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Perennial of the Week: Lavender

The light, sweet smell of Lavender is more than just a pleasant perfume: Aromatherapists use Lavender to bring a sense of calm to a room. No wonder Lavender-scented products are used in babies’ bathwater!

Lavender is also a pleasant way to keep moths away from clothing. Lavender sachets and pomanders have been staples in closets for eons. These days, you can readily purchase packets of Lavender to throw in the clothes dryer.

For 2,000 years, Lavender has been used as a perfume and a flavoring for foods. It is also used to make soap and is considered an effective antiseptic, and even a remedy to help prevent scarring.

Gardeners love this Mediterranean native for its eye-catching foliage and elegant flowers. Lavender features fragrant, needlelike silvery gray or grayish-green foliage that resembles that of the Rosemary plant. When they appear, the flowers are mauve, pink, white – and, of course, lavender! You’ll want to use Lavender flowers fresh or dried in bouquets and arrangements.

Your Lavender plant will grow best in full sun and well-drained, alkaline soil. It will thrive when planted on sloped terrain or along a rock wall, and is drought tolerant and deer resistant. There are many cultivars of Lavender as well as hybrids available to the gardener today. We are currently growing “Blue Cushion,” a dwarf form of Lavender that only grows 12-16” tall; “Platinum Blonde,” a variety that sports lovely cream and variegated foliage; “Hidcote” and “Munstead,” two very old and well recognized cultivars with blue-purple flowers; and “Provence” and “Phenomenal,” two taller hybrids that reach 24” or more in height. “Phenomenal” is a new variety with striking silvery-green foliage and exceptional heat and humidity tolerance, making it an excellent choice for gardens in our area. All of these varieties can be found in the Rohsler’s Grown pots.

If you don’t know much about Lavender, this is a great time to get acquainted! Our experts are here to help you select the best variety for your landscape.

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