Lavender – Lavandula genus – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavender

I’m growing a wide range of these plants and have built up a good sized collection. I have a large collection of the most commonly available species and varieties of them. But there are lots of species in other groups that I just can’t find or get a cutting of. They are generally very hardy but don’t like heavy frosts or extended damp conditions. Otherwise they are close to being xerophytes and thrive on neglect and being left alone. They like being lightly fed with dynamic lifter while in growth and hate water on them in winter when mostly dormant. I grow them generally in a gravel/soil mixture and with free drainage and scatter slow release granules round them if they are in pots.

Lanata and Latifolia are a pain to cultivate as cuttings. Best to do this only in mid spring while in full growth.

Dentata is extremely hardy and often is in flower here even in winter under snow.

Pinnata and canariensis are under rated and have both an intense flower colour and are in flower for long periods.

Cuttings can be taken either in spring or autumn for best results. These are so effective there is no need for seeds generally.

For best fragrance use the Angustifolia flower seed capsules left behind directly after flowering which are full of oil.

Viridis and some of the very dark purple flowering stoechas are really sticky to touch and seem to exude oil on their leaves and stems as well as flowers.

Stoechas group [often called Italian – Spanish – Portugese]

• Stoechas
  • Kew red
  • a very intense dark purple
  • Alba large and small (nana)
  • Avonview, marshwood etc
• Pedunculata
• Viridis

Dentata [often called French]

• Dentata
• Dentata var candicans

Angustifolia Group  [often called English]

• Angustifolia – alba, rosea
• Latifolia
• Lanata

Hybrids

• Intermedia – Angustifolia – latifolia
• heterophylla  – Angustifolia – dentata
• allardii  – Angustifolia – dentata

Pterostoechis group

• Pinnata
• Sidonie – hard to tell if this is multifida or pinnata as it looks like a cross to me.
• Multifida
• Canariensis

Lavandula Dentata var candicans [note silver hair]

Lavandula Dentata

Mixed bag of sidonie, pinnata and multifida