White French Lavender

Lavandula stoechas leucantha Snowman

• Position: full sun
• Soil: fertile, well-drained soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: June and July
• Hardiness: borderline hardy
  
  

  As the name suggests, this French lavender has spikes of pure white flowers, topped with distinctive white, butterfly-like tufts from late spring to summer and grey-green, aromatic leaves. It makes a striking feature planted en masse as a fragrant edging for a sunny, protected border, along a path or in a container. Like most French lavenders, this is earlier flowering than its English cousins, but associates well with them if you want to prolong the season of lavender in your garden. The flower-spikes are also a magnet for bees and other beneficial insects. In frost-prone areas it is best grown in a large container and over-wintered indoors.

  As it's borderline hardy it is best grown in a container in colder areas of the country and should be over-wintered in a cool greenhouse or conservatory.
  

• Garden care: Cut back the stalks after the flowers have faded to retain a compact shape. Carefully trim back in April, taking care not to cut into old wood.
  
  
• Goes well with: Salvia x sylvestris 'Mainacht', Echinops ritro, Perovskia 'Blue Spire', Stachys byzantina, Artemisia 'Powis Castle', Eryngium giganteum

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