Lavender has an evocative fragrance that creates a feeling of calm and a sense of possibility.
Lavender has so many fantastic attributes to recommend it. It is a tough evergreen perennial that stands up to the hardship of drought and intense Summer sun better than many other garden plants. This sturdy, low-maintenance plant is also resistant to predatory pests, deer, and rabbits. Not to mention the iconic fragrance, which earned it a spot as one of our 7 Best Fragrant Plants for Summer Gardens.
Best of all, Lavender is a hardy evergreen that is equally at home in the Pacific Northwest as it is in its native Mediterranean. We think that every sunny garden deserves a Lavender plant!
How to Choose the Right Lavender Variety
Our Garden Centers stock dozens of excellent garden-worthy Lavender plants that are well suited to growing in sunny Oregon and Washington gardens. Though all Lavenders are evergreen, fragrant, and pest-resistant, some are better suited to culinary uses or extreme environments, so follow our guide to select the perfect Lavender for you!
1. English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
English Lavender has a strong, sweet fragrance and is the preferred type for all edible and culinary uses thanks to its herbal, floral flavor. Plants are looser and long-blooming, and it works well in mixed garden borders.
- Best for: Cold Winters, strong fragrance, culinary use, co-planting with other perennials
- Hardy to: Zone 5
- Bloom time: June–July and reblooms September–October
- Form: Bushy plant with compact habit has sparse, narrow foliage; short, deeply fragrant flowers
- Suitable for: Borders and containers
Popular English Lavender Varieties:
- ‘Hidcote’ Lavender – Deep purple, compact (18–24″)
- ‘Munstead’ Lavender – Pale lavender, early (12–18″)
- ‘Platinum Blonde’ Lavender – Variegated foliage, compact habit (18–24”)
2. Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia)
Lavandin has a rich, floral fragrance that holds very well long after the flowers have been cut and dried. This is the best type of lavender for cut flowers and crafts, and the attractive and very dense form makes it ideal for mass plantings.
- Best for: Long stems, dried bouquets, mass plantings, cut/dried flowers, oils
- Hardy to: Zone 6
- Bloom time: June–August
- Form: Larger, vigorous plants have larger foliage and a dense, busy habit; tall, deeply fragrant flower stalks carry a strong scent
- Best Lavender for: Crafting and cut flowers
Popular Lavandin Varieties:
- ‘Grosso’ Lavender – Heavy blooms, strong fragrance, dark indigo-purple color
- ‘Provence’ Lavender – Graceful habit, soft color, classic
- ‘Phenomenal’ Lavender – Cold-hardy and mildew-resistant
3. Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas)
Spanish Lavender has a unique appearance that lends it to use in mass plantings or containers where the look can be enjoyed up close. Flowers and foliage are fragrant but are better suited to the landscape than for usage in crafts or culinary applications.
- Best for: Ornamental use, mass plantings, co-planting with other perennials, unique flower form
- Hardy to: Zone 7–8 only
- Bloom time: April–August
- Form: Dense, narrow foliage with an open habit; long-lasting, unusual flowers have distinctive “rabbit ear” bracts
- Suitable for: Containers
Popular Spanish Lavender Varieties:
- ‘Boysenberry Ruffles’ Lavender – Vivid pink-toned color with a compact form
- ‘Anouk’ Series Lavender – Compact and neat, each Anouk variant has different colors of flowerings including white flowers on ‘Silver Anouk’
- ‘Wings of Night’ Lavender – Long bloom season and exaggerated upper bracts
4. Fernleaf & Specialty Types (L. multifida, L. dentata)
Though less hardy and less common than English, Lavandin, or Spanish Lavender, specialty Lavender make a wonderful feature to a container or tea garden. As tender perennials hardy to Zone 9+, they are not cold-hardy and should be overwintered indoors or grown as annuals in cooler climates. The lacy foliage of Fernleaf and French Lavender, combined with the nearly continuous bloom in warm months, make them a welcome addition to a collector’s garden, particularly when grown in containers.
The best lavender variety for your needs really depends on your personal garden goals!
- Cold-hardy and dependable – English Lavender
- Fragrant dried bouquets – Lavandin
- Showy container display – Spanish Lavender
- Culinary herb – English Lavender
- Large landscape impact – Lavandin
- Hot, protected corner – Spanish Lavender
Tips for Planting Lavender
In general, the lifespan of Lavender is fairly short—expect to replace plants about every 5–7 years. Lavender performs much better in the ground than in containers but can be grown for one to two seasons in a large container before being replanted in the landscape. Lavender achieves its drought-tolerant nature by establishing a large root network which will quickly fill containers, making it a short-lived container plant but an excellent choice for hot sunny, in-ground beds.
Lavender is best planted in late Spring to early Summer once soil is warm and dry. The site should have full sun (at least 6 hours per day) so west and south-facing locations are ideal.
Lavender prefers soils that have good drainage—heavy clay soils will require amending with gravel or pumice to loosen soil. Do not amend soils with compost or nitrogen-rich soil blends, as this can cause Lavender to get long and spindly. For dense, fragrant Lavender plants, be sure soils do not hold on to excess water.
Plant slightly above grade to prevent crown rot. Because of its preference for good drainage, Lavender is an excellent plant for sunny slopes. Avoid excessive use of bark or compost as a top-dressing, and mulch instead with gravel or small stones.
Companion Plants for Lavender
Lavender pairs beautifully with other drought-tolerant, sun-loving plants, but some of the most attractive combinations are with the following hardy perennials, herbs, and grasses:
- Companion Herbs: Rosemary, Thyme
- Companion Perennials: Agastache, Echinacea, Rudbeckia, Yarrow, Sedums & Succulents
- Companion Grasses: Panicum, Pennisetum
Rosemary
Agastache
Pennisetum
Lavender Care Tips
Watering Lavender
Lavender is an excellent drought-tolerant plant with low water needs once established. Water in-ground Lavender plants deeply but infrequently—allow soil to dry between waterings. Container-grown plants will need to be watered more frequently than those planted in the ground, especially during periods of extreme heat, but be sure to avoid standing water or overly wet soils. When watering Lavender, avoid overhead watering to reduce fungal risk.
Fertilizing Lavender
Lavender requires minimal fertilizer and organic inputs. Too much nitrogen can cause excessive growth of weak, spindly foliage, fewer blooms, and less intense fragrance, so high-nitrogen products should be avoided. To promote healthy growth, use a low-nitrogen organic fertilizer, such as a starter or bloom fertilizer, in early Spring if desired.
Pruning Lavender
As a general rule, Lavender should be pruned once per year after bloom or in January, however to maintain a tidy appearance or promote a second flush of blooms, plan to prune twice a year. When pruning Lavender, trim back about 1/3 of growth, but do not cut into woody stems. Regular pruning keeps plants full, dense, and extends lifespan.
Lavender Pruning Tips by Type:
- English: Deadhead regularly in Summer, cut back foliage by one third in January to keep plants from looking spindly.
- Lavandin: Harvest flowers in Summer. Shear foliage by 1/3 in January for fresh, even regrowth.
- Spanish: Deadhead for Summer rebloom and tidy foliage in January as needed.
Lavender makes a stunning addition to any sunny garden bed or patio container. The fragrance of the soft evergreen foliage make this an attractive plant even when it isn’t in bloom, but the flowers add a special magic to any edible or tea garden. Come run your hands through our fantastic selection of Lavender and find the perfect plant for you!