Lavandula

Lavender
((1) Lavandula angustifolia,
(2) Lavandula stoechas).
Other Names
(1) English Lavender ,
(2) Spanish Lavender, Italian Lavender, French Lavender, Butterfly Lavender.
Origins
Native to Mediterranean Europe, Africa, Middle East, Portugal, Madeira, Canary Islands, Tenerife, and Asia.
Type
Perennial (evergreen)

Hardiness (see References, below) - Zones 5-9.
Bloom
Late Spring, Summer, Fall.
Height - 2 ft (60 cm).
Cultivation
Lots of Sun, neutral, and alkaline soils with good drainage. Needs pruning to keep it in nice shape, and with plenty of blooms.
Propagation
By seeds (not recommended), or by cuttings (really easy).

Other
Legendary fragrance.

Lavender's essential oils are used in aromatheraphy, and many commercial health, beauty, and household products.

Dried blooms are popular in
pot pourris, effective in repelling moths, and keeping linens fresh.
Lavender fragrance is particularly appreciated in the bedroom, since it helps to relax, and sleep well.
Dentists like using Lavender scent to ease patients' fears.

Essential plant to grow in every garden, particularly close to the windows, patios, and entryways, to keep the air fresh and bug free.

Lavender flowers are edible. They are used in Herbes de Provence seasoning mix, production of specialty products such as honey, and
vinegars, ice creams, cakes, salads and preserves. Crystallised blooms make great decorative accents on many desserts.

Medicinally, Lavender
gained great reputation for relieving body, and mind born anxiety.

Lavender makes great borders.

To bring more seasonal interest, we've planted Iris around our Pecan trees, and

used rooted Lavender cuttings to define the borders and they all make rather spectacular display of different heights, blooms, and foliage. Rosemary and lavender also look great, mixed together.

Not all Lavenders are zones 5-9 hardy! Lavandula angustifolia is the hardiest, one.

Butterfly one, Lavandula stoechas is less hardy. We grow it beautifully here, in zone 7. That said, we had sporadic, (last) Winter mornings with temperatures dropping to 10F (-12C!); our plumbing froze, yet Lavender did well, with no signs of frostbites! Of course that was more of an early morning frostwave, lasting a few hours, an not the whole day.

For green/white bloom, lemon scented variety, try: Lavandula viridis (frost hardy in zones 9-10, only).

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References - Find more about: Hardiness Zones
Special Thanks
Special Thanks to Town & Country Gardens Contributors:
Ben Ivory, blogger, bulabean, dive-angel (Karin), flickr, Jasmine&Roses, jccphotos, ♥madolina♥, Rita Crane Photography. Rita Crane, daughter of LIFE magazine photographer Ralph Crane. Her work can be seen on Flickr at Rita Crane Photography or on her website., Steve Spraggon, TMR Davies, Wikipedia, W.D. Williams