Purple reign

Lavender is one of the most recognisable and popular plants, enjoyed for its refreshing fragrance and lovely coloured flowers. This versatile herb is easy to grow, has both medicinal and culinary uses and is attractive to pollinators – especially bees. There are many varieties from which to choose, so it is no wonder that this evergreen shrub has graced our gardens for centuries.

You can select hardy, half-hardy or tender species to work well in a range of situations, including low-growing hedging, filling formal parterres, bordering a pathway, mingling in relaxed cottage garden schemes or in dry Mediterranean-style gardens.

There are many different species and subspecies in the lavender family. However, the three main types that are grown, and which have different blooming seasons from spring to late summer, are: Lavandula angustifolia, English lavender; , French or Spanish lavender; and , lavandin.