Which Lavender Plant is Best?
10 Top Lavender Plants for Landscaping
Stop guessing which lavender plant variety to buy, and get help picking the best lavender for your yard!
(Blue Spear Lavender in wooden box photo courtesy of Kieft Seed/National Garden Bureau. See #10 for more details.)
In recent years, the lavender plant category has seen an influx of new varieties, with each boasting unique characteristics and attributes. With this surge in options, it's no wonder that gardeners may find themselves overwhelmed when trying to select the perfect lavender plant variety for their landscape!
Lavender is a versatile and beautiful plant that will bring fragrance, color, and texture to any garden. It’s a shrubby, semi-evergreen perennial from the mint family, prized for its aromatic purple blooms and silvery-green leaves. Native to the Mediterranean, lavender thrives in sunny, dry conditions and will retain its foliage year-round during mild winters.
Before you splash out on lavender, make sure you are able to meet its specific cultural requirements. "Lavenders need full sun and good drainage”, says Kathy Jentz, host of the GardenDC podcast. “Picture them growing in their native Mediterranean region and that will give you a clue as to where to place them – specifically, on a slope or edge of a rock wall. The usual cause of death for a lavender plant is that the roots rotted by being kept too wet over the wintertime”.
Here’s a few things to keep in mind:
Lavender is a full sun-loving plant and requires 6+ hours of direct sunlight per day.
Lavender loves dry conditions and sandy, free-draining soil. Waterlogged soil and clay soil are the enemy of the lavender plant, and so is America’s beloved hard wood mulch! Use pea gravel or crushed rocks to mulch around lavender plants instead. Do not use shredded hard wood mulch, straw, leaf mold, compost, or water-retentive materials like newspapers.
Lavender is prone to winter damage. Lavender plants can be lost to cold, wet winter weather. Wet soil, ice, and the burden of heavy snow will lead to an untimely death.
Pruning creates strong plants. After flowering, prune back only the new growth (nothing thicker than a pencil), since this will encourage development of a strong root system that can support the plant through wintertime. When you are pruning, aim for a flat-topped shape that can keep snow and ice out of the plant's interior.
Protect plants during winter storm cleanup. Be mindful when removing snow in winter— lavender plants are easily damaged by snow plows, blowers, and shovels.
If you don’t have the full sun and the sandy, well-draining soil that lavender loves, consider growing something different. Catmint (Nepeta species) and Russian sage (Perovskia species) both have purple flowers and silvery green foliage, and work well as alternatives to landscaping with lavender. Read on for comparisons of lavender vs. catmint and lavender vs. Russian sage.
If you live on a heavily wooded property and have moist, organically rich soil yet still have your heart set on growing lavender, try growing it in pots and planters. Pick the sunniest spot possible, and use a well-draining soil mix with a bit of sand or grit added (See #7 below for a lavender variety that works well in pots).
Luckily, lavender is considered to be one of the most deer-resistant perennials. Rutgers University rates lavender as "rarely damaged" by deer on their list of “Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance” (note - they spell it as “lavendar” on their website).
If you are gardening in the southwest, Dr. Jacqueline Soule of Gardening with Soule recommends paying careful attention to the site lavender will grow in. Check out her lavender variety recommendations for Southwestern gardeners here.
With so many varieties available, it can be hard to decide which lavender is best for your particular needs. Whether you're looking for a lavender plant with the strongest scent or a lavender plant with white flowers, this list has got you covered. Read on to discover 10 top lavender varieties to consider when landscaping with lavender.
Best for: Beginners
Phenomenal® Lavender
(Lavandula x intermedia ‘Niko’ Phenomenal®)
Bloom Time: Mid-summer to late summer
Type: Lavandin hybrid
Zones: 4 - 9
Size: 18-24 inches high and wide
Phenomenal® Lavender photo courtesy of Proven Winners, provenwinners.com.
Lavender is notorious for giving gardeners a tough time—brown leaves, yellowing plants, winter damage, and a struggle to thrive in heat and humidity. If you are new to gardening, lavender can be a frustrating plant to grow!
Enter Phenomenal®, which created a huge buzz when it was introduced in 2013. This hybrid lavender plant variety is extremely robust and resilient, with an increased resistance to root rot and foliar diseases as well as an impressive ability to tolerate weather extremes.
Phenomenal® is highly fragrant and has a full, mounded shape. Spikes of violet colored flowers cover the plant all summer long, attracting bees and butterflies while keeping the deer at bay.
This tough and resilient variety is the beginning gardener’s choice for best lavender plant to grow. It’s also the best lavender plant variety for anyone who has struggled in the past with brown, yellow or wilting plants.
2. Best for: Strongest Scent
Sensational!® Lavender
(Lavandula x intermedia 'Tesseract' Sensational!®)
Bloom Time: Mid-summer to early fall
Type: Lavandin hybrid
Zones: 5 - 9
Size: 24-30 inches high and 30-36 inches wide
Sensational!® Lavender photo courtesy of UpShoot LLC/National Garden Bureau.
If you are wondering which lavender plant smells the best, Sensational!® stands out as one of the most fragrant types on the market.
This lavender plant variety has a low camphor content, giving the flowers a pleasant floral fragrance rather than a medicinal aroma.
Sensational!® has large, chunky blooms and spiky, bright silver foliage. It’s taller than many other lavender varieties with a dense, sculptural form that makes a statement in the garden border.
It has a compact, upright habit and increased resistance to leaf spotting and root diseases.
Sensational!® lavender works well when planted next to other lavender varieties like Phenomenal® (#1 on this list), and Exceptional™ (#4 on this list), a lavender plant with white flowers.
The sweetly scented blooms are perfect for both fresh-cut arrangements and dried bouquets.
3. Best for: Growing from Seed
Lady Lavender
(Lavandula augustifolia ‘Lady’)
Bloom Time: Mid-summer to early fall
Type: English lavender
Zones: 5 - 9
Size: 8 inches high and 16 inches wide
Lady Lavender photo courtesy of All America Selections.
Growing a lavender plant from seed is an inexpensive way to create a lavender hedge. It’s also a fun, hands-on gardening activity to do with kids.
Lavender can take its time to bloom when grown from seed, often needing two years or more to flower. But not the Lady lavender variety, which grows easily from seed and blooms reliably during its very first year!
This dwarf lavender plant grows only 8 inches tall, with vibrant, deep purple flower spikes rising above silvery-green foliage. The flowers are highly fragrant and attractive to bumblebees, honey bees and butterflies.
Lady lavender is a versatile plant and can be used in borders, rock gardens, herb gardens, or as an edging plant along pathways. It was named as a flower winner by All-America Selections, a non-profit organization that trials new garden varieties.
When growing lavender from seed, be sure to carefully follow the instructions provided on the seed packaging. There is lots of important information listed there to help you be successful with your planting endeavors, so no TL;DR excuses! 😉
4. Best for: White Flowers
Exceptional™ Lavender
(Lavandula x intermedia ‘Hillav’ Exceptional™)
Bloom Time: Mid-summer to early fall
Type: Lavandin hybrid
Zones: 5 - 9
Size: 32 inches high and wide
Exceptional™ Lavender photo courtesy of American Meadows/National Garden Bureau.
OK, so maybe purple is not your thing. If you see yourself as a nonconformist, white lavender is the perfect way to make a bold, unexpected statement amidst a sea of typical purple blooms.
White lavender creates a breathtaking display when planted in mass alongside various shades of purple lavender. The bright white flowers create a visual break and allow the brilliant purples to pop even more, giving the planting a lively sense of movement.
If you want the delicious scent of lavender and need a lavender plant that is not purple, Exceptional™ is the perfect lavender variety for you. It flowers abundantly from summer through early fall, with pure white flower spikes held atop silvery green foliage.
Exceptional™ lavender is a fragrant, elegant plant that will attract loads of pollinators to your garden. In addition to looking great in a mass lavender planting, this white lavender plant thrives in rock gardens and containers, and is perfect for a white-themed flower garden. Ideal for the cutting garden, too!
5. Best for: Hedging
Grosso Lavender
(Lavandula x intermedia ‘Grosso’)
Bloom Time: Mid-summer to late summer
Type: Lavandin hybrid
Zones: 5 - 8
Size: 24-36 inches high and wide
Grosso Lavender photo courtesy of Ball Horticultural.
Creating a low hedge with lavender can delineate boundaries, guide foot traffic, and soften the hard edges of patios and walkways.
If you are wondering which is the best lavender for hedging, the Grosso cultivar is particularly well-suited for this task due to its compact growth habit and dense foliage. This variety grows 24-36 inches high, making it the perfect choice for creating a low barrier.
Grosso lavender produces abundant dark purple flower spikes from mid-summer through late summer, and its silvery-green leaves create a lush, low hedge to define garden spaces.
This fragrant lavender variety is one of the most popular plants grown. Grosso has highly aromatic flowers, rich in essential oils, making it a favorite choice for commercial cultivation in the cosmetics industry as well as a particular favorite of soap makers.
Grosso lavender struggles in the heat and humidity of zone 9. If you live in an area with hot, humid summers and want to create a lavender hedge, try Phenomenal® instead - it’s one of the best lavenders for Florida and Georgia (#1 on this list).
6. Best for: Bees
Hidcote Blue Lavender
(Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote Blue’)
Bloom Time: Late spring - summer
Type: English lavender
Zones: 4 - 9
Size: 12-18 inches high and wide
Hidcote Blue Lavender photo courtesy of Ball Horticultural.
Lavender is a particular favorite of bumblebees - they have long tongues that allow them to access the nectar inside of lavender’s tube-shaped flowers. Honey bees, on the other hand, have shorter tongues and are not able to access the nectar as quickly and efficiently.
Bees are attracted to flowers in the violet blue color range, making Hidcote Blue one of the best lavenders for bees. It has the short tubes honey bees prefer along with the violet blue flower color bees tend to notice.
This compact, deeply fragrant lavender variety blooms from late spring through summer, and it’s a great choice for those interested in landscaping with lavender in a pollinator garden.
English lavender will bloom for 3-4 weeks, so if you're aiming to attract plenty of bees, be sure to include other bee-friendly plants in your garden that flower in succession from early spring to fall.
Planting lavender alongside perennials like Salvia, Allium, Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum), Russian sage (Perovskia), sedums, and asters will ensure the bees have a steady source of food until the weather turns cold.
7. Best for: Pots
Primavera Lavender
(Lavandula stoechas 'Anouk Deluxe 1225' )
Bloom Time: Spring - summer, year round in the Deep South
Type: Spanish lavender
Zones: 7 - 9
Size: 14-18 inches tall and wide
Primavera Lavender photo courtesy of Darwin Perennials/National Garden Bureau.
Primavera lavender, a variety of Spanish Lavender, is one of the best lavender plants to grow in pots due to its impressively long season of bloom.
This unique cultivar produces stunning, fragrant flowers from spring through fall, providing a burst of color and fragrance to enhance patios, balconies and entryways.
Primavera has deep purple flowers with the “rabbit ears” typical of Spanish lavender. These ear-like bracts rise above the flowers and give Spanish Lavender its unique look. Primavera forms a tight, dense mound and also works well when planted in-ground at the front of a border garden.
In the deep south, Primavera can bloom year-round, allowing gardeners to enjoy its beauty and scent through the fall and winter months too. This extended blooming period makes Primavera a favorite choice and one of the best lavenders for planting in pots, planters and container gardens.
8. Best for: Cooking and Baking
Munstead Lavender
(Lavandula angustifolia ‘Munstead’)
Bloom Time: Late spring - summer
Type: English lavender
Zones: 5 - 9
Size: 12-16 inches high and 12 inches wide
Munstead Lavender photo courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.
Lavender is a versatile flavoring that adds a sophisticated touch to a variety of dishes, beverages and baked goods. English lavenders (Lavandula angustifolia) are widely considered to be the best lavender variety for culinary use.
Munstead lavender is a popular and widely grown type of English Lavender with increased cold hardiness and a dependable nature, making it one of the best lavender plants to grow for cooking and baking.
This heavily fragrant lavender plant blooms profusely in late spring and summer, with bumblebees flocking to the deliciously scented purple blooms.
Munstead has a compact mounded shape, and like all lavenders it requires excellent drainage. Flowers can be harvested for cooking or drying while they're still fresh, ideally when about one-third of the blooms on each stem have opened.
Check out this recipe for lavender-infused honey - it makes a sweet holiday gift!
9. Best for: The Front Yard
Imperial Gem Lavender
(Lavandula angustifolia ‘Imperial Gem’)
Bloom Time: Summer - Early Fall
Type: English Lavender
Zones: 5 - 9
Size: 18-24 inches high and wide
Imperial Gem Lavender photo courtesy of Proven Winners, provenwinners.com.
The Imperial Gem lavender variety is one of the best lavender plants for the front yard. It boasts a tight, round, compact shape and is covered in vibrant violet-purple flowers from summer until early fall, adding significant curb appeal to any property.
The strong stems of Imperial Gem are resistant to flopping over. They stay upright all season, creating a striking visual impact when planted in mass along walkways and foundations.
When using lavender for foundation plantings, be sure to site plants in full sun and dry, well-draining soil. Lavender will struggle if it gets constantly inundated by water draining from downspouts and sheeting off the roof.
Imperial Gem grows 18 to 24 inches in height. Its neat and tidy habit fits seamlessly into flower beds, borders, or at the corners of the house. The flowers are intensely fragrant, attract pollinators, and can be used in fresh and dried bouquets.
For a classic, elegant look pair Imperial Gem with evergreen boxwood shrubs like ‘Dee Runk’ and NewGen® Independence. Helen Von Stein Lamb’s Ears, Rainbow Marcella coneflower or Autumn Joy sedum also make great perennial planting companions.
10. Best for: Blue Flowers
Blue Spear Lavender
(Lavandula angustifolia ‘Blue Spear’)
Bloom Time: Late spring - summer
Type: English Lavender
Zones: 6 - 8
Size: 10-12 inches high and wide
Blue Spear Lavender photo courtesy of Kieft Seed/National Garden Bureau.
Blue flowers have a reputation for bringing a tranquil, relaxing vibe to the garden. The Blue Spear lavender variety boasts striking, deep violet-blue flower spikes that contrast stunningly with silvery-green leaves. It's one of the most eye-catching varieties of English lavender you can grow!
This versatile dwarf lavender variety is ideal for growing in containers or as an edging plant alongside walkways and sidewalks. It adds a calming touch of blue to backyard sanctuaries as well as sunny balconies or patios.
Blue Spear lavender has a big presence despite its small size. It’s a great choice for attracting pollinators to small yards and urban gardens, and the flowers can also be used for cooking or in cut and dried flower bouquets.
For months of purple flowers, try pairing Blue Spear with the Primavera Spanish lavender (#7 on this list).
Lavender Plant vs Russian Sage
Lavender (Lavandula species) and Russian sage (Perovskia species) belong to the same plant family, Lamiaceae (the mint family, a large and diverse group of 7,000+ plants).
Both plants have purple flower spikes and silvery green foliage.
Both plants like full sun - at least 6+ hours of direct sunlight per day.
Russian sage will tolerate clay soil and dry to medium moisture levels; lavender must have light, quick-draining soil.
Both plants are a favorite of pollinators, particularly bumblebees.
Lavender plants have a floral scent, while Russian sage plants have a powerful menthol scent.
Lavender plants have a compact, shrubby shape and Russian sage has a tall, airy, somewhat sprawling growth habit.
Russian Sage
Lavender Plant vs Rosemary
Lavender (Lavandula species) and rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus, formerly called Rosmarinus officinalis) belong to the same mint plant family, Lamiaceae.
Both plants like full sun and quick-draining soil.
Lavender produces abundant purple flowers, while rosemary blooms more sparsely, with flowers ranging in color from purple to pink or white.
Lavender has silvery-green foliage and a softer appearance than rosemary, a somewhat coarse, shrubby plant covered with pointy dark green needles.
Lavender plants maintain a compact shape, with most varieties staying under 3 feet tall. In contrast, rosemary can reach heights of up to 6 feet, with some varieties trailing along the ground or cascading over walls.
Lavender has a floral scent while rosemary has a strong fragrance reminiscent of pine trees.
Rosemary
Lavender Plant vs Catmint
Lavender (Lavandula species) and catmint (Nepeta species) belong to the same mint plant family, Lamiaceae.
Both plants produce purple flowers that are highly attractive to pollinators.
Lavender has a strong floral fragrance and catmint has a milder, mint-like aroma.
Lavender does best in full sun and fast-draining soil; catmint is more tolerant of various soil types, moisture levels and light conditions.
Lavender has a compact, upright growth habit while catmint plants form a sprawling mound.
Catmint, unlike lavender, is known for its appeal to cats, who are sometimes drawn to its scent.
Catmint has a far longer season of bloom than lavender, from spring through fall.
Because catmint drops its leaves and goes dormant during the wintertime, it can withstand snow and ice without the risk of damage that lavender often faces.
Catmint