Garden: Planting Lavender In 5 Questions
Iconic flower of Provence in the collective imagination, lavender enchants gardeners with its fragrance and its mauve inflorescences that contrast with its silver foliage. This beautiful aromatic plant also has the advantage of being undemanding and can be planted in all types of soil. We explain how to plant lavender in 5 questions.
1- How to choose your lavender plant?
City gardeners who only have a balcony can definitely consider planting lavender in a large pot.
At the time of purchase, you can settle for a small plant sold in a pot because lavenders are fast-growing plants.
Whether you cultivate them in a pot or in the ground in the garden, it is better to choose subjects of modest size and let them grow in their final location.
When to plant lavender?
The lavender planting period extends from spring to autumn, provided that periods of heavy frost are avoided.
To plant lavender in your garden, remember to avoid periods that are too cold as frost could damage the plant. Choose the right time according to the climate of your region.
Once all risk of frost is eliminated, early spring is generally considered the most favorable period to carry out this planting and allow the plant to establish itself before its summer flowering.
3- Where to plant lavender?
On a terrace or in a garden, lavender plants are adaptable to many situations. They are often used in rock gardens because they thrive there, but it is also possible to plant them along the edge of a flower bed.
On a balcony or terrace, it is recommended to plant lavender in a pretty terracotta pot. Terracotta is a healthy material that provides plants with a drained and airy environment, in addition to giving your balcony a typically Provencal charm!
As for the nature of the soil, this southern plant is content with ordinary soil. It can adapt without problem to poor soil, even if it is dry and chalky.
Its only requirement concerns exposure, which must be sunny, warm and dry. Not surprisingly, this aromatic plant typical of the landscapes of Provence loves warmth.
4- How to plant lavender?
To plant a lavender bought in a pot, start by gently removing the plant from the pot and soaking it in a bucket or basin of water to moisten the soil.
Meanwhile, dig a hole twice as wide as the plastic pot that contained the plant. For planting in open ground, remember to loosen the soil and enrich it with a handful of fertilizer.
All that remains is to install the plant in the center of the hole and to seal it with the soil that you had removed. Pack the soil around the plant with the palm of your hand and create a small watering basin around its base. Finally, water copiously as for any other planting.
Note: Lavenders being fast-growing plants, it is generally recommended to give them space and to respect a spacing of 70 cm. However, if you want to create a row and a small hedge of lavenders, you must reduce the planting distance to 50 cm, or even 30 cm for small varieties.
5- What to plant with lavender?
Now that you know how to plant lavender in your garden, you may be wondering what are the best plant associations with this beautiful fragrant flower.
The first possibility is to reserve a corner of your garden for aromatic herbs and plant lavenders together with other Mediterranean plants such as rosemary, thyme and sage for example. Guaranteed South of France scents!
In a completely different style, you can associate lavenders with low-growing roses, since these two flowers love the sun and have fairly similar requirements.
Choose varieties of roses that appreciate well-drained soil. Favor light-colored roses (white or pale pink) to create a contrast with the purple hue of lavender spikes. This association softens the bushy aspect of lavenders and creates a romantic decor in the garden.
Finally, if you are looking for Mediterranean plants whose flowering can contrast with the purple color of lavenders, you have the choice between:
• santolina
• helichrysum or everlasting
These two Mediterranean species love the sun and offer a beautiful bright yellow flowering. In your flower beds or in a colorful bouquet, the visual effect is guaranteed!
