, 2010

By Kathleen Lang, Lanark County Master Gardeners

The scent of lavender is familiar to all. Whether grown in a border or bed, in a large pot, or as a hedge, it is one of the most attractive and fragrant of all herbs. Lavender is also a traditional country-garden plant.

Used by the Romans as a laundry herb, they introduced the herb to Europe and Britain. The name lavender comes from the latin word lavare (to wash). The fragrant flowers have been used in dried sachets, scented soaps, perfumes and potpourris. In ancient Europe and Britain, lavender oil was an important article of commerce. In the garden, lavenders are sweet-smelling border plants.

There are basically three types of lavender: the English group, the French group and the Lavandin group.

The English group is often referred to as the true lavender; cherished for its sweet scent, which is often more delicate than the other types. Popular types include English Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) and the most popular cultivars include “Blue Cushion” – dwarf mounding habit to 16” tall, for zones 5-8; “Hidcote” – compact, with silver grey foliage, to 12” with deep purple flowers, zones 4-8; and “Munstead” – flowers earlier than most, in lavender blue, and darker blue with narrow green foliage, 12-18” high, for zones 4-9.

The French group, (Lavendula stoechas), is not grown in France by the fragrance industry as the name suggests. Their oils have a pronounced camphor-like quality that is undesirable. However, they are highly prized as aromatic bedding plants with showy wing-like bracts atop the flowers, which on a mature plant, look like a flock of butterflies has settled in the garden. Popular cultivars are “Fragrant Butterflies” and “Kew Red”. Plants from the French group are often found in mixed planters and sold as premium annuals, as they will not ever, over-winter in our region.

The Lavandin group, (Lavendula x intermedia), is the main group grown in the Provence regions of France for oil production. The “Grosso” strains from the Vaucluse region of France were discovered after disease virtually destroyed the then standard commercial strain in use. Another, Provence Lavender (aka Lavendula hortensis or Dutch lavender) is a preferred strain of commercial growers because of its high oil content and ease of harvest by mechanical means.

The most popular perennial types for our region are “Hidcote” and “Munstead”. They need good, well-drained sunny location in the garden. Clip plants lightly with shears in the spring to keep them neat and compact. Even clipped plants deteriorate in time, so raise some replacements every few years.

Lavenders can be started from seed, but the preferred method of propagation is taking cuttings in spring or late summer. They will root readily, and benefit from using a little rooting hormone (#1). Cuttings also mean that named varieties will be true to their parent. Seed collected in the garden can produce crosses, especially if your collection contains more than one type.

All your gardening questions can be submitted and answered on our website at www.lanarkmastergardeners.mgoi.ca