french or english

[curlycreations]

which lavendar is nicest. is one more woody or showy than the other. its not fragrance im after -its looks -a bit materialistic i sound.
i am a novice gardener thanks in anticipation for any advice

[teta]

I like the french lavender better,but its frost sensitive.Mine however has survived this year on a warm south facing patio with very few frosts.So if you want longevity go for the english which can look lovely if trimmed every year and still smells gorgeous.

[curlycreations]

thanks yes i would like it to keep coming back every yr. as my garden is quite large but barren although fertile enough for the weeds. so hoping it will do well

[Bienchen]

There are lots of varieties of English lavender too, from small ones which are perfect for edging a path to cultivars which will form nice shrubs.

The woody-ness (sp?) comes from irregular/incorrect pruning. Prune in August or September)(unless you live in a cold climate when you prune in April), don't let them go leggy and never cut into old wood. They thrive otherwise on a bit of neglect, don't overwater and no need to mulch.

[GnomeDePlume]

I grow quite a lot of dwarf Munstead. I am about to plant out around 70 plants to hedge my orchard! Parkers were selling plug plants at a bargain price. I bought them and grew them on.

I have a couple of small hedges of this already in my garden. It is very easy to prune and then it flowers beautifully.