Making Scents Of Lavender

Several years ago a wealthy local family spent a number of weeks in France, and when they returned the lady of the house immediately called her garden designer and told him that he must give her a field of lavender. Now, as wealthy and as smart as this woman is, she is, to say the least, horticulturally challenged. She hasn’t grown a plant on her own in her entire life, has no clue what the difference between a biennial and a perennial is, but in her mind if she sees something growing in France there’s no reason why she can’t pay someone to grow it for her out here. She had seen a field of lavender in France and she wanted her meadow converted to a lavender meadow, and yesterday. Know the type?

She was about to find out several of the horticultural facts of life. First, the field of lavender she’d seen in France was a type of lavender that isn’t hardy in our parts. Her field of lavender would have to be replanted every year, would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars (yes, the very rich do give up at some point) to maintain and thankfully she thought the money would be better spent elsewhere.

All was not lost, though, and her garden designer tempered her desire. Lavender is a wonderful plant, there are literally dozens of varieties that are hardy out here, and they have a home in a number of different garden situations. Even better, our poor sandy soils, abundant sunshine and often moderate winters are just what hardy lavender prefers. With its silver gray and perfumed foliage, delicate flower spikes of blues, off-whites and mild pinks, it’s a landscape plant that as a specimen, filler or small hedger complements our visual and aromatic senses. Better still, this plant is deer proof and once established it thrives on neglect as long as you show it a few moments of respect and give it a light pruning every April.

The name of this plant comes from the Latin verb meaning “to wash.” It was a favorite ingredient in the herbal baths of the Greeks and Romans and during the Middle Ages was considered an herb of love. Because of its clean, fresh scent and purported insect-repellent properties it was also a popular stewing herb. It also became an ingredient in smelling salts, a nasal decongestant and it was also used as a disinfectant for wounds during ancient wars.

While lavender can be found in many areas of the world, all the 20 or so species are members of the botanical genus Lavandula. Most of the lavenders found in our gardens today are hybrids or cultivars that have been selected from only a few of these species, and they fall into two basic groups. The first are all cultivars of the species Lavandula angustifolia and are also referred to as the English lavenders. The second group is made up of hybrids between English lavenders and another species, Lavandula latifolia, and are called lavandins. Depending on the variety, these plants grow from 10 inches up to 48 inches tall, but the majority are less than 24 inches.

Both of these groups have gray/green foliage with a habit akin to a small compact shrub, and many are hardy to zone five (we are in zone seven … two zones warmer than five, so most of the hardy species can be grown here). They all prefer full sun and well-drained soil. I think most gardeners fail with lavenders when they are planted in heavy clay or organic soils, in spots that receive regular irrigation (from lawn and garden sprinkler systems), or when they are potted and overwatered and when they don’t get their early spring shearing. They also require little if any fertilizer and they’re virtually insect- and disease-free. All are fragrant, but this can be variable by variety, and while the composition of their essential oils does differ, it’s difficult for most people to tell these plants apart by their scents.

The biggest differences between the two types are in their heights, flower colors, size of the flower spikes, and their time of bloom. The English lavenders tend to bloom early in the summer, while the lavendins bloom mid-summer. The darkest flower colors are found in the English group, while the tallest plants and longest flower stems and largest flower heads are in the lavandins … something to consider if you are going to be collecting the flower spikes and drying them for use in arrangements or as cuts. Many people seem to prefer the English (do Munstead and Hidcote ring a bell?) for potpourri, oil production, soaps and making lavender wands (dollies).

It’s important to note that the lavender flower is made up of two parts, the corolla and the calyx, each with a different color. The tubular corollas, what we usually think of as the petals, are most often violet-colored, though some are white or light pink. The calyx colors range from a very deep purple to a light violet/green. When lavender flowers dry, the corollas fall out or shrivel up and only the calyx color remains. So, when you choose a cultivar for dried flowers, it’s only the calyx color that matters.

Lavender can be grown from seed that you can start indoors, bought as bare-rooted plants (by mail), and as potted plants, where you can buy several varieties in garden centers potted and ready to plant. A note of caution, though. Several varieties of lavender can be found in florist shops, supermarkets and green grocers. In many cases, these are not the hardy varieties, so if you see one that strikes your fancy make sure to read the tag carefully, as most will indicate hardiness only to zones eight or higher.

The least expensive way to grow lavender is from seed. The seed is generally inexpensive, but germination is erratic. While you may find some “named” varieties from seed, remember that true hybrids and cultivars of this plant can only be grown from cuttings or purchased as potted or bare-root plants. Another downside of growing lavender from seed is that if you are using these plants for hedging you will find that the height from one seed-grown plant to another can be quite variable. For this reason, and for reliable colors and form, most will want to buy cultivars for uniform size and color.

When planting, it’s critical not to plant the lavender too deep or in an area where water collects. Remember, the two worst enemies of this plant will be rich soil and wet feet. Plant in full sun, and water in after the initial planting. Water weekly for about a month or until the roots are firmly established, then water only if there hasn’t been rainfall for two or more weeks. There’s no need to fertilize, though an annual application of an organic fertilizer at the drip line of the foliage can be done every spring.

Once the ground has thawed, the snow melted and the growing season begins, the plants are given an annual cleanup. This is usually done in early to mid-April and consists of thinning out deadwood and giving the plant a light to moderate pruning that encourages new shoots and branching that provide the current season’s blooms. Older stems may still send up blooming spikes, but the most reliable way to produce any abundance of flowers is with annual pruning.

Local garden centers should be stocking potted lavender plants from now through late spring, and if you’d like a shopping guide take a look at these varieties at http://goo.gl/JqHwZ5. For collections and other choices you’ll need to buy from a mail order nursery such as the White Flower Farm (www.whiteflowerfarm.com), which offers up to a dozen varieties for varied uses, or www.Mountainvalleygrowers.com, where 24 varieties are offered as well as pages and pages of great growing, harvesting and drying information. A trip to the library and a look at any good herbal will also yield lots of great varietal information, culture and uses. You’ll quickly see that there’s more to lavender than just Hidcote, Munstead and Jean Davis … the most commonly found cultivars. Lavender “Oxford Gem” is a relatively new introduction from Blooms (marketed in this country by Proven Winners) that has done very well in our trials. It grows to only 12 inches, has great fragrance, makes a great hedger and it’s survived our coldest winters.

There few garden plants that provide so many uses and are so easy to grow. So, get some scents, shop for your lavenders and … keep growing.