Lavender "Hidcote" 0.20 m - 0.30 m / Lavandula ang. "Hidcote" /

Lavender, or lavender , is a perennial plant, considered a small shrub, because the branches become woody. It has evergreen leaves, even in winter, usually the leaves are silver-green, but there are also varieties with green or silver leaves. They reach maturity in 2-5 years, and can live 40-50 years without problems, but in Western Europe, there are 80-100 year old plantations with plants of the same age. It originates from the Mediterranean area. There is a controversy with the name of lavender, the one that survives in our country without problems over the winter, planted in the garden, is the variety Lavandula angustifolia , i.e. the one with the narrow leaf. Some call it English lavender, others French or true lavender, so it's good to call it narrow-leaf lavender, so it won't be confused with the varieties: Lavandula stoechas or Lavandula intermedia. It is an outdoor plant, many people buy it and keep it indoors, and many of them do not survive more than two weeks. It is better to plant it somewhere in the garden or in front of the building, in a place with a lot of sun and during the flowering period cut the flower stalks, which can dry, the flowers do not lose their color even after drying, and the lavender scent will last longer more than 12 months, when it can be harvested again. Planting lavender plants grown in pots, can be done as long as the soil is not frozen, i.e. from April to late autumn in October. By planting in the garden, without moving the existing soil, the plant has nothing to suffer, because the root of the plant is not cut (not disturbed), but the space for the roots of the plant is increased. Lavender being a plant of Mediterranean origin, it needs a lot of sun and heat, so it is recommended to plant in the sunniest place of the garden.

Soil requirements.

Try to avoid planting in swampy places, it prefers well-drained soil, not very rich in nutrients, sandy, calcareous or clayey. It adapts well to almost any garden soil, and after rooting, it resists drought well.

Planting distance.

The lavender planting distance depends on what we want. Hedge: To create a border or hedge, plant at a distance between plants of 25-40 cm, depending on the variety. Solitary bushes: to create round lavender bushes, the planting distance should be between 80 – 120 cm, depending on the variety. Many people see pictures of lavender fields and want a similar lavender field, and they start and plant them 25 by 25 cm, but not in rows, but all over. It is completely wrong, you must leave room for access to the plants, because they must be cut regularly at least once a year. Lavender grown in pots, requires regular watering, 2-5 times a week. Those planted in the garden, are watered only in the first year, from the second year, they resist drought well. Attention! Do not leave water in the plate under the pot. It is a plant that does not know how to swim and drowns in a finger of water left at the bottom of the plate. That is why the water is emptied from the saucer under the pot no later than 30 minutes after watering, even during the summer.

Care and maintenance.

It is an unpretentious plant that does not require special care, it resists drought and has no pests. Lavender planted in the garden requires only the trimming of the flower stalks, during the flowering period or immediately after. It is recommended to cut the bushes to half or at least 2/3rds of the height, this way the bushes will remain compact and branching and healthy growth is stimulated. The lavender fields in France are harvested mechanically, 1-2 times a year. There are many varieties that after the first flowering, if cut early and only the flower stalks, will bloom again. This second bloom is smaller in quantity and number of flowers, about half of the first bloom. It can also be grown in pots, but in order to live for many years, it needs a large pot with a volume of at least 10-30 liters. It is planted in the garden next to roses, in addition to having the same requirements for a lot of sun, lavender drives insects and ants, thus you will get rid of aphids or other insects that attack roses. In addition, lavender also has a calming effect, both visually and through its fragrance.