50 Shades of Lavender

Lavender fields in Provence, France

At Glamour Living not only do we love the scent of lavender, we also love the many shades of lavender plants. From the deep purple right through to the pure white variety they form a perfect complement to French style decor.

Lavender grows best in a hot dry summer climate but there are varieties suited to a humid or a colder climate.

 Here are some tips for growing lavender:

  Where to grow lavender

Warm, dry conditions suit lavender best. Plant in any well-drained soil in a sunny position where the roots will seek moisture deep in the soil. Lavender often does well in heavy soil for a while, but winter waterlogging may well shorten its life. Take cuttings early in autumn to grow replacement plants.

Lavender is a gorgeous accent for red interiors

  The best soil for lavender

Many lavenders come from poor soils around the Mediterranean such as the French countryside. This area has soils that are well drained but rich in lime. When planted in acidic soils, lavenders appreciate the addition of lime to the soil. If your soil is very acidic, grow lavenders in pots containing potting mix.

Planting new lavender plants

Take 7.5-10 cm heel cuttings from semi-woody non-flowering lavender shoots in autumn. Insert in pots of propagating mix and overwinter in a polystyrene box. They can be moved to their flowering positions early in spring. A small piece of concrete rubble beside plants provides lime.

Pruning lavender

Cut off the dead flower stems and lightly trim the plants in late summer. Straggly plants may be cut back hard in early spring to promote bushy growth and encourage new shoots. However, lavender plants are inclined to grow leggy with age and it is recommended to replace them after five or six years.

 Scented lavender pathways and hedges

There is a variety of English lavender called Lavandula angustifolia which has a height and spread of about 1 mt, beside a path. The silver grey foliage exudes as much scent on sunny midwinter days as the flowers do from midsummer to autumn.

For a fragrant hedge with a profusion of flowers in summer, plant different lavender species to give shades of purple, mauve, pink and white. The plants’ size and spread will vary, so clip the hedge to a uniform height.

   Drying lavender

To dry lavender, pick it when the flowers show colour but before they are fully open. Cut off the full length of the flower stalks, tie them together in small bunches and hang them upside-down in a cool, airy place to dry.

Drying lavender

At Glamour Living, we always carry a selection of potted 

lavender plants as well as lavender stems for you to arrange  

individually.

A selection of lavender at Glamour Living

As they are pseudo plants, you dont have to worry

about the lime, the temperature or the watering.

We do assure you that they are so real, you wont be able to 

detect the difference to the real thing.