|
Lavender is among the most popular of scented plants. But the appeal of this native of southern France goes far beyond its uses in aromatherapy. It is a workhorse landscape plant that is well adapted to small scale as well as mass plantings.
With sun and good drainage lavender can grow almost anywhere in the Front Range. Grow it in a traditional mixed border, in an herb or rock garden, in containers or in water-wise mass plantings. It's perfect for all these situations because it tolerates sun, heat, cold, wind, rain and snow.
There are an estimated 25 lavender species and many cultivars are readily available from local garden centers. With its gray-green foliage and flowers ranging from white to purple with all shades of pink, mauve and lavender blue, lavender fits well in almost any garden design.
English lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, is the hardiest of the lavenders, rated as hardy in zone 5 (much of the Denver metro area) on the United States Department of Agriculture map. It's the classic early-flowering, robust plant that's also excellent as a culinary herb. This lavender has survived in zone 3 when planted at the base of a warm, sunny wall and provided a blanket of snow in winter to protect against soil cracking caused by freezing and thawing.
The best standard cultivars for Colorado are 'Hidcote' and 'Munstead'. They can be grown in containers and held over for a year but then should be moved to larger containers or planted in the ground. The dwarf varieties such as 'Nana Alba' and 'Irene Doyle' are more compact and perfect for edging borders or in small pots.
'Grosso' and 'Provence' are cultivars of Lavandula x intermedia, also known as lavandin. These large and intensely aromatic plants are cultivated mainly for their oils and prolific flowers and are well suited to landscape use. The Spanish lavenders such as 'Willow Dale' bear interesting wings on the flowers and are not hardy here. They are excellent when treated as annuals in containers or borders.
Although lavender prefers gritty, sandy soil for its good drainage, amended Colorado clays work well, as do mounded plantings. Amend the soil with compost, never with fresh manure. If drainage may be a problem, try English lavender cultivars such as 'English Velvet' that are generally more tolerant of wet winters. Don't over fertilize. In fact, lavender produces the most fragrance if grown in poor soils.
In massed xeric plantings, young plants require regular watering for establishment. Mature plants require dry conditions. Overhead sprinklers drown young plants and can split or rot mature bushes. Avoid watering too near the base of the plant to avoid rot and provide for air circulation. While drip irrigation may be perfect for establishment, keep emitters away from the base of plants.
In containers use a standard, well-drained potting soil. Water when the soil is dry and don't let soil stay dry for long periods, as dehydrated plants are nearly impossible to bring back. Containers should be watered more frequently than in-ground plantings, as the superior drainage provided by modern potting mixes will avoid problems with over-watering. Fertilize container grown plants as necessary because potting soils do not provide the nutrients available to plants grown in the ground. Use a fully soluble fertilizer in the water or timed-release fertilizer in the potting mix.
It's important that lavender receive a full eight hours of sun, and reflected heat from patios on container plants will not be a problem as these plants prefer hot temperatures.
Prune lavender once a year in late summer to keep plants in shape, cutting back bushes by two-thirds. Bushes that are not pruned have a tendency to become woody in the center, while shearing will help keep a tight, dense version of the natural shape.
Plant lavender in a mass to form a bold statement. Lavender can form a striking complement to other xeric plants such as chocolate flower (Berlandiera lyrata), hardy four o'clocks (Mirabilis multiflora), poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata), globe thistle (Echinops ritro) and 'Moonshine' yarrow. To take extra advantage of lavender's sweet fragrance, consider planting it near a clothes dryer vent to spread the potent fragrance throughout the yard.
In addition to its inclusion in potpourris and sachets, lavender is also useful in cooking. Fresh or dried lavender in small amounts can be used in combination with herbs such as fennel, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme and savory in recipes for fish, poultry and meats and vegetables. Add lavender flowers to vanilla ice cream, combine with sugar on cookies before baking, or try in a fruit salad to add variety to summer fare.
Whether it's for striking appearance, xeric gardening, soothing fragrance or gourmet cooking, versatile lavender should have a place in every garden.
For more information on Gardening, contact your
local Colorado State University Extension office. |
