Growing and Using Lavender Book

Contents

Lavender
Types of Lavender
Hardy Lavenders
Tender Lavenders
Other Lavenders
Growing and Culture
Propagation
Planting Location and Soil Conditions
Container Gardening
Pruning
Harvest
Maintenance
Uses of Lavender
Medicinal Uses
Cooking With Lavender
Lavender Crafts
Potpourri

Excerpt from page 4 - Hardy Lavenders

Native to the Mediterranean area, hardy lavenders are sometimes known as English lavenders. They are well-suited to English climate conditions and like the long hours of summer daylight without excessive heat. All of the hardy lavenders have gray foliage and flowers arranged in a spike. The flowers are generally lavender in color.

Hardy lavenders are considered perennials though they can be grown as annuals in areas where they will not winter-over well. They don't grow quite as tall as the tender lavenders (see page 7) and they flower only once a year. Some of the world's finest oil of lavender comes from the flowers of these plants. This oil is very intense in fragrance - it is from these plants that we get the lavender oil that is distilled into perfume.

These garden lavenders can live through the winter in Zones 5 through 8. They are mostly shrubby plants and have narrow gray leaves. The old plants can look good throughout the winter as they sit in the garden with their woody stems. New growth is more green than gray.

The narrow leaves of different varieties vary in size on different parts of the plants, and some flower spikes are tapered while others are blunt. The stems that carry the flowers are square, rise above the foliage, and harden after the plant goes to seed.

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