Maybe it’s my French heritage but I just love lavender, but in subtropical climates it can be tricky to work out which ones are the most successful to grow.

Here in this segment of Blooming in Brisbane from Season 3 I talk about what lavenders are worth growing. From Italian to French I have look at different varieties and their cultivars, their cultural care, pruning and what are some of the benefits of growing lavender.

Lavandula dentata ‘French Lavender” is by far the best performer in locations where hot humid summers are the norm, it’s fat blue/mauve flowers are magnet for bees and butterflies and they also can picked as fresh flower for vases and or dried as well, for a longer lasting posie.

French lavender in my garden inter-planted quite strikingly amongst hybrid aloes this one is called ‘Always red”

Lavandula dentata “French lavender” can used quite successfully as an informal low hedging plant or massed planted in a rockery.

For those that have dreams of replicating the fields of English lavender Lavandula angustifoila as seen in Tasmania and northern hemisphere gardens, dream on, these lavenders will only cause disappointment due to their disposition for dying off in sections and a serious lack of flowers, due to a sever dislike of the combination of heat and humidity.

Lavandula stoechas “Italian lavender” a variety of cultivar from this genus will perform fairly well in in subtropical climates. The flowers are in colours hues of mauve, purple and pinks.

Lavandula canariensis “Canary Island Lavender” not seen as often but does quite well also in subtropical gardens. It has beautiful tall whispy flower stems that are just a delight when planted in amongst other flowering perennials or even the edible garden to attract bees.

Top Lavender Tips in the Subtropics

1: Full sun
2: Good drainage
3: Sweet soil pH 7-7.5
4: Prune little but often is best in place of one big prune
5: Choose appropriate varieties and species
6: Use a fertiliser high in potassium and phosphorus for good flowering
7: Dust foliage with dolomite during extended periods of rain and humidity to prevent sweating off occurring throughout the bush. (dying off)

Bees just love lavender

Have you ever tried lavender flavoured honey?