Provence Blue Lavender Lavandula angustifolia ‘Provence Blue’

LATIN NAME: Lavandula angustifolia

COMMON NAME: Provence Blue Lavender

The Provence lavender wavers the grey-green wands above the narrow, silvery leaves, the whole clump standing in the fine, aromatic look of the sunny herb border. The hardy, evergreen shrub carries the narrow, linear, silvery-grey leaves along the upright, slender stems, and the small, violet-blue, tubular flowers in the short, dense spikes at the stem tops, through the mid summer, one of the aromatic, quiet sights of the sunny herb border, drawing the bees, to be followed by the small, dry, brown nutlets. The nutlets have a very long record as the fine, aromatic shrubs of the old gardens, and the plant is a historic presence of the sunny herb border. It is a plant of the open, sunny, light, gritty, well-drained ground.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The Provence lavender is a historic subject of the plant science, and the dense spikes keep showing up in the work on the aromatic shrubs. The way the small, violet-blue, tubular flowers form in the short, dense spikes has been examined closely, and it keeps appearing in the studies of the aromatic shrubs, the silvery leaves and the members of the mint family. The nutlets and the upright habit have also made it a fine study shrub, and the Provence lavender is a regular subject of the work on the dense spikes of the temperate world.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

The Provence lavender is a fine, useful plant of the sunny herb border and the study collection. The narrow, linear, silvery-grey leaves along the upright, slender stems carry the fine look of the sunny herb border, one of the aromatic, quiet sights of the sunny herb border, drawing the bees, and the nutlets have a very long record as the fine, aromatic shrubs of the old gardens, the scented flowers coming to the sachets, the oils, the teas and the steady practice of the old kitchens, while the small, violet-blue, tubular flowers in the short, dense spikes at the stem tops open through the mid summer, to be followed by the small, dry, brown nutlets. It is one of the fine choices for the sunny herb border, the bee garden and the study collection, and it has been written about in the horticultural and the culinary papers for the dense spikes and the very long history. It is a fine, useful plant of the open, sunny, light, gritty, well-drained garden.

The Provence seeds germinate slowly but surely in a fine, sandy grit kept barely moist. The young plants are neat and woody, and they appreciate the light, gritty ground of the sunny border.

To grow the Provence lavender from seed, sow the small, grey seeds singly across the surface of the tray of fine, sandy grit, water gently, then keep the tray in a bright, airy spot. The seedlings thread up within a couple of weeks, and they grow on slowly. With the sun and the light, gritty, well-drained ground, the grey-green wands will waver over the summer.

A deep blue flower, can be used for dry bouquets if cut at an early stage. Ideal for use as border edging, pot plants, cut flowers or drying. Height & spread 50cm (20'')