Lavender is one of the New Zealand gardener's favourite perennials and a popular addition to every type of garden. From the classic cottage garden to planting en masse in a contemporary garden, lavender will thrive and look spectacular wherever you plant it.
Hardy and drought tolerant, lavender is a great inclusion to the garden in the Auckland area where the summers are long and dry. Although it technically flowers in spring and summer, from Auckland north it’s not unusual for certain varieties of English and French lavenders to flower all year round. fragrant flowers are loved by bees as much as gardeners making it a brilliant way to encourage these busy little pollinators to your backyard.
The Spanish lavenders have the bunny ear flowers, and more closely observe the seasons, unlike their hardier cousins. They should be pruned back hard in the autumn after their final flowering to stop them from getting scruffy. The French and English lavenders don’t need quite the same level of tough love, as they hold their compact form better, but do benefit from a tidy-up in the autumn even if they’re still flowering.
Lavender is beautiful in many forms- fresh, dried and as cut flowers. Decorate your living space with beautiful bouquets of cut lavender to fill your home with its delightful scent. You can even create sachets of dried lavender to place under your pillow and let its calming fragrance promote relaxing sleep. Lavender makes a great addition to your baking for a delicious pairing with lemon, berries or mint.
