Lavandula angustifolia Often referred to as ‘true lavender’, this species is said to produce the best lavender essential oil, used and loved by millions for its beautiful aroma and relaxing effects. The name lavender is derived from the Latin ‘lavare’ which means ‘to wash’. In Victorian and Elizabethan times, lavender was used to perfume clothes and bed linen due to washing and bathing not being common practice. Now it’s one of our ‘cleanest’ smells and a favourite relaxing herbal remedy. Despite its name, English lavender is actually from the Mediterranean and grows best in hot sunshine in well-drained sandy soils (it will not survive long in shady, damp or very cold conditions). Sown from seed, you will get some flowers in the first year, but will need to wait until the second year to enjoy its full aromatic bloom. Lavender has a reputation for being difficult to grow from seed. It’s not actually that hard – it just requires patience. Germination can be erratic, taking anything between 2 weeks and several months. The most common mistake is to throw away a seed tray after transplanting the first few seedlings, thinking that the germination is finished. Hang in there and hopefully more will come… We recommend sowing indoors in trays in spring and keeping the tray in a place that can be watered regularly until the summer. If you have enough space it can be helpful to sow individual seeds into plug trays so that you don’t disturb smaller seedlings (or ungerminated seeds) when potting on. Always sow more seed than you think you need just to be sure. Scarification can improve germination rate: this is done by gently rubbing the seeds between two sheets of sandpaper prior to sowing. In the UK climate Lavender does best in a sunny location, ideally in free-draining soils. Plant out when the seedlings have reached around 5cm tall. In year 1, the first seedlings should start to flower in August. In year 2, flowering normally starts in June.
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