I started my journey with lavender several years ago. I had purchased and planted seven different types including Provence and Munstead. Several of them were not hardy and are long gone. Figuring I needed a little help with lavender I enrolled in an online lavender course – From Soil to Sachet – taught by Susan at Lavender Hill. From this class I learned quite a bit how to grow this beautiful plant.
I also found out about Grosso. I ordered a couple plants from an online source and then found them in my local nursery. However, the local nursery was surprised when I came back a year later and told her that Grosso was indeed hardy here in Zone 6. I’ve enjoyed my Grosso, but thought it would be nice to expand.
So this year I decided to make a new lavender area in front of the new sun garden where our precious elm lived until last year. We had attended a garden conference this year where Carolee Snyder from Carolee’s Herb Farm gave a talk on lavender. She recommended I try Melissa to cook with and Royal Velvet and Sachet to play with. So I ordered them and a Hidcote Giant.
I ordered them from Purple Haze Lavender. Gotta love the name of that place! Now I’ll be singing that song all day. Anyway, one Melissa died soon after planting, but they were quick to replace it.
Here is the newly planted bed. I really wasn’t looking to make a design with the rock, but we had some old and new gravel that just happened to be different colors.
The area behind this new bed is the new sun garden which is not quite finished.
I’m looking forward to seeing how Melissa tastes and using the other new lavenders.
Meanwhile, I harvested more lemon balm for my Lemon Balm Lavender Bugs Off Spray.
I use it every day in the garden. I have been going through a quart a week and I’m bite free! This batch should last me awhile!
I leave the lemon balm and lavender in for a week or so. I kind of forget about it. Which reminds me, it’s probably time to strain it!
Dear Lynda! How kind of you to mention my online course on growing lavender! It’s so much fun to hear from my 350+ students across the country as they continue their journey with lavender. I know you will love the Royal Velvet for your culinary uses.
Now Jack and I are not only preparing for our harvest and fresh bundle shipments, we’re also organizing a regional lavender conference for small-scale and prospective growers. So much fun!
Thanks again for referring to the class…have a great season.
With grins, (I’m sure it’s the lavender)
Susan
That’s great that your spray works! Maybe next year I’ll have enough lemon balm to try it 🙂 Those lavender plants look so tiny in their huge bed, how long does it take for them to grow into big bushes?
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Kristina, It won’t take long. They should be pretty nice plants by next summer. I spaced them pretty far apart because my other two beds of lavender the plants are butting up next to each other -didn’t give them enough room. I wanted to make sure these had plenty of room to grow.
Good choices on the lavenders & lavandin. The Hidcote Giant and Grosso will be 3′ tall and 3′ across or more before you know it! All of the varieties you planted have proved perfectly hardy here in Zone 5 as long as they have excellent drainage. Our field is turning purple, so the harvest will begin this week! Thanks for the mention in your blog. Come visit! Carolee
Carolee,
Yes, my grosso is quite large and is almost ready to harvest! I’ve not grown the Hidcote Giant or the others planted in this bed before but it does have great drainage and it looks like since we are in zone 6 we are good to go! I hope to make a trip up to see your farm. Thanks for dropping by. Lynda
Carolee! How delighted I am to “meet” you on Lynda’s blog. Your farm is on my list called Fifty States of Lavandula to show students that lavender can be grown under many conditions!
Enjoy your Lavender Daze (http://caroleesherbfarm.com/)…so wish I could be there…I’ll be out standing in my field harvesting.
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