Lavender. Romantic fields, practical borders, and tasty spice

Most of us associate lavender with the south of France and its endless, purple, incredibly photogenic fields. Even, purple rows of plants against the setting sun look great on Instagram.

Fortunately, anyone can have their own lavender field. Or at least a single plant in a pot. It’s worth it because lavender is not only beautiful but also useful.
But let’s start from the beginning. Our Dutch nursery offers the Lavandula angustifolia and Lavandula x intermedia varieties. How are they different? Continue reading…

Lavandula angustifolia
called “true lavender” grows smaller, has dense and short shoots. The flowers are thick and rounded, like bumblebees. The smell is sweeter, more floral, less camphor-like. It is added to cosmetics and used in aromatherapy. It is eagerly used in the kitchen, it has no aftertaste of medicine.

Lavandula x intermedia
is a hybrid of Lavandula angustifolia and L. latifolia and is known as “lavandin”, it is taller with longer shoots. The flowers are slender, the buds are tightly pressed against the stem. The flowers have a more intense fragrance, with more pronounced camphor. It is commonly used in perfumes, bath cosmetics, and aromatherapy.

How to plant lavender:

• as a border of a flower bed or a path
• to fill narrow spaces, e.g. at a parking lot or along a pavement
• as an element of the flower bed, because it fits beautifully with perennials, grasses, deciduous and coniferous shrubs, especially those with contrasting colors
• in the herb/vegetable garden. We can use Lavandula as an addition to dishes (salads, meats, drinks) or as a raw material for infusions. Lavender infusions have an antiseptic and calming effect and improve the functioning of the digestive system. Dried lavender flowers, hung in the closet, scare away moths.
• as part of a natural fight against mosquitoes, aphids, and neighbors’ cats that visit our garden
• to attract bees and butterflies.

Lavandula needs a warm and sunny place, well-ventilated. Prefers light and alkaline, well-drained soil.

Overview of the varieties

The varieties differ in the shade of leaves – from more greenish, through silver, to two-colored. And flowers – from white, through pink, to various shades of purple and blue. Look at the overview of the varieties available in our Dutch nursery. Note, availability varies during the season.
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