Lavender Species: Selecting the Best Option for Your Garden

What a beautiful time when the purple spikes of fragrant flowers elegantly decorate your environment, be it an enclosed space or an open-air garden. A wide range of lavender species never disillusions its admirers, for it incorporates completely different varieties suitable for opposed climates and personal preferences as well. 

Still struggling to find a perfect floral creation for your garden? In this material, we are going to explore which lavender is the most fragrant, what these plants need to thrive, and how to select your green friend appropriately. 

What Are the Main Lavender Types? 

Lavenders comprise a relatively large group of plant species with different appearances, places of origin, and, thus, growing needs. Although one may choose from 47 varieties, it is always vital to consider several aspects, including not only the aesthetic appeal and one’s preferences but also environmental conditions in the first place. Here are a few common lavender species that inhabit modern gardens and attract plant lovers from all over the world.

English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) 

The most widespread variety that can be both beneficial for your garden and pleasing to the eye is definitely English Lavender. Being a top hardy in the family, the lavender manages to thrive in colder climates, though persistent sun exposure is mandatory for purple, blue, and pink flowers to bloom. Have you ever seen the fields of lavender? These should have been of this very species widely cultivated for the aromatic oils it produces.

QUICK NEEDS

Soil: Well-drained

Sun: Continuous sun exposure

Watering: Moderate

Bloom Time: Late spring to summer  

French Lavender (Lavandula dentata)

French Lavender is an extremely distinctive variety with its toothed leaves and plump purple flower spikes with tiny bracts that look just like rabbit ears. As it thrives in spring to fall (or even year-round!) but never produces that rich aroma, gardeners tend to incorporate French Lavenders for aesthetic purposes in the main. So as to grow and develop efficiently, it needs full sun and well-drained soil, which is available in dry climates. 

QUICK NEEDS

Soil: Well-drained

Sun: Continuous sun exposure

Watering: Moderate

Bloom Time: Spring to fall 

Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas)

Indeed, lavenders as a whole are peculiar creatures, yet some species may boast even more unusual forms. Spanish Lavenders, for example, are famous for their pinecone-shaped flower heads and delicate bracts that may somehow resemble butterfly wings. The aroma of this variety is so strong that it should be carefully introduced to the environment so as not to harm others. Besides, the plant is best suited in warmer climates, but it may potentially resist droughts.  

QUICK NEEDS

Soil: Well-drained

Sun: Continuous sun exposure

Watering: Moderate

Bloom Time: Spring through summer  

Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia) 

The only hybrid present on our list is Lavandin, a beautifully arranged plant with a bigger blossom size, strong scent, and higher oil content. Among other species, lavandins are the latest to bloom and the largest to grow. For a plant to develop and thrive successfully, it should be cultivated in warmer environments with full sun exposure and well-drained soil. By the way, this is the most fungal-resistant lavender of all its relatives, so consider it your primary choice when in humid conditions. 

QUICK NEEDS

Soil: Well-drained

Sun: Continuous sun exposure

Watering: Moderate

Bloom Time: Mid to late summer  

What Is the Most Fragrant Lavender? 

Those who are curious about which lavender plant is the most fragrant should pay attention to English Lavenders and Lavandins. While the first are known for their mild sweet scent, the latter are characterized by a slightly sharper fragrance of the same type. This is why the beauty industry leverages the power of these options when manufacturing perfumery, soaps, and other products alike. 

Another Aspect to Consider 

When deciding which lavender species is suitable for your garden, it is also worth paying attention to the way you are going to keep your plants there. Basically, there are two primary options: growing lavender in pots or directly in seedbeds. While pots provide flexibility and total control over the soil quality, moisture levels, and sunlight exposure, seedbeds ensure the natural surroundings and give more space for development.

For Lavandin, which is the most fragrant lavender, both options are possible. However, when cultivated in pots, all the lavenders get even more sensitive to colder conditions, for there is no protection from the great masses of soil around them. Hence, it is important to take into consideration both environmental conditions and the gardener’s personal ideas to make an informed decision and keep your greenhouse healthy all the time.

Unique Lavender Picker for the Better Choices

We know that the process of selection is always hard, for the intrusive thoughts may haunt you tenaciously. So as to make this experience a bit more organized, one may opt for external tools like AI Plant Finder that offer reliable insights into the world of flora and numerous features to use when in the garden directly. 

So, what can AI Plant Finder give you? First of all, one is free to swiftly navigate all the natural creations and delve into the core of each species, exploring the details regarding their care needs and requirements, growth patterns, edibility potential, toxicity levels, and general tips as well. To do so, type the plant name and select the desired option from the list of related species. Besides, you can always use its “Plant ID” tool and identify flowers by photos taken right in the app.

Let us assume you have finally decided which lavender should become the new inhabitant of a garden. What is next? AI Plant Finder can comfortably guide one through the planting seasons, as it presents plant care reminders, easily set for each plant species in the yard, a water calculator and the illuminance meter, the AI Botanist, disease identification by photo, and much more for the convenience of the modern plant lovers of all sorts.

Lavenders have always been a beautiful addition to any type of territory, and this romantic, aromatic touch can bring more positive emotions than many other plant species. To select a perfect option for your garden, make sure you consider various aspects, including plant care needs, their appearances, and fragrance, if you like. Remember that lavenders for your garden are the lavenders for your soul.