Fresh lavender is a lovely garden addition. Growing lavender will provide beauty and amazing aromas throughout your garden beds. If you are struggling to decide how to plant lavender in your herb garden or yard, try some of these lavender garden ideas!
1. Plant different types and varieties
Planting different types of lavender together is a great way to harvest multiple herbs in your garden. Each lavender plant is slightly different and can be used for different things. Some smell nicer, others are prettier, and some keep pests away better. Find several different lavender varieties for your herb gardens and enjoy!
Here are the most popular categories of lavender to grow:
- English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
- French lavender (Lavandula dentata)
- Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas)
- Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia)
- Spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia)
Here are some of the most popular cultivars:
2. Plant a lavender hedge
A lavender hedge adds the perfect amount of color to any garden or landscape. Lavender hedges look amazing in both front yards and back yards. If you have an herb garden, a lavender hedge is a great way to keep things contained.
Wherever you choose to place your lavender hedge, it will provide a beautiful focal point in your large yard or space and will surely brighten your garden.
3. Add a lavender tree topiary
If you don’t have tons of space but want to incorporate growing lavender into your garden beds, add a lavender tree topiary. These simple plants can be planted straight into the ground or potted so you can move them around as needed.
The topiaries are also easy enough to bring inside if necessary and will bring amazing aromas to the home.
4. Include companion plants
Some plants will benefit from having lavender nearby. Great companion plants for lavender can also benefit the lavender too. Grow lavender in your garden if you grow any of the following:
- Echinacea
- Roses
- Yarrow
- Sedum
- Alliums
- African daisies
- Zinnia
- Gaillardia
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Sage
- Oregano
As you can see, many of these plants are also herbs. Lavender is a wonderful plant to have in your herb garden.
5. Add a white lavender cultivar
White lavender is a stunning addition to the flower garden. The pale-hued flowers contrast beautifully against the green foliage and beside more traditional purple lavender varieties. Here are 8 of the best white lavender varieties to add to your garden. Read more on this blog post!
- Nana Alba Lavender
- Ballerina Lavender
- Celestial Star Lavender
- Van Gogh Lavender
- Crystal Lights Lavender
- Alba Lavender
- Alba Lavandin
- Lacy Frills Lavender
These white lavender varieties are the perfect addition to your lavender garden.
6. Plant culinary lavender favorites
You might be asking whether culinary lavender and “regular” lavender are the same. The short answer is that all lavender is edible and falls into the same category as mint. However, some varieties of lavender taste better than others.
Most experts would agree that Lavandula angustifolia is the best-tasting lavender out there. Another great option is Lavandula x. Intermedia. Avoid Spanish lavender like Lavandula stoechas or Lavandula dentata. These Spanish lavender varieties have a lot of camphor, making them taste bitter.
7. Line a garden path with scented lavender
Your garden path is peaceful and should be lined with one of the most calming plants. Lavender is the ultimate garden path liner with its lovely purple hues and delicious scent. Lavender is commonly used in aromatherapy and decor worldwide. Why not use it in your garden and always have a little on hand?
A lavender-lined garden path is an excellent way to greet house guests to your home. The plants will brush your feet as you walk by, leaving a faint lavender scent on you all day.
8. Grow lavender along a fenceline
You may often see lavender planted alongside a fence. One reason may be because of its beauty, while another is that the plant is extremely useful. The lavender scent repels pests like insects, mosquitos, and even deer. Lavender is also said to have a positive effect on your mood.
Lavender is very easy to grow and is low-maintenance. Mixing with other plants in your garden is easy, giving an eclectic look near your fence line. Another bonus is that lavender plants are drought-tolerant!
9. Plant a sloping hill of lavender
The whole point of lavender plants is to create a certain mood and ambiance in your garden. Plant lavender of different varieties on a sloping hill for a show-stopping appearance. Multiple lavender plants cascading down a slope or hill will create a calming feeling in your garden.
The lavender plants will add powerful fragrance, soothing colors, and easy-care plants to your landscape.
10. Focus on pollinators
A lavender garden can also be a wonderful pollinator garden! Make sure to leave some flower spikes standing rather than collecting them all so there are some blossoms left for local beneficial pollinators.
