I'm a cottage garden who has lots of lavendar in my perennial beds. It's so easy to grow--full sun, well drained soil and has no need for fertilizer. My favorite is Hidcote lavender. I love it compact habit and upright purple/blue flowers in summer. It smells wonderful! I also have Munstead lavendar, but I definitely like the Hidcote better. Good luck! Here is a link that might be useful: Lavandula Angustifolia 'Hidcote'

Would you let us know how cutting it that far back works next year? Everything I keep reading says that after about four years, the dead looking inside middle of the plants just gets wider and higher, so either buy new ones or propagate what you have. (I just cut off some branches, and their flowers, remove the bottom leaves, dip them in rooting hormone, poke a hole into soiless mix or starter mix in little pots, and then drop the cuttings into the holes, patting down the soil around it, before watering. Did 5 cuttings and two have taken, but, through a series of events, I put the other 3 containers in a place I don't see easily to remember to water them.) I'm a container gardener, so only have two bushes in one container. I'd love to know if your method works, since mine are 4-5 years old now, and the middle of them is pretty much barron looking.

Hello Madreselva! I returned the plant. Im happy to hear yours is doing well. Our winter has been pretty mild with the exception of todays snowfall. I returned the plant because I feared it wouldn't survive NJ's traditional winters. I am excited to say that I have been lucky with lavender plants from Trader Joes! I have one in the ground that I bought last May and another in the house that I picked up recently and it's doing really well with small blooms. Ive posted pictures on another thread about that plant. Please keep me posted about the progress of your Costco lavender. I plan to vist Well Sweep Herb Farm in Port Murray, NJ in the next few months to see what kind of lavender plants I can find. They always have a nice selection of healthy organic plants! Thanks for your input!

I have had good success with Spanish Lavender (Lavendula stoechas. I am growing it in hill country limestone soil that has been amended with granite sand and compost. I have been growing L. stoechas "Anouk". I love its white follage. It has not bloomed for me. They grow in full sun. They are drought hardy but I make sure that they get some water in the winter. Mediterranean is a winter rain kind of place. If they get winter and spring moisture, they withstand the summer drought well. I grow mine in fast draining soil. I have never grown lavender clay. I can't say that it can't be done . I just haven't had the experience but I here people complain about it. They have Lavender festivals all over Central Texas. One in Blanco , one at a vineyard in Fredericksburg , I think.Those festivals are coming up soon ( June 7th in Blanco) The Natural Garden has a lot of varieties of Lavender. They grow easy from cuttings made in the spring, sooooo, if you have a friend who has some you like , snip away, but don't snip at Phoenix's botanical Garden. His boss would not be pleased..