Growing herbs: English Lavender
English lavender (Levandula angustifolium) is a perennial herb with large round flowers that are popular for their fragrant blooms. The name “lady’s breath” originates from the French word for “lily”. In fact, the English lavender is related to the common lily flower. It is a member of the mint or citrus family, which includes such familiar garden plants as lilies, roses, and chrysanthemums. Growing herbs is really quite straightforward, even for beginning herb gardeners, and there are many reasons to choose English lavender as your first choice for a new herb garden.
English lavenders have medium hardiness in the Eastern States. They do well on a variety of soil conditions, including full sunlight, well-drained soils, and alkaline soil. English lavender (also known as “Queen Anne’s Lace”, and sometimes “pleureux”) does not grow well in drought. Because it has a medium hardiness, it should be planted in partial shade or in well-drained soils. Because it has a low nitrogen base, you may want to alternate annuals with perennials to keep your plants healthy between years. For further information about the hardiness of English lavender, read the information on the back of your seeds or plant packet.
As an herb, English lavender is best used as a cut flower, although it can be traced in the roots of certain plants to growing trees. Its bitter flavor and scent often discourage people from attempting to use it as a culinary herb. However, culinary enthusiasts frequently include it in cooking, especially with onions. For example, to add a little flavor and tenderness to onion rings, boil an onion ring in half a cup of chopped English lavender leaves along with a quarter teaspoon of salt. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
English lavender is an excellent choice for landscaping because it grows well in both container and permanent garden habitats. It does well in full sun, with well-drained soil. It prefers a Mediterranean climate, but is equally at home in southern states as well. It tends to grow more than one bush, making it easy to maintain. It will spread quickly if planted to each other in the same bed, and the additional plants provide additional blooms.
In addition to growing as an ornamental flower, English lavandula is used for its foliage and stalks. It is a perennial herb that prefers full sunlight, moist but not soggy soil. It prefers a well-drained soil, with good aeration and well-watered conditions. It tends to grow two to three bushes in a dense spreading background, with the middle plant growing taller than the rest.
Lavandulas are part of a large family of Mediterranean herbs that are grown for their fragrance, color, cooking properties, and for their foliage. Most are part of the shrub or vine family and grow on trees or shrubs in well-drained soils with rich organic matter. English lavandula is one of the best growing herbs in the Mediterranean area, and it can be successfully used in home gardens or in the landscape design of hotels and other buildings in the southern United States.
The L. angustifolia or English lavandula is a perennial herb. The English lavandula or L. angustifolia is a very versatile perennial herb that is used in decorating kitchens, bathrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, schools, colleges, and offices. It can be used fresh or dried; it has a mild and subtle scent and can be used indoors or outdoors. The plant blooms in spring, growing to about three feet tall, and has a dark green foliage. As it matures, it can grow to about eight to ten feet tall and have a variety of desirable flowers, including white and pink blooms, blue flowers, and the classic lavandula orangery.
The herb is very easy to grow; it prefers fertile, well-drained soil, with an abundance of light. It likes full sun and will grow well whether it’s planted in a traditional bedding plant or in a pot. It has a naturalize tendency, which means that it does well in a variety of conditions and climates. The English lavandula orchid is a versatile herb that is often planted as a ground cover or in the flower garden as a potted plant, for its wonderful fragrance and color.