6 Lavender Varieties to Elevate Your Garden & Senses
Lavender is more than just a fragrant herb; it's a versatile plant that brings beauty, aroma, and pollinator-friendly blooms to any garden. Whether crafting a serene landscape, creating homemade sachets, or attracting bees and butterflies, there's a lavender variety perfect for your needs.
Let's explore the benefits of growing lavender and learn more about six exceptional lavender cultivars available for shipment directly to your doorstep!
Benefits of Growing Lavender
Attracts Pollinators
The first of many benefits lavender serves is its magnetic attraction to pollinators. Between the intoxicating heavenly scent and the bold purple hues, bees and butterflies simply can’t get enough of this gorgeous perennial. When you plant lavender in your yard, you can expect it to easily transform into a pollinator oasis!
Low-Maintenance & Drought Tolerant
The next benefit to growing lavender is its low-maintenance and drought-tolerant nature. While many plants require frequent watering, pruning, and care, lavender really does not ask for much. The hardy perennial is tolerant of a range of different soil types and requires little upkeep to maintain its beautiful appearance. These plants are specifically great for hot, dry climates with decent sun exposure.
Fragrant & Versatile
In addition to pollinators and easy care, you will love planting lavender in your landscape to enjoy its calming fragrance and versatility! The blooms can be harvested for dried arrangements, various crafting products, or be left alone to be enjoyed in nature!
Our Six Favorite Lavender Varieties
Now that you know the many benefits perennial lavender plants have to offer, it’s time to dive into a few of our favorite varieties.
Phenomenal Lavender
Renowned for its adaptability, Phenomenal Lavender thrives in various climates, including the humid summers on the East Coast. Its silvery foliage and fragrant lavender-blue blooms not only add visual appeal but also attract bees and butterflies. This variety is deer-resistant and ideal for borders, rock gardens, and mass plantings!
Hidcote Lavender
Hidcote Lavender is prized for its deep purple flowers and dense, evergreen foliage. Its long-lasting fragrance makes it excellent for drying and crafts. Hidcote is primarily differentiated from other lavender varieties by its compact size, darker violet-blue flower color, and more tightly packed flower heads than other English lavender varieties. It also has a reputation for being very cold-hardy and fragrant, making it popular for hedging and ornamental gardens.
Provence Lavender
Strongly linked to its presence in the country hillsides of Southern France, Provence Lavender is a classic variety well-loved in gardens around the world. This hybrid lavender type is particularly known for its high oil production and strong, aromatic fragrance. It has a larger, more open flower than true lavender and is easily propagated from plants, not seeds.
Known for its sweet scent and long blooming period, Provence Lavender is perfect for fragrance gardens. Its tall stems and abundant blooms make it ideal for creating sachets and potpourri. This variety is also drought-tolerant and attracts a multitude of pollinators.
Munstead Lavender
Munstead Lavender is a compact and hardy English variety that’s perfect for gardeners seeking both beauty and practicality. Munstead is known for its compact size, fragrant flowers, and strong aroma. It's characterized by lighter-colored flowers and a more shaggy, less compact appearance compared to other English lavender varieties. Its soft purple blooms and silvery foliage create a calming presence in borders, herb gardens, or containers.
Blooming earlier than many other types, Munstead offers a long season of fragrance and pollinator activity, attracting bees and butterflies to your garden. It’s known for being drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, and adaptable to cooler climates, making it a reliable choice year after year.
Grosso Lavender
Grosso lavender, or Lavandula x intermedia 'Grosso', is a hybrid of Lavandin and is known for its robust growth, prolific blooms, and strong, distinctive fragrance, which is often described as camphorous. It also stands out for its tall, dense flower spikes and silvery-green foliage.
Grosso lavender's most distinguishing feature is its long, dense flower spikes, which are typically 3-4 inches long. The flowers are a vibrant dark purple to violet and bloom profusely throughout the summer.
Sensational Lavender
Sensational lavender stands out due to its large, chunky blooms, strong, sturdy stems, and compact, upright growth habit. It also features broad, silvery foliage and an exceptional season of rich purple flowers, making it a visually striking addition to any garden. The stems are thicker and stronger than those of other lavenders, resisting bending and improving their appearance in bouquets.
Shop Perennial Lavender Online
Whether you’re in it for the fragrance, the mass of pollinators, the ease of care, or all of the above, it’s easy to see why lavender is such a well-loved staple in the gardening and landscaping world. Shop our various varieties of lavender plants online today and enjoy shipment directly to your doorstep! Gardening has never been so simple!