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Lavender is also a popular plant outside the Mediterranean region. In summer, the shrub turns into a colorful, glowing hemisphere that draws everyone's attention. It also rewards our senses with a wonderful scent. Lavandula can be cultivated both in the garden and on the balcony. Choosing the optimal lavender variety is not only a question of taste, but also of suitability. We present our selection.
Real lavender for the garden
The wild form and its cultivars are ideal for local gardens because they have the best winter hardiness of all lavender species. It should be mentioned that each lavender variety can alternatively be grown in a pot on the balcony.
Alba
Source: Buendia22, Lavandula angustifolia 'Alba' 1702, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Alba is a July-August white flowering cultivar with silver-grey leaves. The 25-40 cm high plant spreads an intense lavender scent. It thrives in herb beds or between rose bushes just as well as on the balcony.
Annelies
This variety is also known as Bulgarian lavender because it is widespread there. It grows up to 80 cm high and forms long flower stalks. The scent is fresh and pleasant without exuding sweetish notes.
Notice: Did you know that France has not been the main producer of lavender for a few years now? Bulgaria has now taken the top spot.
Blue Cushion
With a height of 25-35 cm, this floriferous variety is very short. Its grey-green foliage forms compact cushions. Blue Cushion is ideal as a border, as a low hedge or as a container specimen.
Source: Manfred Werner - Tsui, Light Blue Cushion Lavender Blue Cushion (Lavandula angustifolia) Flower Gardens Hirschstetten Vienna 2014 a, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- blooms from June
- light blue, luminous hue
- almost spherical ears
- big flowers
Blue Ice
This 40-50 cm tall lavandula must be listed here because its ice-blue flower color is unique in the large lavender family. In combination with different colored flowering varieties, their beauty is even more striking.
Blue Mountain White
For decades, this lavender variety inspired New Zealand, until it made its appearance here for the first time in 2001. In the garden, the shrub quickly grows to its full size of 60-70 cm. The flowers shine bright white from June.
DwarfBlue
This lavender variety is more than 100 years old and is therefore one of the classics. It grows compact and is robust. Is suitable for higher hedges or as a border for beds. The purple flowers, which appear from June, contrast beautifully with the grey-green foliage.
real lavender
The original species grows as a woody subshrub and reaches a height of between 25 and 40 cm. From July to September, its flower spikes show the typical lavender blue and spread an intense scent.
followgate
Folgate is an early flowering variety that shows its light blue flowers as early as June. These rise high from compact cushions formed from grey-green foliage. The plant reaches a height of up to 60 cm. Since the flowers are tall, Folgate can also be planted at the back of the bed.
Hidcote Blue
The long cultivation of this old strain is the best proof that she has something to offer.
Source: Captain-tucker, Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote Blue', Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- dark blue-purple flowers in June and July
- grey-green leaves
- compact growth
With a maximum height of 30-40 cm, the slow-growing variety is ideal for low hedges. Its flower spikes can be dried, with the intensive color being well preserved.
Hidcote Pink
This strain offers pink flowers in June and July, but they can look a bit pale on their own. That is why the combination with blue-blossomed lavender is optimal. This lavender variety grows vigorously and needs regular pruning.
Imperial Gem
Imperial Gem is similar to Hidcote Blue but grows taller and has glossy silver foliage that contrasts nicely with the dark blue flowers. The 30-40 cm high plant can be used in many ways:
- as a scented shrub in a bucket
- as a border of a cottage garden
- in the back of the bed
- as a plant neighbor of roses
The flowers of this lavandula appear in July on stalks up to 55 cm long. They last a long time in the vase and can also be dried well if necessary.
Little Lottie
This dwarf variant among the pink flowering lavender varieties exudes romance in the garden, whether in the middle of other herbs or as a bed border. But it is also ideal for planters with a volume of 7 liters or more. In it she can beautify every balcony.
Miss Katherine
When other varieties are thinking about fading, Miss Katherine is the first to enter the garden stage. Its heyday is in July and August.
- compact growth habit
- Growth height 60-70 cm
- bright pink flowers
Munstead
Source: Photo by David J. Stang, Lavandula angustifolia Munstead 0zz, Adapted from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Munstead is a well-known, hardy and very robust variety that is often found in public parks because of its easy care. From June, the 40-60 cm high plant flowers blue-violet.
Nana Alba
A white flowering 'Lavender Dwarf', ideal for pots, window boxes and small garden beds. This strain is for gardeners with a lot of patience as she grows slowly and takes time to reach her full height of just 25-35cm.
Peter Pan
This is followed by a low blue flowering lavender variety which is also slow growing and has reached its maximum size at 25-30 cm. Like Nana Alba, the variety is suitable for the balcony or small garden. Since the flowers are brightly colored, they are ideal for drying.
rosea
Source: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, Lavandula angustifolia 'Rosea' Lawenda wąskolistna 2010-06-20 01, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Exceptional pink flowers await us, which look good next to blue lavender. The flowers appear from July to August and have a very intense scent.
siesta
All lavender lovers living in harsh areas should consider planting this hardy strain. It also grows vigorously, well-formed and tolerates pruning well. This variety is the ideal culinary herb for all dishes that can tolerate lavender aroma. Use the green before flowering, e.g. to lamb.
Two Seasons
The plant grows very bushy and has an attractive grey-green foliage. The first flowering period is in June. If the plant is not too dry in summer, it has the strength to develop a second flowering in September. It can even be more luxuriant than the first flower.
Lavandin for garden or balcony
Also called Provence lavender or scented lavender. Is not as hardy as real lavender. In mild parts of the country, it can stay in the garden and survive the winter with protective measures. Otherwise it is planted in a bucket and allowed to spend the flowering season outside.
Arabian Nights
This fragrant lavender grows to a height of 70 to 90 cm and, with its flowering period from July to August, is one of the late flowering varieties. He has several attributes:
- blue-violet flower spikes
- very long flower stalks
- broad, silver-grey foliage
- attractive in winter due to its light violet hue
edelweiss
In contrast to watering and fertilizing, cutting the lavender requires the greatest possible attention.
Edelweiss is the largest variety of white flowering lavender. The foliage is narrow, conspicuously large and gray in colour. Fragrant wreaths can be tied well with this.
Tip: This lavender variety got the good genes of real lavender when it was crossed. So it is unexpectedly characterized by high winter hardiness down to - 20 °C.
Fragrant Memories
The flowers are beautiful blue-violet, but the most striking thing about her is the wonderfully intense lavender scent. Fragrant Memories is fast growing and therefore needs regular pruning. Otherwise, senile shoots can quickly break under a snow load.
Grappenhall
This lavender variety has been sold for more than 100 years, sometimes under the name "Pale Pretender". It grows vigorously and is around 90 cm high, so it can be planted in the second row. The light purple flowers appear in July and August. In winter, the foliage turns conspicuously grey.
wholesale
Source: Photo by David J. Stang, Lavandula angustifolia Grosso 1zz, Adapted from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Grosso is a well-known fragrant lavender variety that is cultivated extensively in Provence. It is robust and very productive. The foliage clump is compact, large blue-violet flower spikes are enthroned on long, strong stems. This variety thrives best in a sheltered spot in the garden.
Tip: The very long spikes of the Grosso variety are ideal for drying and can then be used for dried bouquets.
Sumian
This strong growing Lavandula variety easily reaches 1 m in height. It convinces with comparatively huge flower heads, which fortunately also appear in large numbers. The flowers are typically lavender blue, while the calyxes tend towards flesh pink to purple. In Provence, this variety is grown commercially to obtain lavender oil.
French lavender for the balcony
The French lavender is sensitive to cold and is therefore usually found in pots. These, in turn, are best kept on a balcony during the warmer months of the year. There, this type of lavender can also stand in partially shaded locations.
anouk
This variety of French lavender, which is 40-60 cm high, can sweeten our entire summer on the balcony because it flowers from May to August. The flower spikes are purple in color and have a beautiful shape. They spread an intense scent.
ballerina
This variety has purple flowers. But initially, white bracts appear, which give the plant an interesting appearance. Over time, they turn pink and eventually purple.
Kew Red
Again, it is the flower color that makes it special. The flowers are red, initially accompanied by pink bracts. This strain also smells enticing.
NewMadrid
Here we are dealing with a series that offers us large-flowered pink, violet, red and white varieties. As large as the range of flowers is, the plants are stingy with the fragrance.
papillion
The classic lavender color violet awaits us, but the flowers are no less beautiful. This variety is considered atypically hardy.