13 JULY 2019AMATEUR GARDENING 27L. angustifolia Little Lottie (‘Clarmo’) AGM
Perfect for pots, this compact variety
made its debut in 1998. It has grey-green
foliage and pale-pink fl owers on 15in (40cm)
stalks in late spring or early summer.L. angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ AGM
Introduced in the early 20th century, this
classic variety has silvery-green leaves
and deep-violet fl owers on 24in (60cm)
tall spikes from July to September.L. angustifolia ‘Loddon Pink’
Forming a compact, bushy shrub of
grey-green foliage, this English lavender
from 1950 has pale-pink fl owers that
open in July above 18in (45cm) stems.L. stoechas subsp. stoechas f. rosea
‘Kew Red’ From April until the fi rst frosts,
this French lavender produces deep-pink
fl owers on 18in (45cm) stalks, crowned
by a cluster of long pale-pink bracts.L. x intermedia ‘Alba’ AGM
A sprawling mound of broad silvery-
green leaves are topped with 3ft (1m) tall
stalks of snowy-white fl owers in summer.
It’s one of the strongest scented lavenders.L. x intermedia ‘Grosso’
Producing conical powdery-purple
fl owers on 3ft (1m) stems from July
to August, this variety forms a globe-
shaped plant with grey-green foliage.6 of the best lavenders
Flowering during July and August,
and often continuing until autumn, are
the varieties of Lavandula x intermedia.
Collectively known as lavandins, these
are generally taller than other lavenders,
and have long flower spikes that loom
above the foliage and are topped with
almost conical blooms in white or
shades of purple.
Where to grow
Due to their background, lavenders
need a sunny spot with a light, well-
drained soil. English lavenders make
excellent dwarf hedges along a path
or edging for a bed, while others make
excellent specimens for beds, borders
and gravel gardens. Plant them on
slight mounds or hedges on ridges
to improve drainage.
Alternatively, raise lavenders in pots
filled with loam-based compost, such
as John Innes No3. They are best
planted on their own so you can enjoy
their hummock-like shape without
distraction. They detest having wet feet,
Pruning lavender
LAVENDERS will lose their allure
without regular pruning. If left to their
own devices, a neat mound of stems
with their succession of flowers over
summer will turn into an untidy woody
shrub that flowers poorly.
It doesn’t take long for plants to
become out of shape. Within a few
years of planting they might be
beyond hope, so it’s important to
develop a pruning regime early on.
Lavenders can live for 20 years or
more if trimmed correctly to keep
them tight, compact and healthy.
The key to pruning lavenders is toprune them twice a year, rather than
the traditional once. Give them their
first cut immediately after flowering,
removing the spent flower stems and
about 1in (2½cm) of growth to retain
an attractive rounded shape. Prune
plants lightly again in early spring if
they are looking a bit untidy.
Anyone who has grown lavender
will have been warned not to cut back
into old wood, which makes restoring
overgrown plants almost impossible.
While it is true that lavenders are
reluctant to produce fresh growth
from woody stems, it is permissible if
any embryonic shoots are present –
simply cut back to the new growth.so place pots on feet to allow excess
moisture to escape and move them to
a dry spot over winter.
The strong scent of lavender helps
to keep most pests away, but not the
rosemary beetle. These metallic-greeninsects from southern Europe are well
established in the UK and will quickly
strip the stems of lavender, rosemary,
sage and other Mediterranean herbs of
leaves. If you spot any, the best thing to
do is squash them immediately.