Lavandula stoechas and L. stoechas 'The Princess'

The pair consists of:

- x 1 Butterfly lavender: the botanical species Lavandula stoechas, with large spike-like flowers topped with bracts of intense violet forming a tuft. It mainly flowers in spring and then again in late summer.

- x 1 Butterfly lavender 'The Princess' : tufted flowers of a remarkable intense pink. This variety blooms early, in April-May, and then again, in successive waves, throughout the summer.

The butterfly lavender is a plant native to the western Mediterranean basin. It is a shrub that naturally grows in full sun on siliceous slopes, poor in limestone. You will cultivate it in a mixture of soil and non-limestone fine gravel, ideally in a raised bed (20cm (8in) is enough). Also avoid watering it with "hard" tap water, especially if you grow it in a pot. From the mint family, this fragrant plant has a camphor-like aroma that pleasantly perfumes laundry and the garden. Respect a spacing of 40cm (16in) between each plant to create a dense lavender border, 50 to 60cm (20 to 24in) if you mix it with other small bushes.

The butterfly lavenders in this pair perfectly match cotton lavenders, prostrate rosemary 'Whitewater Silver', for example, and creeping brooms. It is also possible to mix several varieties of lavenders together, creating an elegant display, both in terms of the variety of flower and foliage colors, as well as the size and volume of the plants.

Butterfly lavender also makes beautiful potted plants. Choose a large pot (30 to 40cm (12 to 16in) in diameter). This will allow you to overwinter it frost-free in the coldest regions of our country.