Lavender 'Lady'

Nichols, IA(Zone 5a)

I bought a packet of these last year to start early this year. Since 'Lady' is supposed to be a fast grower, blooming the first year, I had visions of edging my herb gardens with beautiful flowering lavender! My seeds have been sown since early March and are JUST NOW starting to germinate (that's 60 days!). I have given up on many things this year but kept the faith with these. Now we're hit with a cool spell...I hope they make it...my plants are in a machine shed since high winds here destroyed my new hoophouse :-(

Anyone else grown this? If so, how have they done for you, especially as far as hardiness?

BTW, the new herb bed is edged in borage since I didn't have much hope for the lavender. The old bed is edged in rue, started from seed last year and going strong this year despite being munched to the ground by swallowtail larvae! Just yesterday I noticed little blooms forming on them! Isn't gardening full of wonderful surprises?!?

Villa Rica, GA(Zone 7a)

HEY Alison, Sorry but I haven't tried these before, I just wanted to say GLAD TO SEE U BACK !!!!
Mollybee

Milford, NH

Allison...I started the lavender "lady" from seed last year...THey do bloom the first year from seed but the plants only reached about 6-8 inches...and bloom was sparse...They survived a record winter here in zone 4B, New Hampshire, and are doing very nicely this spring..lots of new growth and I expect a lot from them. I too have a good stand of rue..and keep more than I need just for the swallowtails to munch....Good luck with the lavender

Nichols, IA(Zone 5a)

Hi Molly! I just checked out your page and saw that beautiful cedar bed frame. You never told me that you were such an artist...I love it, it's gorgeous!

Thanks for the info, Ele! It gives me much hope...for next year, LOL! I don't think 'Lady' gets very tall when full grown so will be sure to put them somewhere where they won't be swamped be my other things (I love tall weedy stuff!). I appreciate knowing someone else grows rue, too. I thought it would be a nice edging plant...the swallowtails are a bonus!!

St. augustine, FL(Zone 9a)

I bought a whole flat of lady lavender on sale at the end of last year. It was sold to me as an annual here in my zone 6 garden, tu about 1/3rd of it survived through the winter here. I had some planted in my front garden up against my house and some other planted in my herb garden which is out in an unprotected area of full sun. The stuff up against the house faired pretty well, but all the stuff in my herb garden did not survive. I have seen the stuff listed as both annuals and perennials. Are there different kinds or is the stuff really just a tender perennial and if so, what is the hardiness zone suppose to be?

Karen

Villa Rica, GA(Zone 7a)

Thanks Alison...Keep in touch ok?
mollybee

Nichols, IA(Zone 5a)

Molly! Who could not keep in touch with a sweetie like you?? But you know I'm a busy woman! My sis is getting married on the 19th and coming in from AZ for the wedding...family is coming from all over the country...my daughter is flower girl. And my Grandma had a stroke last week.

Karen, my seed packet says zone 5 for Lady but most lavenders are only hardy to zone 6. Perhaps your babies didn't get enough of a chance to get acclimated before the cold weather set in. Tender perennial pretty much describes all lavenders, I think.

Villa Rica, GA(Zone 7a)

Ailon I hope the wedding is beautiful, and with your little girl as the flower girl, I'm sure it will be.
I'm so sorry to hear about your Grandma, I feel for you right now because it sounds like you have a big load to carry. May God be with you, and I'll keep you in my prayers.
hug's mollybee

Milford, NH

Alison, just a quick note to say that the progress of the lavender "lady" has ben excellent. ALl of last years seedlings are doing very well..they are bushy and green, even those which i thought might not make it.

Edgewood, MD(Zone 7a)

I think that ALL lavenders are perenials. Tender ones. Same iwth rosemaries. The plants that are *tender* I find do best as you said..up against a building or in a sheltered spot. One thing I do , with my rosemaries , is to wrap them in burlap to protect them from the freezing. It is not the cold or snow that kills them but hte rain that hits then freezes, repeatedly. At least that has been my experience. ;-) Just ask me abotu my HUGE rosemaries * weep* that were killed in the year of all the freezing rain, before I knew better to protect them! I just bought a french lavender which is a tender perenial and I am going to plant it in a protected spot, then I am going to make a chicken wire cage, fill it will fall leaves and wrap the whole caboodle in burlap. Looks goofy but if it saves my herb babies..WHO CARES! lol


Kathie

Hot Springs, AR(Zone 7a)

I live in 7b and my Lavender has fried every year for three years. I tried Munstead and Lady, both with no luck , shame I love the smell.My Rosemary made it with little protection
maybe I will try again close to the Rosemary

Sue, RI(Zone 6a)

Hi!
I have started these from seed with very good luck-much to the dismay to my family! I actually start these by taking a starter tray with moist seed starting mix plant the seed, cover tray then place in the refrigerator for a month! I had so many a couple of years ago I was giving them away!!
I have planted mine with a southern exposure with a stone wall to their northern backs. I only lost a couple over the winter. I didn't provide any cover so that probably expains why I lost them. They don't get very big(about 12" or so for the plant itself) but have plenty of blooms!!

Frederick, MD(Zone 6b)

I'll bet nobody is dismayed now that they've turned into lovely little blooming plants! I love the smell of lavender... I keep saying I need to take a bunch of cuttings from the "hedge" along my driveway so i can have lots of lavender in back, too!

I'm glad you had such good luck starting it from seed!

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
BACK TO TOP