Advice on planting a lavender hedge

[SweepforAssassins]

I have a long narrow bed in which I would like to plant lavender. It's a bed that gets full sun with well drained soil. Currently costing up options. Lidl has lavender in now, three plants for £4.99 which is a bargain. But they are just called lavender no idea as to the specific type. Do you think they'll be ok? Am I better off being patient and planting later on?

Do the labels have the varieties in Latin at all? Not sure which is which but in our garden (god awful clay soil, east mids) lavender thrives. I love the stuff. So low maintenance too. Don't be afraid to cut it well back in the autumn, it will come back beautifully.

Good luck! I love a lavender bush and you'll get lots of happy bees.

How many do you need?
I've got lavender hedges which need replacing periodically (either most of it after really hard winters, or the odd plant).
I usually get mini-plugs online and grow then on and use those.
Eg https://www.suttons.co.uk/flower-plants/all/lavender-duo-24-plug-plants-free-seedsmh9434
Although I usually get better deals (more plugs) than that.

Not an instant fix though.

I wouldn’t want to plant without knowing what type, because often places sell “French lavender” which has little tufts on the top and looks different to what I think of as “normal” lavender (not a gardener!!). The type called “hidcote” is one of the most common ones sold and is lovely. You might find other garden centres have it cheaply at this time of year as well.

I too was going to suggest looking at suttons website, kings or other online sites for bulk plants. Sometimes local plant nurseries will have plug plants which aren't too expensive. At least then you'd know what variety you are getting. There is also a gardeners world forum where you can ask which variety is best for a hedge.

Mine were from... not Lidl, but one of the supermarkets. They'll be fine.

There's a house in a village near here, their front garden is on a slight slope facing the road, covered in lavender, a patchwork of white, dark purple and light purple. Looks fab in flower, and even cut back, the leaves are different shades of greeny grey.

Sorry meant to add that whilst not quite as pretty as French or Italian varieties, English lavender is the one that seems hardiest for our garden

If they are plug plants I'd wait; and there are cheaper options online. If they are in little pots (the size of a small mug) then I'd consider planting them out now. Your spot sounds perfect - I can't grow them at all, my drainage isn't good enough.

English lavender is definitely hardier.

Lavendula spicata (English) not Lavendula stoechas )French)

Just had a look at these on the Lidl website and they do look like French lavender Here

I planted a new lavender hedge last year and bought Lavender Hidcote from You Garden. They were lovely quality plants and were the cheapest I could find for 9cm pots at the time.