Lavenders: The Most Beautiful Varieties

Lavender 'Artic Snow'

The flowering of lavender ‘Arctic Snow’ reminds us that white-flowered lavenders have been cultivated since 1580. Among English lavenders, we find the ‘Alba’ selection and since 2001, the New Zealand selection ‘Blue Mountain White’ is also available. It seems that the recent selection ‘Arctic Snow’ is the same plant. A beautiful variety of English lavender that is very decorative, with the whiteness of its flowers against grey-green foliage creates a magnificent hedge or can be placed near an entrance to enjoy its fragrance. The Lavandula angustifolia ‘Arctic Snow’ features light and bright white flowers from mid to late summer. A bushy variety with low growth, perfect for rockeries and small borders. Its pure white flowers stand out beautifully when paired with shrubs that have silver-grey foliage or against a darker background.

Lavandula angustifolia ‘Arctic Snow’

Lavender 'Grappenhall'

Lavender Lavandula x intermedia ‘Grappenhall’ has long flower stems and makes a good cut flower for bouquets or small scented sachets diffusing the fresh scent of lavender in linen cupboards. ‘Grappenhall’ is one of the largest lavenders. The foliage is dense green, with flower stems reaching 60 cm and flowers 12 cm long or more. The flowers are lavender-coloured, with greenish-purple calyxes. It is an ideal plant for large hedges. The flowers are lighter in colour than most other lavandins, but the fragrance is strong, and the dried flowers are perfect for potpourri.

⇒ For drying lavender, cut when the first buds open at the top of the flower stem. The leaves and flowers make good additions to potpourri and can be used in cooking. Try mixing Grappenhall lavender with other culinary lavenders, such as English lavender ‘Rosea’, for use in tea.

Lavender 'Platinium Blonde'

Lavender “Platinum Blonde” Lavandula x intermedia ‘Platinum Blonde’ is a brand new blonde bombshell that is making its way to the forefront. It’s ready to lose a few “plumes” in your garden borders! To discover the charms of this beautiful temptress, read on and find out what is so different about this spectacle, and here’s a hint, it’s not the flowers…

‘Platinum Blonde’ boasts the cutest purple flowers from which clouds of its heady fragrance rise for many months. This lovely low lavender with a well-rounded habit brings light to the borders even in winter.

Its main appeal is its very pretty variegated cream-yellow and silver foliage that will give you the opportunity to showcase your lavender all year round. This blonde bombshell will look stunning mixed with your potted plants on your terrace this summer. So don’t just relegate it to the back of your garden; wear its colours proudly!

Lavender ‘Platinum Blonde’

Lavender 'Magical Posy Purple'

Butterfly lavender or tufted lavender Lavandula stoechas ‘Magical Posy Purple’ is an original young plant that offers a generous flowering in the beautiful season. Its flowers are characterised by being bicoloured: a deep intense blue. Its large square spikes are topped with purple petals, giving it a remarkable appearance.
Highly fragrant, the flowers of Lavandula diffuse a fresh and intense scent that will fill the entire garden. Ideal for rockeries, on a bank, or in a border, Lavandula ‘Magical Posy Purple’ can also be grown in pots. Its strong hardiness allows it to achieve very good results in wetter regions and to flower until November in Mediterranean climate zones.

Lavandula stoechas ‘Magical posy purple’

Lavandula 'Middachten'

This beautiful hardy lavender Lavandula angustifolia ‘Middachten’ offers the double advantage of being repeat flowering and producing very fragrant lavender blue flowers with a dark purple calyx. It boasts a lovely flowering display of very long spikes in May and June, and again in September until November, depending on the region. Like all lavenders, place it in full sun in preferably dry, well-drained soil. Its small dimensions (50 cm in diameter and 60 cm in height during flowering) make it ideal for pot cultivation on a terrace or balcony. However, ensure to continue watering it during the summer and especially remove saucers to avoid stagnant water which it dislikes.

Lavandula 'Rosea'

Lavender ‘Rosea’ is a compact plant with delicate pale pink flowers in late spring and again in summer and autumn depending on the year. Also known as pink lavender or lavender ‘Jean Davis’. Its large spikes of light green and ramified make it suitable for both large landscaped areas and pots on a terrace. It diffuses a very fresh and pleasant fragrance in the sun. This lavender has an exceptional fruity taste and happily flavours teas, herbal infusions, and pastries.

Lavandula angustifolia ‘Rosea’

Lavandula 'Dwarf Blue'

The ‘Dwarf Blue’ lavender is a medium-sized aromatic bush with moderate growth. Its appearance is quite compact, with dimensions ranging from 30 to 60 cm in both height and diameter.

Its foliage is green to grey-green, while its fragrant flowers have a lovely blue colour.

Lavandula angustifolia ‘Dwarf Blue’ blooms from early summer to early autumn. Among its characteristics are the plant’s resistance to urban air pollution as well as its tolerance to coastal salt spray.

Lavandula angustifolia ‘Dwarf Blue’

For further reading

• Discover our ideas for pairing lavender in the garden