PlantFiles: English Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote Blue'

Love to keep adding different Lavenders to my garden and this is new to me this year (I found it locally.).

The flowers and foliage both look beautiful! Have it, as all my Lavenders are, in sandy, lean and very well drained soil with pea gravel on top.

Love the flowers. Love the fact that you don't have to water much. Butterflies love it. Only problem is it can get a bit leggy if you don't trim it back every year.

My family is originally from England where there are fields and fields of lavender. I was hesitant to plant lavender in Texas (not quite as damp and overcast as England). The four hidcote in my yard are south facing in full, dry sun. I have been pleasantly surprised as to how well they have thrived. I recommned cutting them down by a third after the last blooms in late fall. Plants may look grayish and unhealthy over the winter and well into spring. When the nighttime temperatures reach about 60 degrees, the lavender starts blooming again. A beautiful, striking plant; also very popular with the bees.

I planted this from seed last year and it is still establishing itself, but doing well. I have read that it is best to prune after growth is established in spring, and in a dome shape. Stratification and light aid germination of seeds; they are slow to germinate.

Hidcote lavender should NOT be grown by seeds. Propagation is the only good method for obtaining the exact same plant. ALL lavender that can be grown by seeds will mutate except for 'Lady' and 'Munstead.'

Lavender requires hot, dry, rocky, sandy, soil with no fertilizer. In other words poor soil. I lost lots of plants in a very rich area. I had the soil tested to find out it was too high in manure. (Previous owners) so I planted strawberry and sunflowers for the next two seasons to help leach the manure out.

'Hidcote' is great for drying as it keeps it wonderful blue color after drying. It is also great to cook with as it has a light delicate taste. The flowers look like little blueberrys just ready to burst forth. I love the fact that it doesn't get too big...about 2 feet. I have not tried growing it inside however, we have been told, and read about growing lavende inside. It just doesn't get enough light . Lighting indoors is not as strong as outdoors so it will require more. Perhaps a growing light on it 24-7? If anyone has done this, please email me with the results. I would be intrested in knowing.

Hidcote doesn't sulk when planted in rich soil the way some other varieties will. It can be grown in mostly shade, although it will not flower well. As with all other named varieties, it does not come true from seed.

Lavenders can be easy or temperamental. I have had little luck with 'Munstead' but good luck with the purple 'Hidcote'. In zone 9 coastal Nor. CA it blooms for months. In second and later years cut back in late fall to renew plants. Although very xeric, my 'Hidcotes' have taken watering (they are in a mixed bed) far better than the 'Munstead', which rotted quickly.