how about lavender??

I have always wanted to try this for zone 4 - not sure how it would work out....anyhow I had 2 coreopsis that haven't come up yet....I scratched the ground to see if anything was there and I don't think anything will be coming up this year :( - too bad cause they were really pretty last year. I was thinking of putting in some compact lavender plants....what do you think about these for my zone? do they do well??

Dawn, I'm not quite sure about your zone, but my lavender was coming up green in frozen ground from seeds I had sown last fall. So, I would give it a try. I think it will do well for you. Cyndie

Many lavenders are only hardy to zone 5. Biggest thing with them is DRAINAGE! I have lost many due to wet winters.

Right, Victor. They do require excellent drainage and a minor bed of gravel around them. I'm not aware of any for your zone, Dawn, but I'll check one of my favorite places and let you know if I find any.

I'm trying many (around 36 or so) in a raised bed this year. Keeping my fingers crossed. Will be awesome if it works. It's right next to the porch so the fragrance should be great.

Is Provence among the ones you're trying? That's my personal favorite.

I have a few of them from last year in a different area. Looks like they survived. That one was too high for the bed. I wanted a shorter one that would resist flopping and not grow taller than a few other plants in the bed.

Dawn: http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/fragrantherbgarden5.htm

Zone 5, herbs. Lavender is represented.

I wanted a shorter one, too, so I could see my favorite daylily behind it. The colors go so well together.

I'm trying Hidcote Superior - 16" high.

I think that's the one I have.

If you can't find one that will be perennial in your zone, they are touting 'Lady' as a lavender that can be grown as an annual because it will flower in the first year from seed. I am growing some, but my wintersown seed didn't germinate, so I'm just now germinating some. It's likely too late for mine to flower this year. Seandor started some from seed I sent her. We'll have to see if hers flowers earlier. The seed I started indoors germinated in just a couple of days.

I've found 2 volunteer lavender plants growing in the stones around my pool this year. They have landscape fabric underneath, no soil except what's washed in there. I don't know whether they are 'Hidcote' or 'Munstead', as I have both in a bed nearby. They may not grow true from seed anyway. So I have 2 free plants to put in my new herb garden.

edit to add: 'Lady' is a compact plant 12-14"

This message was edited May 13, 2007 7:26 AM

Wow, I've never had lavender volunteers. Wouldn't mind that.

I actually had a lavendar survive this year for the first time. It was in a smallish plastic pot that tipped over and lay on its side most of the winter, out of the sun. It was a milder than usual winter here (only got below -15 F once), but I also think that being on its side kept it dry, especially as the snow melted, and being out of the sun kept it buried in snow, and so moderated temperatures. I'm planning to repot it to a larger plastic pot and do the same thing this next winter to see how it goes. I've never had a lavendar survive in good shape in the ground, even with sharp drainage and in a raised bed.

I have lavendar "Lady" which I started from seed a couple of years ago and it comes back beautifully. the foliage is about 8" tall and the lavendar flower spikes add another 4-6".

In a well-drained area, I assume?

Yes, I think we are sitting on a gravel bank!!! Even if we get a fast hard rain and the front yard gets flooded, it quickly drains while other parts of our property stay flooded. I have a couple of beds with the lavendar lady, one in the front yard and another in a raised bed so drainage is very good.

Well, my lavender is up - but it is still pretty puny. I have also started the rest of the seeds. If I get flowers this year, I will post them :-) Thanks again for the seeds, Jan.

Here's a pic of lavendar lady from the front bed