30 types of lavender for the garden and balcony

Lavender is also a popular plant outside of the Mediterranean region. In summer the shrub turns into a brightly colored hemisphere that attracts everyone's attention. It also rewards our senses with a wonderful scent. The cultivation of Lavandula is possible both in the garden and on the balcony. Choosing the optimal lavender variety is not just a question of taste, but also of suitability. We present our selection.

Real lavender for the garden

The wild form and its cultivars are ideally suited for local gardens, because they have the best winter hardiness of all lavender species. It should be mentioned that each variety of lavender can also thrive in pots on the balcony.

Alba

Alba is a white flowering variety with silver-gray leaves in July and August. The 25-40 cm high plant gives off an intense lavender scent. It thrives in the Herb bed or between rose bushes as well as on the balcony.

Annelies

This variety is also known as Bulgarian Lavender because it is widely distributed there. It grows up to 80 cm high and forms long flower stems. The scent is fresh and pleasant without exuding sweet notes.

Note: Did you know that France has not been the main producer of lavender for a few years? Bulgaria has now taken the top spot.

Blue cushion

With a height of 25-35 cm, this free-flowering variety is very short. Their gray-green foliage forms compact pillows. Blue Cushion is ideal for edging a bed, as a low hedge or as a container.

• blooms from June
• light blue, bright shade
• almost spherical ears
• large flowers

Blue ice

This 40-50 cm high lavandula must be listed here, because its ice-blue flower color is unique in the large lavender family. In combination with different colored flowering varieties, their beauty is even more striking.

Blue Mountain White

This lavender variety delighted New Zealand for decades, until 2001 when it was first introduced to us. In the garden, the shrub quickly grows to its full size of 60-70 cm. The flowers shine in bright white from June.

Dwarf Blue

This lavender variety is more than 100 years old and is therefore one of the classics. It grows compact and is robust. Is suitable for higher hedges or as a border. The purple flowers, which appear from June, contrast nicely with gray-green foliage.

Real lavender

The original species grows as a woody subshrub and reaches a height between 25 and 40 cm. From July to September its flower spikes show themselves in the typical lavender blue and spread an intense scent.

Folgate

Folgate is an early flowering variety that shows its light blue flowers as early as June. These rise high from compact pillows formed from gray-green foliage. The plant reaches a height of up to 60 cm. Since the flowers rise high, Folgate can also be planted at the back of the bed.

Hidcote Blue

The long cultivation of this ancient strain is the best proof that it has something to offer.

• dark blue-purple flowers in June and July
• gray-green leaves
• compact growth

The slow-growing variety has a max. achievable height of 30-40 cm ideal for low hedges. Your flower spikes can be dried, whereby the intense color is well preserved.

Hidcote pink

This strain has pink flowers in June and July, but they can look a little pale on their own. That is why the combination with blue-flowered lavender is ideal. This variety of lavender grows vigorously and needs to be cut back regularly.

Imperial Gem

Imperial Gem is similar to Hidcote Blue, but grows taller and has silvery glossy foliage, which contrasts nicely with the dark blue flowers. The 30-40 cm high plant can be used in many ways:

• as a scented bush in the bucket
• as the border of a cottage garden
• in the back of the bed
• as a plant neighbor of roses

The flowers of this Lavandula appear in July on stems up to 55 cm long. They last a very long time in the vase and can also be dried well if necessary.

Little Lottie

This dwarf variant of the pink flowering lavender varieties exudes romance in the garden, whether among other herbs or as a border. But it is also ideal for planters with a volume of 7 l or more. In it it can beautify any balcony.

Miss Katherine

When other strains think of withering, Miss Katherine takes the garden stage first. They bloom in July and August.

• compact growth habit
• Growth height 60-70 cm
• strong pink flowers

Munstead

Munstead is a well-known, hardy and very robust variety that is often found in public green spaces because of its easy care. From June the 40-60 cm high plant blooms blue-violet.

Nana Alba

A white blooming "lavender dwarf", ideal for pots, window boxes and small garden beds. This strain is for the patient gardener as it grows slowly and takes time to reach its full size of just 25-35 cm.

Peter Pan

This is followed by a low blue flowering lavender variety, which also grows slowly and reaches its max. At 25-30 cm. Has reached size. Like Nana Alba, the variety is suitable for the balcony or small garden. Since the flowers are brightly colored, they are ideal for drying.

Rosea

Unusual pink flowers await us, which are shown to their best advantage alongside blue lavender. The flowers appear from July to August and have a very intense scent.

siesta

All lavender lovers who live in harsh areas should consider planting this hardy strain. It also grows vigorously, well-formed and tolerates pruning well. This variety is the ideal culinary herb for all expenses that can handle the lavender aroma. Use the green even before it blooms, e.g. B. to lamb.

Two seasons

The plant grows very bushy and has attractive, gray-green foliage. The first flowering period is in June. If the plant is not too dry in summer, it has the strength to develop a second flower in September. It can even be more abundant than the first bloom.

Lavandin for the garden or balcony

Also called Provence lavender or scented lavender. Is not as hardy as real lavender. In mild areas of the country, it can stay in the garden and survive the winter with protective measures. Otherwise it is planted in a tub and allowed to spend the flowering season outside.

Arabian Nights

This scented lavender grows to a size of 70 to 90 cm and, with its flowering period from July to August, is one of the late-blooming varieties. It has several attributes:

• blue-violet flower spikes
• very long flower stalks
• broad, silver-gray foliage
• attractive in winter due to its light purple tone

Edelweiss

Edelweiss is the largest white flowering lavender variety. The foliage is narrow, conspicuously large and gray in color. This is a good way of tying scented wreaths.

Tip: This lavender variety got the good genes of real lavender when it was crossed. Unexpectedly, it is characterized by high winter hardiness down to - 20 ° C.

Fragrant Memories

The flowers are beautifully blue-violet, but the most striking thing about them is the wonderfully intense lavender scent. Fragrant Memories is fast-growing and therefore needs regular pruning. Otherwise, aged shoots can break quickly under a snow load.

Grappenhall

This type of lavender has been marketed for more than 100 years, sometimes under the name “Pale Pretender”. It is strong-growing and is around 90 cm high, so it can be planted in the second row. The light purple flowers appear in July and August. In winter, the foliage changes its color to a striking gray.

Grosso

Grosso is a well-known scented lavender variety that is grown on a large scale in Provence. It is robust and very productive. The leaf eyrie is compact, with large blue-violet flower spikes perched on long, strong stems. This strain does best in a sheltered spot in the garden.

Tip: The very long ears of the Grosso variety are ideal for drying and can then be used for dry bouquets.

Sumian

This strongly growing Lavandula variety easily reaches 1 m in height. It impresses with its comparatively huge flower heads, which fortunately also appear in large numbers. The flowers are typically lavender blue, while the calyxes tend to be flesh pink to purple. This variety is grown commercially in Provence to make lavender oil.

Potted lavender for the balcony

The topped lavender is sensitive to the cold and is therefore usually found in pots. These, in turn, are in good hands on a balcony during the warm time of the year. This type of lavender can also be found in partially shaded locations there.

Anouk

This 40-60 cm high lavender variety can sweeten the entire summer on the balcony, because it blooms from May to August. The flower spikes are purple in color and beautifully shaped. They give off an intense scent.

ballerina

This variety has purple flowers. But initially white bracts appear, which give the plant an interesting appearance. Over time, they turn pink and eventually purple.

Kew Red

Again it is the flower color that makes it special. The flowers are red, initially accompanied by pink bracts. This strain also smells tempting.

New Madrid

Here we are dealing with a series that offers us large-flowered pink, purple, red and white variants. As large as the range of flowers is, the plants are stingy with the scent.

Papillion

The classic lavender color purple awaits us, but the flowers are no less beautiful. This variety is considered unusually hardy.