Creating a Lavender Hedge

There is nothing as spectacular and enjoyable as rows of Lavender with their upright spikes of delightfully fragrant flowers swaying elegantly in the summer breeze. Enjoying a long flowering season, Lavender plants are fairly easy to grow and do not generally suffer from any pest or disease attack provided a site with good drainage and an open sunny situation are provided. Drought and deer-tolerant, Lavender is also attractive to pollinators that are beneficial to the garden – and to onlookers who will have difficulty resisting the charm of rows of flowering Lavender!

Dozens of Lavender varieties are available and finding the right Lavender plant for your needs is not always an easy task. To assist you in selecting the right plant, we have prepared this guide, which we hope will be helpful to you.

Main Lavender Types

• Lavandula angustifolia, also called True Lavender or Common Lavender has long been cultivated for its high-quality lavender oil. Cultivars of this species tend to be compact in habit and have grayish-green narrow leaves and relatively short compact flower spikes. This Lavender type is great for formal or informal edging along walkways, raised wall beds, rock gardens, herb gardens, and in mass plantings. Flowering typically occurs from late spring to midsummer.
• Lavandula x intermedia, also called Lavandin, is a hybrid cross between Lavandula angustifolia and Lavandula latifolia. Cultivars are slightly less hardy than L. angustifolia and are taller with mounds of gray foliage and long loose spikes. This Lavender type is great for hedges or as an accent plant and is also used for potpourris. Flowering typically occurs from mid to late summer.
• Lavandula Stoechas also called French Lavender, Spanish Lavender or Butterfly Lavender is recognizable by the conspicuous sterile bracts resembling extravagant ears, on top of the short dense inflorescence. This Lavender loves hot weather but is more tender (Hardiness 8-9) than other Lavenders. A beautiful selection for mass plantings or containers. Flowering is almost continuous and typically occurs from mid-spring to late summer.

For the gardeners who would like to get a head start on creating a Lavender hedge, here is a list of suggested Lavender plants.