What is this plant?

[booomshackalack]

DH and I are having a disagreement about a plant in our front garden, he thinks it's lavender (even though there's no smell off it) but I think it's heather. We have clay soil and quite a few plants we have put in haven't made it but this one seems quite hardy and want to get more of it for the garden. Thanks if you can help here!

Lavender. But I can't zoom in on my annoying phone.

Could it be rosemary?

I thought lavender but I'm not entirely sure about the flowers

Rosemary x

Looks like lavender. But maybe a decent photo will help.

Rosemary. The leaves should smell if you crush them.

Looks like lavender to me.

Thanks everyone. We had two lavender plants close to this one but they both died at the same time earlier this year, not sure if the really cold spell over winter finished them off. Does lavender always smell or are some types scent free?
Can anyone recommend some plants that would do well in clay soil?

Rosemary? Pick the leaves and rub between your fingers.

Rosemary flowers in between the leaves, whilst Lavender sends up seperate flower stems. Both are scented, never known an unscented variety of either.

It's lavender, definitely not rosemary. As a pp said, the flowers of rosemary are among the leaves, not on their own stems.

The scent is from the oils the plant produces. If you crush it between your fingers you should be able to smell it.

Thanks, it's definitely lavender! Had a closer look at the flowers and leaves smell of it after being rubbed. However, I've noticed the middle of the plant is looking a bit dead, I think it might be going the way of the other ones. Is there anything I could do to try and salvage it?

You can try and trim back all the stems to above the node above the lowest bit of living stem. Don't cut into the dead stem. However Lavender often does die off in the middle, so I take cuttings around this time of year for new plants that will be big enough the year after next.

Lavender likes really well drained soil. It may be your clay soil that's affecting their growth. You could try putting gravel at the bottom of the hole when you plant - or choose plants that are happier in clay?

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 It's Lavender!

We have clay soil - the plants that love it are hydrangeas- also hostas, ferns and Pulmonaria in the shade