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Lavender Garden Concepts

Knot Gardens | Herb & Culinary Gardens | Foursquare Gardens | Medicinal Gardens | Rock Gardens | Flower & Fragrance Gardens | Butterfly Gardens | Moon Gardens | Container Gardens | Mediterranean Gardens | Gardens for Kids | Hedges | Commercial Landscaping

Purple Reign

Knot Gardens

Knot Gardens are symmetrically designed gardens employed in formal landscaping. The art requires the use of geometric patterns, in which control is exercised by the precise use of edging plants such as English boxwood.

This garden concept requires a patient gardener, careful plotting, trimming and maintaining. The Knot Gardens were often planted in Roman, Islamic and Medieval Christian cloister gardens. One can view them today usually on display in botanical gardens such as the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; the Alexandra Hicks Herb Knot Garden in Ann Arbor, Michigan; European castles and estates such as the Knot Garden of Helmingham Hall Gardens, Suffolk, England; Groombridge Place, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England; Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England; as well as on the properties of prosperous Americans.

One challenge faced by gardeners of Knot Gardens as well as Foursquare Gardens is to find replacement for mature plants if any happen to die in order to keep the unity and ‘pattern’ of the garden.

The design of the ‘knot’ of herbs has no beginning and no end. For this purpose low-to-the-ground plants are chosen. The short or ‘dwarf’ lavenders particularly good for the use in short hedges are:

Lavandula angustifolia ‘Munstead’, Lavandula angustifolia ‘Jean Davis’, Lavandula angustifolia ‘Dwarf Blue’

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Herb and Culinary Gardens

Plant your lavender amongst basil, thyme, oregano, lovage, borage and coriander. Plant an herb garden close at hand so that all the wonderful aromas will be used in your culinary creations. Herbs can also be planted amongst the annual beds, perennial borders or in containers if you are limited for space.

Even before Victorian times, people used to make scented posies from herb leaves and flowers, called Tussie-Mussies, and carry them from room to room. To make a Tussie-Mussie, gather a mixed bunch of herbs: lavender, majoram, mint, sage, etc., tie them into small posies with a ribbon and place them in pretty wine glasses to display. 

The lavender variety most commonly grown in gardens within North America and England is Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’. It is also commonly used as culinary lavender.

When using lavender in the kitchen, assure that it is clean and pesticide free. You can use fresh or dried lavender in your recipes, however, as with other herbs and spices, dried lavender buds have more than double the power of the fresh herb – as the flowers shrink and the oil is concentrated. To release the oils of any herb in cooking, gently bruise between your fingers before using it in your dish.

Lavender cultivars vary in flavour considerably (depending often on the geographical location), thus you may wish to experiment with various varieties. For culinary purposes, Lavandula angustifolia is the sweetest and not as comphorous as the other species.

You may also like to use lighter flavoured lavandins like Lavandula x intermedia ‘Provence’ or ‘Twickel’ in savoury dishes but prefer the sweeter, lighter flavour of Lavandula angustifolia ‘Munstead’, ‘Hidcote’ or ‘Rosea’ for tea, iced drinks, and desserts.   

Learn more about Culinary Lavender and find Inspirational Recipes.

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Foursquare Gardens

Planting for a Foursquare Garden is done in four squares or rectangles with brick or gravel walkways forming a cross separating the squares and a focal point like a fountain, statue or sundial in the centre. One challenge faced by gardeners of Foursquare Gardens & Knot Gardens is to find replacement for mature plants if any happen to die in order to keep the unity and ‘pattern’ of the garden.

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Medicinal Gardens

Fresh lavender can be used to make an infusion or tea. Pour boiling water into a cup, let it cool for 30 seconds, then add a teaspoon of fresh or dried lavender. Cover and leave to steep for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain and drink lukewarm. The antiseptic qualities of a weak infusion of lavender tea help to cleanse the system and to relieve headaches and stomach upsets. Sweeten it with a little honey if you prefer.

Although many herbs from your garden can be used for medicinal purposes, it is advisable to learn about the effects of the herbs you grow for consumption or ask a qualified herbalist before dosing yourself from the garden.

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Rock Gardens

Lavender should be one of your first choices when it comes to the design of Rock Gardens. It is a natural for sloping south-facing gardens with good drainage and rocky inhospitable conditions. For best results, plant en-masse and repeat ‘pattern’ of plants.

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Flower & Fragrance Gardens

The varieties Lavandula angustifolia and Lavandula x intermedia provide the best aromatic benefits in the garden. They can be planted in containers around a balcony, terrace or patio. They can be used to create a path or entrance to the house or garden. For visual interest they are best planted en-masse, yet ensure to plant them where you will enjoy them most!

The best varieties to grow for a 'pungent' aroma are: Lavandula multifida (downy lavender) and Lavandula stoechas. Due to the higher camphor content, it has a pungent smell that repels moths, flies and mosquitoes.

In the garden, white or pink lavender may surprise your visitors, as many people don’t realize that these flowers come in colours other than lavender. White varieties often have alba in the botanical name. However, don’t expect the white or pink lavender to dry to a pretty shade.

Some examples of pink lavender are: Lavandula angustifolia ‘Jean Davis’ and ‘Lodden Pink’.

The best lavender variety for drying which provide a nice deep rich colour and a long straight stem are:
Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’, Lavandula x intermedia ‘Dutch’, ‘Gorsso’ and ‘Provence’.

If you are designing a garden were time of bloom is of importance consider that the Lavandula angustifolia species blooms in general about three weeks before the Lavandula x intermedia.

Some varieties are also bred to give a second flush of growth in the fall, such examples are: Lavandula angustifolia ‘Irene Doyle’, ‘Pastor’s Pride’, ‘Sharon Roberts’ and ‘Buena Vista’.

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Butterfly Gardens

Butterflies love a jumble of colourful flowers, particularly tubular ones like lavender. The colours to keep in mind are yellow, orange, red and purple. Pesticides kill butterflies, caterpillars, and other useful insects. Try these methods instead: plant lavender, marigolds, petunias, mint, and other herbs that naturally repel pests. Encourage ladybugs and dragonflies to dine in your garden. Wash pests away with insecticidal soap.

Each butterfly has a favorite nectar plant, and needs a specific host plant where it will lay eggs. Learn about local butterflies, so you can provide the right match of plants to make your garden a popular hangout.

Butterflies are cold blooded creatures, so when planning your butterfly garden, be sure that you have many flowers that are in the sun. Also be sure to use butterfly ‘feeders’ or shallow water bowls for drinking in sunny spots in the garden. In addition, place a few smooth rocks in sunny places for butterflies to rest and warm themselves on.

The Butterfly Web Site offers everything there is to know about butterflies ... and more!

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Moon Gardens

An unusual concept that will astonish many visitors to your garden. A moon garden is planted by using lovely bright white and gray plantings, shown to best advantage after dusk. The flowers reflect the moon’s glow on summer evenings, and the pristine whiteness seems to shimmer on romantic evening strolls through the garden.

Moon Gardens are planted for both light and for fragrance. Lavender is used for its gray foliage and sometimes white flowers. Some examples of flowers to use in a moon garden: narcissus, lilies, phlox, nicotiana, jasmine, gardenias.

The concept references back to the Emperor of India Jahan, who in 1639 made a moon garden near Delhi.
Today one can enjoy one of the loveliest moon gardens in the restored garden at Sissinghurst, England planted by Vita Sackville-West.

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Container Gardens

The ability to plant lavender in containers means that those who have small spaces can enjoy this species on a terrace or patio or in a tiny yard and move the containers to better advantage throughout the season.

Remember though, that lavender always needs excellent drainage and full sun, whether in the garden or a pot.

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Mediterranean Gardens

If you are challenged by rocky, inhospitable soil, then you might give your garden a French twist by planting lots of lavender, rows or grapes and culinary herbs such as sages and oregano.

Lavender thrives in the heat and can be paired up with boxwood hedges for a romantic, fragrant and culinary garden. With a combination of roses, lavenders and grapes a soft colour theme of purples, pinks and blues comes alive. If planted amongst roses, lavender keeps the lice at bay as well as acting as a natural insect repellant.

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Garden Ideas for Kids

Children will love to plant their own pizza garden. This can be done on a little patch of garden soil or in a container. Includes a tomato plant, basil, oregano as well as lavender and thyme. When in season the children get to make their own pizza using the tomatoes and herbs from their own little garden. During harvest time, children can help to harvest the herbs, dry them in a dark, cool place and make a dry winter herb mixture for use on pizzas, breads and other culinary dishes.

Furthermore, children of all ages will love the lavender species called Lavandula stoechas pedunculata – also called Spanish lavender. It is a tender lavender that must be wintered indoors in most zones. It has large purple bracts on top of flower spikes that look like butterfly wings or rabbit ears. New varieties of these species now offer a ruffled form of these purple bracts.

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Hedges

Lavender is beautiful when used for a hedge – en masse, the colour of lavender (from white to deep purple) is very majestic. One can clip a hedge to a more regular shape or the plants can be allowed to sprawl. Hanging over the path, stray shoots get trodden on, releasing the most delightful aroma.

The short lavenders particularly good for the use in short hedges:
Lavandula angustifolia ‘Munstead’, Lavandula angustifolia ‘Jean Davis’, Lavandula angustifolia ‘Dwarf Blue’.

Tall lavender particularly good for the use in tall hedges or for annual and perennial borders:
Lavandula multifida, Lavandula x intermedia ‘Grappenhall’

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Commercial Landscaping

In Europe, especially Spain and Portugal, lavender is used extensively as a decorative element of the existing down-town architecture. Lavender flowers suspend from high-rise buildings decorating the balconies of offices throughout the city core. Since it is a low-maintenance plant it thrives well. The leaves look good even after the flowers stop blooming.

Since foliage is present for more months of the year than the flowers, it might be interesting to choose a lavender species for its foliage colour and texture to add a new element to your garden or architectural landscape.

Lavandula stoechas species have bright green new shoots and mature to gray-green foliage.
Lavandula angustifolia ‘Gray Lady’ is another good choice for blue-green or gray-white foliage.

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