Gardening Flowers Perennials 23 Lavender Varieties for a Fragrant Garden Wherever You Live By Sheryl Geerts Sheryl Geerts Website Sheryl Geerts is an editor and author who has nearly three decades of writing and editing experience. She enjoys writing about garden, food, and home topics. Her bylines have appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Allrecipes, Martha Stewart Living, and several other publications. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on September 7, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Laurie Black With more than 450 kinds of lavender to choose from, it can be overwhelming to pick the best ones for your garden. But it's also hard to go wrong. Most varieties of this herb feature fragrant foliage and beautiful flowers, along with resistance to drought, deer, and other pests. Our guide will aid you in your choice. 01 of 23 English Lavender Laurie Black The most widely grown lavender species in North America, English lavender is also the one most commonly used in cooking and baking. The plant's oils are often used in perfumes, and its flowers and foliage are popular in sachets and potpourri. It grows best in sandy soil that isn't too rich in nutrients. Test Garden Tip: English lavender isn't from England. Its actually from the Mediterranean. The plant's common name came about because of its ability to grow well in the English climate. Season of Bloom: Summer Light: Full sun Water: Drought-tolerant and needs good drainage Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 5–8 Buy It: English Lavender ($6, Michigan Bulb Co.) 02 of 23 'Hidcote' English Lavender Laurie Black One of the more popular varieties of lavender plants, 'Hidcote' produces silvery-gray foliage and dark purple-blue flowers that remain fragrant all season long. This variety's compact mounded form can be kept dense with regular pruning. Season of Bloom: Late spring/summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 20 inches tall Zones: 5–8 Buy It: 'Hidcote' English Lavender ($15, Breck's) 03 of 23 'Munstead' English Lavender Laurie Black This variety is popular because it stays compact, displays violet-purple flowers, and shows off attractive silvery foliage. Like 'Hidcote,' 'Munstead' is known for its strong fragrance. To control the plant's size and to promote new growth, every three years, in the spring, prune it back to eight inches. Season of Bloom: Late spring/summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 18 inches tall Zones: 5–8 04 of 23 'Betty's Blue' English Lavender Laurie Black Excellent for both cut and dried flowers, 'Betty's Blue' English lavender grows in rounded mounds and produces large spikes of dark purple-blue flowers. This compact variety grows best as a small hedge or in a knot garden. It is slightly taller than other dark-colored English lavender varieties. Season of Bloom: Summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 30 inches tall Zones: 5–9 Buy It: 'Betty's Blue' English Lavender ($6, Goodwin Creek Gardens) 05 of 23 'Royal Purple' English Lavender Laurie Black Select 'Royal Purple' for its long early-summer stems of strongly scented purple flowers. Of all the different types of lavender, this variety's blooms hold their color well after drying. One of the larger English lavenders, you can grow 'Royal Purple' as a stunning low, informal hedge. Test Garden Tip: If you grow a lavender hedge and live in a moist or humid climate, leave space between the plants, so air flows more freely. If they're too close, the plants will be more susceptible to disease. Season of Bloom: Early summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 5–8 Buy It: 'Royal Purple' English Lavender ($8, Mountain Valley Growers) 06 of 23 'Buena Vista' English Lavender Laurie Black A popular cultivar for commercial oil production, 'Buena Vista' is a slow-growing variety that blooms twice a year, once in late spring and again in autumn, with a few flower spikes appearing between. It features dark-blue flowers and gray-green foliage. Its growth is not as compact as some other cultivars. Test Garden Tip: If you grow 'Buena Vista' or other lavenders in containers, be sure the containers have several drainage holes for excess water to escape. Use a high-quality potting mix and amend it with sand, perlite, or other materials to increase drainage. Season of Bloom: Summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 5–8 Buy It: 'Buena Vista' Lavender ($6, Goodwin Creek Gardens) 07 of 23 'Croxton's Wild' English Lavender Laurie Black A fast-growing cultivar, 'Croxton's Wild' is similar to the wild lavender that grows in the Mediterranean. It shows off light violet and purple flowers and has a loose, open form. These plants make excellent cut flowers, but they're not recommended for drying. Prune the plants in early spring, then as needed, so they keep their shape after flowering. Season of Bloom: Summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 5–9 Buy It: 'Croxton's Wild' English Lavender ($6, Goodwin Creek Gardens) 08 of 23 'Melissa' English Lavender Laurie Black The fragrant flowers of 'Melissa' English lavender emerge as pure white but take on a delicate pink blush as they age. Upright and compact, with gray green leaves, this variety blooms longer than other pink-flowered lavenders. It's perfect for borders, rock gardens, and containers. Test Garden Tip: Give this lavender plant a moderate pruning after it blooms, which will prevent it from becoming woody. Season of Bloom: Early to late summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 5–8 Buy It: 'Melissa' English Lavender ($7, Richters) 09 of 23 'Jean Davis' English Lavender Laurie Black Long-blooming 'Jean Davis' produces pale pink flowers from late spring into midsummer. Its fruity, non-bitter taste makes it a top pick for culinary creations. This shorter variety grows well in containers, rock gardens, or in perennial beds. Plant it with purple lavenders to create a muted contrast in colors. Season of Bloom: Early to late summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 18 inches tall Zones: 5–9 10 of 23 Lavandin Laurie Black A hybrid between English and spike lavenders, lavandin tends to be taller than its English cousins. It's typically a lighter color, but has larger flowers on longer stems. Lavandin is commonly seen in fields across the region of Provence in France, where it's grown for perfumes. It tolerates hot temperatures better than English lavender, but prefers to be kept drier. Test Garden Tip: Lavandin needs plenty of sun and dry or well-drained soil. Consider mulching it with gravel to help the soil dry out a little faster. Season of Bloom: Summer Light: Full Sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 5–8 11 of 23 'Grosso' Lavandin Laurie Black Commonly grown in the lavender fields of France, 'Grosso' lavandin plants are the most fragrant of all lavenders. Its strongly scented purple flowers are often used in making perfumes and sachets. As a semi-woody plant, it typically grows in a shrubby mound with large flower spikes that stand well above the foliage mound. This is the perfect plant to attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden. Season of Bloom: Summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 30 inches tall Zones: 5–8 Buy It: 'Grosso' Lavender Plant (from $9, Etsy) 12 of 23 'Provence' Lavandin Bob Stefko One of the tallest of the lavandins, 'Provence' gets its name from the area in France where it's grown commercially for the perfume industry. This extremely aromatic selection offers light lavender-blue flowers on narrow spikes that grow up to four inches long. 'Provence' can withstand hot and humid temperatures better than many other lavender varieties. Season of Bloom: Summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 5–8 Buy It: French Provence Lavender (seeds, $10, Etsy) 13 of 23 'Gros Bleu' Lavandin Laurie Black Loved for its rich purple flowers, 'Gros Bleu' is a popular selection for its long flower spikes and silvery foliage. It presents some of the darkest blooms of any of the lavandin-type lavenders and it flowers profusely in summer. With a sweeter scent than 'Grosso,' this hybrid is wonderful for both fresh bouquets or dried flowers. Season of Bloom: Summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 5-9 Buy It: 'Gros Bleu' Lavandin ($6, Goodwin Creek Gardens) 14 of 23 'Impress Purple' Lavandin Laurie Black One of the largest lavandin plants, 'Impress Purple' produces spikes of flowers on long stems that are good for cutting. It forms a large mound of gray-green foliage that looks great even when it isn't in bloom. This strongly scented selection provides a stunning effect when planted in large groupings in herb gardens, along borders, and in rock gardens. Season of Bloom: Summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 30 inches tall Zones: 5–9 Buy It: 'Impress Purple' Lavandin ($6, Goodwin Creek Gardens) 15 of 23 'Edelweiss' Lavandin Laurie Black A fast grower, 'Edelweiss' features soft white flowers that dry well, making it a favorite of gardeners who like fragrant, white-flowering lavender in craft projects, such as making wreaths. The buds first emerge as light pink before opening to reveal a pure white blossom. Plant these nectar-rich flowers to attract hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators. Season of Bloom: Midsummer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 6–8 Buy It: 'Edelweiss' Lavandin ($8, Mountain Valley Growers) 16 of 23 'Hidcote Giant' Lavandin Hidcote Giant An especially floriferous variety, 'Hidcote Giant' is known for its long spikes of medium blue-violet flowers in midsummer and gray-green foliage. Its flower stems are extra long, making this selection good for cut flowers and for use in projects, such as lavender wands. These nectar-rich flowers make a wonderful addition to a pollinator garden. Season of Bloom: Summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 5–8 Buy It: 'Hidcote Giant' Lavandin ($8, Mountain Valley Growers) 17 of 23 Spanish Lavender Laurie Black If you love the scent of lavender, but want to add another style to your fragrance garden, Spanish lavender varieties offer a completely different look than their cousins do. The flower-heads are often short and topped with attractive bracts that look like large petals. However, Spanish lavenders love hot weather and can't withstand cold temperatures. Add these to your container gardens for a splash of texture. Season of Bloom: Mid spring Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 8–11 18 of 23 'Ballerina' Spanish Lavender Laurie Black This lively lavender displays cone-shaped clusters of buds that open to small, bright purple flowers topped with showy white bracts that mature to light pink. The distinctive look of its flowers and its highly aromatic silvery foliage make it a wonderful addition to the garden. After its summer blooms peak, prune it back to ensure shorter and sturdier flower stems for the future. Season of Bloom: Mid spring to late summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 8–9 19 of 23 'Van Gogh' Spanish Lavender Laurie Black Fragrant, shrubby 'Van Gogh' bears soft lavender-violet flowers topped by greenish-white bracts. The effect looks a bit like cute miniature pineapples. This variety produces bright green, linear, aromatic leaves that are densely covered in hairs, which give it a woolly appearance. Add this plant to a garden border or in your favorite container to attract both bees and butterflies to your yard. Season of Bloom: Summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 8–10 Buy It: 'Van Gogh' Spanish Lavender ($6, Goodwin Creek Gardens) 20 of 23 'Curly Top' Spanish Lavender Laurie Black An eye-catching prolific bloomer, 'Curly Top' stands out from the crowd with its clusters of deep purple flowers topped by ruffled, curly lavender bracts that bloom almost continually during the growing season. Each bloom sits atop six-inch stems. Prune this plant regularly to maintain its shape and to encourage its abundant flowering. Season of Bloom: Summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 30 inches tall Zones: 7–10 Buy It: 'Curly Top' Spanish Lavender ($6, Goodwin Creek Gardens) 21 of 23 'Madrid Purple' Spanish Lavender Laurie Black This pretty Spanish variety supplies a steady crop of rich purple flowers on spikes topped by showy purple bracts. 'Madrid Purple' also has a compact, upright growth habit. The gray-green foliage accents the blooms nicely. If you're in a colder climate, you can still enjoy this plant by growing it in a container in the summer and moving it to a sheltered location during the winter. Season of Bloom: Summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 8–10 Buy It: Madrid Lavish Purple ($14, Burpee) 22 of 23 French Lavender Andy Lyons You may see French lavender grown more often as an ornamental plant than as an herb. It doesn't emit the traditional fragrance that English lavenders and lavandins have. Its scent is more like camphor. Still, it is a lovely plant, with clusters of purple flowers and furry, gray-green toothed leaves. It blooms all summer and fall and can bloom almost all year indoors if you have a bright window getting at least six hours of sun a day. Season of Bloom: Spring to summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 8–11 23 of 23 Fernleaf Lavender Andy Lyons Unlike other lavenders, the fragrance of fernleaf lavender's foliage and flowers is lemony, with an earthy undertone. Usually grown as an annual, it features narrow spikes of fragrant bluish-purple flowers that will bloom until frost. In frost-free areas, this species will bloom almost continuously. Its lobed silvery-green leaves give it a delicate, lacy appearance. Season of Bloom: Summer Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 8–10 Buy It: Pinnata Lavender ($8, Mountain Valley Growers) Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit