Which lavender is best for the UK?

Lavandula angustifolia Hidcote or Munstead — English lavender, fully hardy (H5), reliable in almost any UK garden with good drainage. Both flower beautifully, attract pollinators, and last 8–12 years. For bigger plants and higher oil yield, L. × intermedia (Grosso, Phenomenal) is H4 and works in most of the UK except the coldest gardens. Avoid French / Spanish lavender (L. stoechas) except in sheltered south-coast gardens — it's H3 and risky.

Why is my lavender dying?

Almost always waterlogged roots. Lavender hates cold wet feet — heavy clay holding water around the crown in winter kills more plants than frost itself. Symptoms: sudden collapse after wet spells, browning needles from the bottom up, dieback at the base. Move to a better-drained site, or replace and improve drainage with grit. Other causes: cutting into old bare wood (no regrowth), age (8–12 years for English lavender), or French/Spanish cultivars planted somewhere too cold.

When and how should I prune lavender?

Annually, late July to early August, immediately after flowering. Use shears or secateurs to shorten the flowering stems and a few centimetres of leafy growth — leave the plant looking like a tight green dome. Never cut into the woody base of the plant: lavender rarely regrows from old bare wood and you can kill or permanently disfigure it. Don't skip pruning; neglected plants get leggy and bare at the centre within 3–4 years.

Can I grow lavender in a pot?

Yes — and it can be the better option in heavy-soil gardens where ground drainage is poor. Use a 30–40 cm terracotta pot (clay breathes better than plastic), peat-free compost mixed with 30% grit, and a south-facing position. Water modestly through summer; let the compost surface dry between waterings. In winter, move to a sheltered spot — pots are less hardy than ground plants because the rootball can freeze through.

How long does a lavender plant last?

English lavender (L. angustifolia): 8–12 years if well-sited and well-pruned. Lavandins (L. × intermedia): 6–8 years. French/Spanish (L. stoechas): 4–5 years in UK conditions. After this, plants get woody, threadbare, and bare in the centre; replace before they look terrible. Take cuttings each summer from a healthy 5-year-old plant to have replacements ready.

Are all lavenders edible?

Culinary lavender is Lavandula angustifolia — sweetest fragrance, used in lavender shortbread, herbes de Provence, lavender honey. Lavandins (L. × intermedia) are stronger and more camphor-like — fine for soap and essential oil, less pleasant in food. French/Spanish (L. stoechas) is technically edible but pungent. For cooking, choose English lavender, harvest just before flowers open fully, dry on trays in a dark airy place.

Lawenda

Lavandula angustifolia

Plant lavender in spring or autumn as young plants in 9 cm pots; seed is possible but slow and unreliable. Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender — Hidcote, Munstead) is fully hardy in most of the UK (RHS H5) and the most reliable choice for gardens. L. × intermedia (lavandins — Grosso, Phenomenal) are H4 and bigger, with higher oil yield. L. stoechas (French / Spanish lavender, with the rabbit-ear bracts) is H3 and risky outside sheltered southern coastal gardens. Choose full sun and sharp drainage — lavender hates wet feet far more than it hates cold. Prune lightly after flowering, never into old bare wood. A well-sited English lavender lasts 8–12 years. Bees and butterflies adore it.

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