Lavandula

There are not many plants which are instantly recognisable, but lavenders are probably one of them. Even if you don't grow them, you may have come across them in soaps, perfumes, cleaning products, essential oils and even ice cream! Some of them are known as English lavenders (L. angustifolia) but they are not native, rather they mainly come from the Mediterranean area. However If you have a sunny position, with a well drained soil, or grow them in a pot, or raised bed, or a coastal garden, they will be perfectly happy. Just stop their roots from becoming too wet during winter.  Many are fully hardy and will survive very hot summers and periods of drought. Foliage is evergreen, aromatic, narrow, often silver-grey. Flowers are in compact spikes, mainly blue, but also white and pink. Their colours are enhanced by the often coloured calyces. A wonderful group of reliable plants, but with others like L. lanata, L. dentata, L. pinnata, which can test the more experienced  gardener. Worth giving your plants a trim, during late summer to early autumn, cutting off around 1-3cm, but not into old wood.

One of the very best plants to draw insect life into a dry garden, lavenders provide copius nectar for honeybees, bumblebees, hoverflies, butterflies and a whole lot more. Day-flying moths such as silver-ys and hummingbird hawk-moths, which visit our gardens in summer after migrating here from the continent, may attend a flowering lavender in profusion. Most lavender bushes also support rosemary beetles: while their grubs will nibble the leaves, plants are not harmed, and the beetle is a beautiful garden adornment in its own right. If using the leaves in cooking, you will want to ensure any beetles are knocked off beforehand!