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Hi there
I walk past my neighbours gardens on a regular basis, and there is one busy plant which attracts bees like flies (if that makes sense) a few doors along growing in their front garden area.
This plant is well established, and the bush is spread out more than tall to the poin it take a lot of space.
What are peoples experinces of Lavender - is it a plant that goes a little mad with overgrowth, and is it easy to keep and maintain?
Just love to know if others have the plant in their gardens, and what are their experiences of it.
Basically the do's and dont's of looking after Lavender etc..
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Depends on the variety. I planted several different types in my rose bed without paying too much attention to the labels. Some of them are still neat, petite bushes, and others have run riot and turned into huge diameter carpets!
A closed mouth gathers no foot.
Hi Maisie
Interesting to know!
How many different types of Lavender can you get on the market, and which are the best Bee attractors - I mean flowers, bushiness, and how long flowers last...best ones for gardens etc..
This bush I pass has a distinctive smell and it is lovely - makes me think of Lavender soap/perfume in my younger years
Karen F said: Depends on the variety. I planted several different types in my rose bed without paying too much attention to the labels. Some of them are still neat, petite bushes, and others have run riot and turned into huge diameter carpets!
Hi Blackbird
We have two brushes (if thats what they are called) one in the front and the other in the back garden. The front garden one which has been there for years just died this year and not sure if I should dig it up ? The othe one is now part of wild garden as it was the only plant on that side I just left it and the wild flowers which are now upto 5 foot tall have surrounded it. It still gives a real splash of colour in there.
I wish I knew more about plants but the birds give me enough trouble....
Robert
For one reason or the other, I forgot to tame my lavender last year and possibly the year before without any conviction, so consequently it's boomed big time this year and to be honest is probably getting a bit woody - that said - the bees absolutely love it, its a mass of gorgeous purply blue and its smells really nice of a summer evening...
Kathy, there are about 40 different types and since they happily cross pollinate new ones appear quite a lot! I had one that was about 40 years old - no idea what it was called and it was a huge contorted beast of a plant that sadly did not survive the winter. I had some lilac Italian ones but they only lasted a couple of years, they did not like my soil so I have Hidcott blue in tubs which I keep fairly clipped - deadhead after flowering and shaped, you need to be a bit careful not to cut into old wood and a couple of white ones that grow about 2ft or so with a fairly lax habit, these are up in my veg patch for the bees. If left
un-trimmed they can get quite big.
Caroline in Jersey
Cin J
Hi Kathy, lavenders are wonderful in the garden, beautiful to see, gorgeous scent and the added bonus of attracting bees makes them a plant I couldn't do without. There are a few things to watch out for (as the previous posts have pointed out). Best not to buy the French (stoechas) lavenders unless you want to spend a lot of time looking after them, they are a bit showier and have bigger flower heads than the more common Lavender angustifolia varieties but they are quite difficult to 'overwinter'. All lavenders like dry sunny places in the garden with well drained soil, but the tougher varieties will put up with a bit of shade and wet.
There are many varieties, some of my favourites are 'Ashdown Forest' which is a pale violet, Folgate which is a strong blue and Hidcote which is darker still. They are all medium size and fairly good at coping with frost, although all lavenders dislike wet and the combination of wet and cold can see off most varieties! As Caroline says, to keep the plants looking good, trim back immediately after flowering and don't cut into hard wood. Try to keep the plants a good shape when you trim, or if in a group or a low hedge (which can be stunning), trim into the shape you want over a couple of seasons. They then should flower well and have lovely green leaves right down to ground level, remaining really nice to look at even when not in flower.
If your neighbour has a very large lavender, it probably is a large variety, although some of the medium size ones, left untouched, can grow fairly large but are untidy and woody and not particularly attractive to look at. A quick check with the nursery will determine the eventual height.
If you have a limited amount of space, buy three Folgates or Hidcotes (or similar) and plant them about a foot away from each other in a triangle. This will turn into one beautiful eye catching fairly short bush as long as you trim after flowering and gradually shape the way you want it. They are ideal planted near a path and the scent as you brush past them is well worth it.
This is Ashdown Forest growing on either side of a path in my garden. Can't avoid 'brushing' it as you go past and a heavenly scent!
All the best! Post a photo if you decide to plant some!
bye for now
I also have lavender in our garden it is lovely to see growing, but it also needs trimming back as it can go mad like our honeysuckle.
Jenny
J
can't get it to stay alive over winter. So it's annual and potted round here.
When thou seest an eagle, thou seest a portion of genius; lift up thy head!
i have a white lavender in my shady back garden, but the trouble is it reaches for the sun and has a flat habit rather than standing up and being bushy, makes the garden look rather untidy. they like sunny spots with poor soil. i even scattered some seeds in the stones on my drive and they have taken everywhere. for another bee plant try marjoram, preferred to lavender in my opinion.