Lavandula intermedia Platinum Blonde - Lavandin

The Lavandula 'Platinum Blonde' is a variety of hybrid lavender of modest but robust size, which is distinguished by unique variegated foliage, very bright, and highly aromatic.  Its small leaves, a velvety grey-green, gradually variegate with cream and silver, making the plant a small ball of light, especially in spring with the new shoots. Its summer flowering, an elegant light blue, sometimes extends until November. A beautiful novelty for flower pots, rock gardens, or a dry garden.

The genus Lavandula belongs to the family Lamiaceae. This very recent hybrid, called lavandin, is obtained by cross-breeding L. angustifolia and L. latifolia. These two species are found in the wild in the same mountainous environment, and naturally cross-breed. They have given rise to numerous cultivars, all easy to install in the garden, tolerating limestone well and being very healthy. The hybrid 'Platinum Blonde' forms a pretty, round cushion, with dense vegetation, reaching 70 cm (28in) in flower, 50 cm (20in) for the foliage, and a diameter of 50 cm (20in). Its evergreen leaves, wider and more rounded than those of other species and varieties, grey-green when young, are quickly invaded by cream and light yellow variegations. The color of the foliage is very stable, even more pronounced when the soil is dry and the climate is warm. However, in cool climates, what the plant gains in foliage and robustness, it loses in color and fragrance intensity. This variety offers a rather late and long summer flowering. Long, thin, leafy stems emerge well above the foliage ball, bearing long spikes of a light and vibrant blue-violet, very honey-scented.

This 'Platinum Blonde' lavender is hardy, but like most other lavenders, it needs to be planted in full sun in a very well-draining soil (even rocky) soil, on a slope or in a rock garden. In sunny and warm locations, its variegated foliage will be more vibrant and its flowers will exude an intense fragrance. An ornamental and Mediterranean plant par excellence, lavender can be used in flower beds, as a standalone plant, in borders, rock gardens, flower pots, by the seaside, and even as a low flowering hedge.

You can associate 'Platinum Blonde' lavender with grasses like Stipa pennata or Stipa tenuifolia, which, with their tousled appearance, will contrast with its rounded shape and create a harmonious association often found in nature. It will also work wonders when paired with evening primroses, perennial flax, astragalus, euphorbias, or dark-colored shrubs such as dwarf conifers, strawberry trees, landscape roses, and photinias. It pairs well with Iris germanica, daylilies, and a small Provençal bindweed called Convolvulus althaeoides. You can also create beautiful flower pots to place on the terrace or balcony. It is also possible to mix several varieties of lavender together, creating an elegant display with a variety of flower and foliage colors, as well as plant sizes and volumes.

Properties: The nectar of its flowers attracts bees, which produce one of the most renowned honeys. In Provence, the plant is distilled to obtain a highly sought-after essential oil in perfumery and aromatherapy. Its numerous therapeutic virtues are still widely used: its essential oil has antiseptic, antispasmodic, healing, purifying, diuretic properties, and more.