Gardening Flowers Perennials 23 Lavender Varieties for a Fragrant Garden Wherever You Live By Sheryl Geerts Sheryl Geerts Sheryl Geerts is an editor and author who has nearly three decades of writing and editing experience. She enjoys writing about garden, food, and home topics. Her bylines have appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Allrecipes, Martha Stewart Living, and several other publications. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on September 11, 2023 Reviewed by Sylvia Duax Reviewed by Sylvia Duax Sylvia Duax has over 15 years of experience as a professional Horticulturist with expertise in: sustainable garden maintenance techniques; Southeastern U.S., especially in the mid-Atlantic regional gardening; native plants; wildlife gardening; small space, urban and container gardening and community engagement. Learn about BHG's Gardening Review Board Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Laurie Black With more than 450 kinds of lavender to choose from, it can be overwhelming to pick the best ones for your garden. But it's also hard to go wrong. Most varieties of this herb feature fragrant foliage and beautiful flowers, along with resistance to drought, deer, and other pests. Our guide will aid you in your choice. If ingested, lavender is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. 01 of 23 English Lavender Laurie Black The most widely grown lavender species in North America, English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is also the one most commonly used in cooking and baking. The plant's oils are often used in perfumes, and its flowers and foliage are popular in sachets and potpourri. It grows best in sandy soil that isn't too rich in nutrients. Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and average soil with good drainage Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 5–8 02 of 23 'Hidcote' English Lavender Laurie Black One of the more popular varieties of English lavender plants, 'Hidcote' produces silvery-gray foliage and dark purple-blue flowers that remain fragrant all season long. This variety's compact mounded form can be kept dense with regular pruning. Season of Bloom: Late spring/summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 20 inches tall Zones: 5–8 03 of 23 'Munstead' English Lavender Laurie Black This English lavender variety is popular because it stays compact, displays violet-purple flowers, and shows off attractive silvery foliage. Like 'Hidcote,' 'Munstead' is known for its strong fragrance. To control the plant's size and to promote new growth, every three years, in the spring, prune it back to eight inches. Season of Bloom: Late spring/summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 18 inches tall Zones: 5–8 04 of 23 'Betty's Blue' English Lavender Laurie Black Excellent for both cut and dried flowers, 'Betty's Blue' English lavender grows in rounded mounds and produces large spikes of dark purple-blue flowers. This compact variety grows best as a small hedge or in a knot garden. It is slightly taller than other dark-colored English lavender varieties. Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 12 inches tall Zones: 5–9 05 of 23 'Royal Purple' English Lavender Laurie Black Select 'Royal Purple' for its long early-summer stems of strongly scented purple flowers. Of all the different types of lavender, this variety's blooms hold their color well after drying. One of the larger English lavenders, you can grow 'Royal Purple' as a stunning low, informal hedge. Season of Bloom: Early summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 5–8 06 of 23 'Buena Vista' English Lavender Laurie Black A popular type of lavender for commercial oil production, 'Buena Vista' is a slow-growing variety that blooms twice a year: once in late spring and again in autumn, with a few flower spikes appearing between. It features dark-blue flowers and gray-green foliage. Its growth is not as compact as some other English lavender varieties. Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 5–8 07 of 23 'Croxton's Wild' English Lavender Laurie Black A fast-growing English lavender variety, 'Croxton's Wild' is similar to the wild lavender that grows in the Mediterranean. It shows off light violet and purple flowers and has a loose, open form. These plants make excellent cut flowers, but they're not recommended for drying. Prune the plants in early spring, then as needed, so they keep their shape after flowering. Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 5–9 08 of 23 'Melissa' English Lavender Laurie Black The fragrant flowers of 'Melissa' English lavender emerge as pure white but take on a delicate pink blush as they age. Upright and compact, with gray green leaves, this variety blooms longer than other pink-flowered lavenders. It's perfect for borders, rock gardens, and containers. Season of Bloom: Early to late summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 5–8 Give this lavender plant a moderate pruning after it blooms, which will prevent it from becoming woody. 09 of 23 'Jean Davis' English Lavender Laurie Black Long-blooming 'Jean Davis' produces pale pink flowers from late spring into midsummer. Its fruity, non-bitter taste makes it a top pick for culinary creations. This shorter variety grows well in containers, rock gardens, or in perennial beds. Plant it with purple lavenders to create a muted contrast in colors. Season of Bloom: Early to late summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 18 inches tall Zones: 5–9 10 of 23 Lavandin Laurie Black A hybrid between English and spike lavenders (Lavandula latifolia), lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia) tends to be taller than its English cousins. It's typically a lighter color, but has larger flowers on longer stems. Lavandin is commonly seen in fields across the region of Provence in France, where it's grown for perfumes. It tolerates hot temperatures better than English lavender, but prefers to be kept drier. Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 5–8 11 of 23 'Grosso' Lavandin Laurie Black Commonly grown in the lavender fields of France, 'Grosso' lavandin plants are the most fragrant of all lavenders. Its strongly scented purple flowers are often used in making perfumes and sachets. As a semi-woody plant, it typically grows in a shrubby mound with large flower spikes that stand well above the foliage mound. This is the perfect plant to attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden. Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 30 inches tall Zones: 5–8 12 of 23 'Provence' Lavandin Bob Stefko One of the tallest of the lavandins, 'Provence' gets its name from the area in France where it's grown commercially for the perfume industry. This extremely aromatic selection offers light lavender-blue flowers on narrow spikes that grow up to four inches long. 'Provence' can withstand hot and humid temperatures better than many other lavender varieties. Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 5–8 13 of 23 'Gros Bleu' Lavandin Laurie Black Loved for its rich purple flowers, 'Gros Bleu' is a popular selection for its long flower spikes and silvery foliage. It presents some of the darkest blooms of any of the lavandin-type lavenders and it flowers profusely in summer. With a sweeter scent than 'Grosso,' this hybrid is wonderful for both fresh bouquets or dried flowers. Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 5-9 14 of 23 'Impress Purple' Lavandin Laurie Black One of the largest lavandin plants, 'Impress Purple' produces spikes of flowers on long stems that are good for cutting. It forms a large mound of gray-green foliage that looks great even when it isn't in bloom. This strongly scented selection provides a stunning effect when planted in large groupings in herb gardens, along borders, and in rock gardens. Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 30 inches tall Zones: 5–9 15 of 23 'Edelweiss' Lavandin Laurie Black A fast grower, 'Edelweiss' features soft white flowers that dry well, making it a favorite of gardeners who like fragrant, white-flowering lavender in craft projects, such as making wreaths. The buds first emerge as light pink before opening to reveal a pure white blossom. Plant these nectar-rich flowers to attract hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators. Season of Bloom: Midsummer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 6–8 16 of 23 'Hidcote Giant' Lavandin Hidcote Giant An especially floriferous variety, 'Hidcote Giant' is known for its long spikes of medium blue-violet flowers in midsummer and gray-green foliage. Its flower stems are extra long, making this selection good for cut flowers and for use in projects, such as lavender wands. These nectar-rich flowers make a wonderful addition to a pollinator garden. Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 5–8 17 of 23 Spanish Lavender Laurie Black If you love the scent of lavender, but want to add another style to your fragrance garden, Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas) varieties offer a completely different look than their cousins do. The flower-heads are often short and topped with attractive bracts that look like large petals. However, Spanish lavenders love hot weather and can't withstand cold temperatures. Add these to your container gardens for a splash of texture. Season of Bloom: Mid spring Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 8–11 18 of 23 'Ballerina' Spanish Lavender Laurie Black This lively lavender displays cone-shaped clusters of buds that open to small, bright purple flowers topped with showy white bracts that mature to light pink. The distinctive look of its flowers and its highly aromatic silvery foliage make it a wonderful addition to the garden. After its summer blooms peak, prune it back to ensure shorter and sturdier flower stems for the future. Season of Bloom: Mid spring to late summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 8–9 19 of 23 'Van Gogh' Spanish Lavender Laurie Black Fragrant, shrubby 'Van Gogh' bears soft lavender-violet flowers topped by greenish-white bracts. The effect looks a bit like cute miniature pineapples. This variety produces bright green, linear, aromatic leaves that are densely covered in hairs, which give it a woolly appearance. Add this plant to a garden border or in your favorite container to attract both bees and butterflies to your yard. Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 8–10 20 of 23 'Curly Top' Spanish Lavender Laurie Black An eye-catching prolific bloomer, 'Curly Top' stands out from the crowd with its clusters of deep purple flowers topped by ruffled, curly lavender bracts that bloom almost continually during the growing season. Each bloom sits atop six-inch stems. Prune this plant regularly to maintain its shape and to encourage its abundant flowering. Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 30 inches tall Zones: 7–10 21 of 23 'Madrid Purple' Spanish Lavender Laurie Black This pretty Spanish variety supplies a steady crop of rich purple flowers on spikes topped by showy purple bracts. 'Madrid Purple' also has a compact, upright growth habit. The gray-green foliage accents the blooms nicely. If you're in a colder climate, you can still enjoy this plant by growing it in a container in the summer and moving it to a sheltered location during the winter. Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 8–10 22 of 23 French Lavender Andy Lyons Also called fringed lavender, you may see French lavender (Lavandula dentata) grown more often as an ornamental plant than as an herb. It doesn't emit the traditional fragrance that English lavenders and lavandins have. Its scent is more like camphor. Still, it is a lovely plant, with clusters of purple flowers and furry, gray-green toothed leaves. It blooms all summer and fall and can bloom almost all year indoors if you have a bright window getting at least six hours of sun a day. Season of Bloom: Spring to summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 8–11 23 of 23 Fernleaf Lavender Andy Lyons Unlike other lavenders, the fragrance of fernleaf lavender's (Lavandula multifida) foliage and flowers is lemony, with an earthy undertone. Usually grown as an annual, it features narrow spikes of fragrant bluish-purple flowers that will bloom until frost. In frost-free areas, this species will bloom almost continuously. Its lobed silvery-green leaves give it a delicate, lacy appearance. Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 8–10 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Better Homes & Gardens is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about our editorial policies and standards to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/lavender