We are in the beginning days of summer here in Bellingham, which means we are enjoying the start of lavender season! Lavender is quite versatile, and comes in many forms, so if you play your cards right, you could enjoy beautiful lavender all summer long. Here we will discuss a few of our favorite varieties, and some fun ways you can use it to enhance your health and home.
Lavender is a great addition to your garden or containers. It is evergreen, so you can enjoy its beauty even when it isn't blooming. Some varieties are more tender than others, but if you plant it in a sunny spot with well-drained soil, your lavender should be generally happy. Mulch with pea gravel, rock or sand instead of organic material to assure it has this ability to drain. Once established, lavender will thrive on neglect. Each March, cut your lavender back by 1/2 to 2/3 to keep woodiness at the base and encourage new growth.
Lavender is often used in sachets, perfume and soap, but can also be a lovely addition to your favorite meal! Try swapping it out for rosemary in an Italian dish, or use it as a flavoring in desserts like ice cream and pastries. Be sure to use either English Lavender or Intermedia Lavender for best taste.
Lavandula Angustifolia
(English Lavender)
This is the most hardy of the lavenders. Depending on the cultivar, it is approximately 8" to 2' tall and wide. Its single flower spikes can be 1-4" long and hang 4-12" above the foliage. They will bloom earlier in the summer, but you can shear them when they wilt, and many will re-bloom in late summer or fall. These are sweetly fragrant, making them great for ratchets and perfume.
English Lavender we love at Garden Spot Nursery:
-Hidcote-
-Munstead-
- Satchet-
Lavendula x Intermedia
(Intermedia Lavender)
This lavender is a hybrid of L. angustifolia and L. latifolia (Portuguese Lavender). It is cold hardy and grows larger than English, about 3-4' tall and wide. Intermedia blooms mid to late summer its branching flower stems with interrupted flower spikes, showing much more color per bloom.
Intermedia Lavender we love at Garden Spot Nursery:
-Grosso-
-Provence-
-Fred Boutin-
Lavendula Stoechas
(Spanish Lavender)
This lavender is the most drought tolerant, which means it will need some serious drainage. Don't let it get too moist. It features small flowers on short, fat 2" spikes and 2-4 "rabbit ears" atop its spikes. The stems are between 2 and 8 inches long, and like angustifolia, often re-blooms if sheared after first bloom.
Spanish Lavender we love at
Garden Spot Nursery:
-Otto Quast-
-Quasti-
-Wings of Night-
It's also worth mentioning that 2020 is the Year of Lavender here at Garden Spot Nursery. Keep your eye out for special deals, recipes and fun surprises all throughout June! We love this beautiful, fragrant garden staple, and we hope you will too.
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