Lavender / Lavandin – Sensational (gallon pot)

Description

A relatively new lavender option are these Lavandin Hybrids. For many years, I recommended English lavenders – Lavandula angustifolia – (Munstead or Hidcote) as the best lavenders for growing in this area, although they often proved tricky to get through our winters and damps springs. However some new hybrids – Lavandula x intermedia have been proving to be excellent for growing in this area and have heavy essential oil content to boot. These Lavandins are much easier to grow and are exceptionally tolerant of both high heat and harsh winters.

Lavandins bloom a bit later than the traditional English lavenders – foliage is grey-green and the scent is strong and robust. Great plant for pollinators and bees. Deer resistant as well.

Sensational is a bit shorter than Phenomenal and seem to get fuller looking bloom structures. We also are offering a Lavandin called Exceptional that is white-flowered this season…

SOME MORE NOTES – Lavender can be tricky to grow in this area – but once you understand what it needs, it really is not hard to grow. Lavender plants tend to get root rot. They don’t like soil that stays damp and shady. They like soil that drains very well and they need full blaring sun. Hillsides facing south are ideal. Lavender doesn’t mind crappy soil that is full of gravel or shale. They like sand added to the soil or vermiculite. Lavender is also great grown in pots – just make sure the pots drain well (I add some gravel into the bottom to keep the moisture flowing out easily) and place the pots in full sun.

French (L. dentata) and Spanish (L. stoechas) varieties of lavender are also wonderful – with different scent profiles than English and different styles of leaves and colors and styles of flowers. I get a bit obsessed and grow a bunch of different lavenders – keeping the tender ones in pots that I bring into the greenhouse during the winter.

Here’s a write up from Walter’s which I thought would be of interest:

“Touted by breeder Lloyd Traven as the next generation of Phenomenal® and his best Lavender to date. Sensational!® reins in the massive size of its predecessor to a more densely packed habit with shorter stems and larger flowers. It remains a large Lavender at 3′ wide and will make a statement in any garden; particularly when planted in mass. This plant is more than just blooms; foliage emerges silver in spring on large, thick leaves. A true three season perennial! From Peace Tree Farms.

The grey-green foliage forms a compact mound topped with plump, rich violet purple flower wands that are perfect for cutting for fresh and dried bouquets. Clusters of tiny flowers appear at the nodes up the stem in addition to the terminal inflorescence, adding color down into the plant.”