Lavender is one of those classic-but-never-stale staples which draw a garden together. It certainly does a good job in my plot. I’ve planted nine bushes of Lavender ‘Hidcote’ (which, as far as I’m concerned is the only cultivar of lavender worth planting) along one side of the garden, between the path and the lawn. For most of the year, they look like neat grey buttons running along a seam, but now they have thrown up thousands of sweet-smelling flower shoots, and are alive with bees.
I’ve always felt that lavender looks its very best when planted in a bobbly straight line. It’s a high-impact trick I learnt from the garden I planted with my mother when I was a teenager, and I can’t stop replicating it everywhere else as well.
I’ve even got my excuses for planting it in purely productive vegetable patches: you can use the leaves as you would rosemary (although the flavour is much lighter and more floral), and you can make syrups and sorbets from the flowers. It’s a sure-fire winner.
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Fabulous Valentines day flowers from Interflora.
Image a day
Julie
Gorgeous!
I feel calmed and soothed just looking at the pics
I wonder how lamb with lavender and garlic would taste…
liz
I’m beginning to agree with you on the Lavender, I’ve never been a fan as I don’t much like strong smells (I get smell triggered migrains) but a house across the road from me has a Lavender line and it looks stunning!
I’ve been so tempted this year to go out and buy a few, rip up all the Crocosmia in my front garden and plant a row…
Must. resist. temptation.
Ada
Lovely indeed. I always find it hard to keep my Lavenders in shape. Must probably be more brutal when pruning.
BTW I was curious about the ‘garden you planted with your mother’, but the link didn’t work.
isabel
Hi Anna,
here’s the link:
http://www.fennelandfern.co.uk/blog/2009/05/20/where-plants-are-the-heroes/
don’t know why that didn’t work the first time!
Abigail
Love lavender, but have learned to be careful with it in cooking, as it’s VERY strong. (I once tried putting it in oatmeal. That was a disaster! I felt like I was eating perfume!!) It’s wonderful mixed with other strong herbs like fennel and rosemary, and roasted with strong meats like lamb or beef.
Anyway, I’m curious why you think the “hidcote” is the only cultivar worth planting. i would like to plant some lavender myself soon, and your input would be very respected.
Cheers,
Abigail
isabel
Hi Abigail,
Oh noo – that sounds awful! I may have exaggerated a little about Hidcote being the ‘only’ cultivar of L.angustifolia, but I just love its deep, dark, rich purple flowers. The others seem so watercolour in comparison.