The Star: September 08, 2016

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Thursday September 8 2016 27
L . dentata
For those who like a pale shade
of violet, and are looking for a
softer look, the French lavender
is a wonderful option. This
plant is rarely without a flower.
However, it won’t cope with
the same amount of frost as
the Italian and English jobs,
so give it some protection.
DOS AND DON’TS
Lavender is one of those
wonderful shrubs that can
give so much joy for such
little care. However, there
are a few tips and tricks to
ensuring it maintains its shape
and vigour over the season.
Full sun is a must. Don’t
consider planting it in a shady
damp position, it needs full sun
and excellent drainage. It looks
spectacular planted in groups, en
masse in gardens, down banks
and in hedges. It blends well into
numerous garden styles, making
itself at home in both modern
and old-fashioned settings.
Lavender can live a happy
life in a container, but what is
critical to ensure its success is
to choose a large pot (ideally
twice the size of a kitchen
bucket). Even though it has a
shallow root system, it flowers
best in a larger pot. Don’t be
tempted to put a saucer under
the pot either, it hates wet
feet and the roots will rot and
FRIENDS: Roses and lavender are a striking combination.
die if left standing in water.
Regular haircuts are required
to keep plants fresh and tidy.
The trick is to cut back the
plants while they are actively
growing (not in winter), after
the main flurry of flowers in late
summer or autumn. You may
need to forgo a few flowers to
do this, but timing is critical.
Pruning at this time helps
maintain shape and promotes
a new set of flowers. Cutting
back lavender into old brittle
wood is a recipe for disaster.
It usually doesn’t regenerate
and, if cut back too hard, it
can cause the plant to die.
Lavender hates having its roots
disturbed or dug in and around.
Essentially, it is a little ticklish!
So, avoid planting anything
under lavender, not even bulbs.
In the wild it rarely competes
with anything else in the same
spot, so try not to upset it
when planting it at home.
ROSES AND LAVENDER
These two plants look fabulous
together, but essentially they
differ dramatically in what
they prefer in terms of ideal
growing conditions. Roses love
rich, moisture-retentive soil
and plenty of water through hot
periods, while lavender loathes
wet feet and moist foliage. Foodwise,
roses are greedy beggars
and lavenders thrive on the
smell of an oily rag. So, if you
wish to marry these two plants
together, you need to clearly
manage them differently. This
can be done by allowing plenty
of space between the roses
and the rows of lavenders, in
order to feed and water plants
independently of each other.
LESS IS MORE
To get the best look when
planting lavender, choose your
favourite and mass plant it.
This is better than planting a
number of different varieties.
Bold blocks of flowering
lavender are a sight to behold.
For hedges, space 30-50cm apart
(depending on the variety).
WHAT YOU
NEED
TO KNOW
When to plant
Warm and temperate
climates
All year round.
Cold climates Spring,
summer
and autumn.
When to prune
After flowering, every
season.
Plant spacing
Base spacing on how big the
plant
will grow, bearing in mind
this will depend on the
variety and its purpose, e.g.
hedges (20-30cm),
or rows.
Where to buy
Garden centres and
hardware stores both have a
good selection of lavender
plants.
Christchurch Super Garden Tour
Including 14 Premium gardens
19th & 20th
November 2016
10am to 4pm
A Wigram Lions Club Project raising
funds for the Westpac Rescue
Helicopter Service and Child
Cancer Foundation.
Tickets & free information
brochures available at any
Oderings, Terra Viva, or Portstone
Garden Nursery Outlets and at
Riccarton House or the Bicycle
Thief Restaurant.
Tickets $25 each or at www.lionsclubs.org.nz/
chch-gardentour tickets at $27 each.
One ticket gives access on both days.