Return to the Gardening in the UK Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
Lavender - please educate me!
| | |
Posted by Amanda1 SE England (My Page) on Sun, Aug 21, 05 at 13:07
| I've just bought a lavender christiana, which has the most amazing deep blue-purple flowers. It's gorgeous, but I know nothing about it. It doesn't have typical lavender foliage, but a more lacey leaf.
I understand that these sorts of lavender are not as hardy as the common 'normal' lavender. How careful do I need to be? Can they tolerate a bit of frost? What about French lavender, is that hardy?
Please could somebody educate me about lavender in general. All I know is that they like full sun and really good drainage.
Thanks |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Lavender - please educate me!
| | |
| According to the literature it's a pinnata hybrid - and if it's like 'Sidonie' it will wilt in light frost. Under the eaves, against a south-facing brick wall, a frost shelter and fleece. French lavender endures awful conditions. Miserable dry shingly or silty soil, scanty water, baking sun - and ramps away until trimmed back after flowering - more than once a season. Lasts for years if suited as to site. (10+) |
RE: Lavender - please educate me!
| | |
| The parents are L. canariensis and L. pinnata. Both these are only hardy to about -5C at best. Poor drainage will make them even more sensitive to cold. They are generally recommended for pot culture where they can be protected in the winter, but could certainly be grown outdoors in some parts of the country in recent winters. Don't pamper them in summer. Give them the harsh conditions that Vetivert describes and it will actually make them hardier for the winter. Plant against a south-facing masonry wall for heat. A good location would be against a tall wall or under eaves for dryness. Would do well on chalky soils but not so well on London clay. |
RE: Lavender - please educate me!
| | |
| i keep mine out in winter(in a pot) but I have a small walled garden and East Anglia is very dry - I think winter wet is worse that dry cold, even snow or frost. Gorgeous though, aren't they? |
RE: Lavender - please educate me!
| | |
| According to my book, "Christiana" is a sterile hybrid between L.canariensis and L.pinnata. It is regarded as a tender variety and is best brought inside in early October before the first frosts and kept at about 5 degrees C. If you wish to keep this variety outside I would recomend that you take cuttings and overwinter them in frost-freeconditions. L.stoechas is hardier but in this part of the world where the the winters are cold and wet I try to keep a few plants inside at 5 degrees C. |
RE: Lavender - please educate me!
| | |
| Thanks for all the info. I have a nice warm spot for it next to a wall, but taking a few cuttings sounds like a very good idea. |
|
|
|
|
