Big Time White English Lavender

Big Time White English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia 'Big Time White')

Big Time White English Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia 'Big Time White', is a compact English lavender selected for its large, bright white flower spikes and strongly fragrant gray green foliage. Bold blooms rise well above the tidy mound of foliage, creating a clean, luminous look that stands out along paths, at the front of borders, and in containers. With its classic lavender scent, big flower show, and space saving habit, this variety works beautifully as a focal point near seating areas, entries, and sunny patios where you can enjoy the fragrance up close.

Distinctive Features

Big Time White English Lavender typically grows about 12 to 18 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide, forming a naturally rounded mound that stays neat with light pruning. Thick flower spikes carry numerous white florets that cover the plant in bloom, reading as bright, glowing wands of color above the silvery foliage. Narrow, gray green leaves provide fine texture and a soft, cool toned backdrop that looks attractive even after the main flush of flowers has passed. The combination of crisp white flowering, strong fragrance, and compact form makes this variety especially useful for edging, low hedging, and decorative pots.

Growing Conditions

• Light: Prefers full sun with at least 6 hours of direct light daily for best flowering, compact growth, and strong fragrance.
• Soil: Thrives in well drained, lean to average soils; avoids heavy, wet ground and performs best in sandy or gravelly conditions that keep roots on the dry side.
• Water: Water regularly after planting to establish; once rooted in, water deeply but infrequently, allowing the top of the soil to dry between waterings.
• Hardiness: Suited to many temperate regions where English lavender is grown outdoors, especially when provided with sharp drainage in winter.
• Size: Forms a compact mound about 12 to 18 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide at maturity, depending on climate and care.
• Growth Rate: Moderate grower that fills in steadily without quickly outgrowing containers or narrow border spaces.

Ideal Uses

• Edging and Low Hedges: Plant in a row along walks, drives, or bed edges to create a low ribbon of gray green foliage and white bloom.
• Containers and Patio Pots: Excellent in clay pots, troughs, and mixed planters where the compact mound and tall white flower spikes add height, scent, and contrast.
• Herb and Scent Gardens: Perfect near seating areas, entries, and paths so aromatic foliage and blooms can be brushed and enjoyed up close.
• Cottage and Mediterranean Gardens: Mix with roses, salvias, and pastel perennials for a cottage feel, or set into gravel and stone for a clean, Mediterranean look.
• White and Moon Gardens: Bright white blooms show especially well at dusk and under landscape lighting, making this a natural choice for evening garden spaces.

Low Maintenance Care

• Watering: After establishment, water when the top inch of soil is dry; avoid constant moisture or soggy conditions that can lead to root problems.
• Pruning: Shear lightly after the main flush of bloom to remove spent spikes and encourage a dense mound; avoid cutting back into old, woody stems below the leafy growth.
• Fertilizing: Requires only light feeding; in spring, apply a small amount of balanced, slow release fertilizer if soil is very lean, since excessive nutrients can cause soft, floppy growth.
• Mulching: Use a thin layer of gravel or coarse mulch around the base to improve drainage and keep foliage off wet soil, avoiding heavy organic mulches against the stems.
• Seasonal Care: In colder climates, provide excellent drainage and a sunny, sheltered spot; in late winter or early spring, tidy lightly to remove any winter damage and keep the mound compact.

Why Choose Big Time White English Lavender?

• Bright White Flower Spikes: Large, clean white blooms stand out in the landscape and pair easily with any color scheme.
• Compact, Tidy Habit: Naturally rounded mound is easy to manage in small gardens, narrow borders, and containers.
• Aromatic Foliage: Fragrant gray green leaves add soothing scent and soft texture to paths, patios, and outdoor living areas.
• Sun and Heat Tolerant: Performs well in hot, bright exposures when planted in well drained soil or raised beds.
• Versatile Design Use: Works as edging, in mixed borders, in herb and cutting gardens, or as a container focal point wherever you want classic lavender fragrance with a fresh white twist.

With its compact habit, bright white flower spikes, and fragrant gray green foliage, Big Time White English Lavender is an excellent choice for adding clean color, scent, and a refined focal point to sunny borders, pathways, and containers.