English Lavender

English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

English Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, is the classic garden lavender, valued for its fragrant gray green foliage, soft purple flower spikes, and easy going nature in sunny, well drained sites. Plants form neat, rounded mounds that look good even when not in bloom, then cover themselves in slender flower wands that sway in the breeze and fill the air with a soothing scent. Whether you are edging a path, planting a small hedge, or filling containers on a patio, English Lavender brings color, texture, and fragrance together in a compact form that works as both a practical herb and a beautiful focal point in the landscape.

Distinctive Features

English Lavender typically grows about 18 to 30 inches tall and 18 to 30 inches wide, forming a rounded shrub like clump with woody stems at the base and soft, leafy shoots toward the tips. Narrow, gray green leaves give the plant a fine texture and a silvery cast that pairs easily with stone, gravel, and a wide range of flowering companions. Tall, slender flower spikes rise above the foliage in late spring to early summer, carrying many small purple to violet blue florets that attract bees and butterflies. Even after the main bloom, the plant remains useful as a foliage accent, and flower stems can be cut for fresh or dried arrangements, sachets, and craft projects.

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: Well suited to many temperate regions where English lavender is grown outdoors, especially when given sharp drainage in winter.
• Size: Generally forms a mound about 18 to 30 inches tall and 18 to 30 inches wide at maturity, depending on variety, climate, and care.
• Growth Rate: Moderate grower that fills in steadily without quickly outgrowing beds, borders, or containers.

Ideal Uses

• Edging and Low Hedges: Plant in a row along walks, drives, or bed edges to create a low, fragrant ribbon of gray green foliage and purple bloom.
• Containers and Patio Pots: Excellent in clay pots, troughs, and mixed planters where the mounded habit and vertical flower spikes add height, scent, and color.
• Herb and Scent Gardens: Perfect near seating areas, entries, and paths so aromatic foliage and flowers can be brushed and enjoyed up close.
• Cottage and Mediterranean Gardens: Mix with roses, salvias, grasses, and sun loving perennials for classic cottage combinations or set into gravel and stone for a Mediterranean feel.
• Cut and Dried Flowers: Flower stems can be cut for fresh bouquets or dried for sachets, wreaths, and crafts that bring lavender fragrance indoors.

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 with no leaves.
• 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 plant compact.

Why Choose English Lavender?

• Classic Lavender Look: Soft purple flower spikes and gray green foliage deliver the traditional lavender appearance gardeners love.
• Fragrant Foliage and Flowers: Strong, soothing scent adds a sensory layer to paths, patios, and outdoor seating areas and can be enjoyed indoors in cut or dried form.
• Compact, Versatile Habit: Mounded form fits easily into borders, hedges, rock gardens, and containers without overwhelming neighbors.
• Sun and Heat Tolerant: Performs well in hot, bright exposures when planted in well drained soil or raised beds.
• Multi Purpose Plant: Serves as an ornamental, a pollinator plant, and a useful herb for cut flowers, drying, and simple home projects.

With its rounded habit, fragrant gray green foliage, and classic purple flower spikes, English Lavender is an excellent choice for adding color, scent, and a refined, low maintenance focal point to sunny borders, pathways, and containers.