Before the 2013 tornado, I had sandy loam soil and grew lavender without a problem. However, agastache would never come back on a reliable bases. I think our winters get to wet and to cold at the same time which can be deadly for agastache which likes it dry when cold. I am SW OKC 6b. Hope this helps.

My lavender overwintered in a pot on the south side of my house in Tulsa. This is only it's second year and the first time it is blooming.

I would put both of them in a high raised bed with sharp drainage, your sandy soil should be good.. I have had lavender come back for a year or two, but a rainy year like this will kill them. I don't think I've ever had agastache come back.

I have had both survive and come back in southcentral OK, but only when we had what was considered a really warm winter. For me, both lavender and agastache do best in containers filled with a mix similar to Al's Gritty Mix, and so does rosemary. I have had agastache last three years once, in amended clay soil, but that was in drought years when it hardly rained at all. Lavender probably hasn't made it through more than 2 consecutive winters. We generally aren't terribly wet, but when we are wet, we are very wet. That makes it hard to grow plants that demand perfect drainage.

I live near the border of Canadian and Caddo counties. I've grown just one kind of agastache for the past 3 years, and that is 'Tango.' It's a real beauty! I expected it to perform beautifully for me since I have very sandy soil, and it has - looks great every summer. But I've had to purchase new plants each spring to replace the 3 originals because, much to my surprise, it has never overwintered for me. Last year I did have 2 seedlings that popped up after I purchased the replacements. This year, however, I'm finding probably 40 or 50 little babies from seeds dropped last year. I consider that a real goldmine. Maybe I have so many babies this year because of the abnormally high rainfall amounts we've had (?). Well, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Just going to enjoy them.

I have finally given up on lavender. it comes back with most braches dead and then it is mildewed. I dug three up so far and will see if a friend wants the other two. would have loved a lavender bed, and for the first two years they looked great.

I have an unidentified plant and I think it is lavender. All my attempts at intentionally growing lavender failed. As soon as I put out seed and forget all about it, BAM. sheesh

I have both.Currently I have agstache in blue fortune, pink cotton candy, orange, and yellow. Everything loves it. Lost half of my blue agastache and lavender this year due to the rain and flooding that they got in that part of the yard. The remaining plants are enormous and are up a little bit higher than the others. They thrive until winter. Keep them in enough water to be happy and if you can raise them up a bit that should help.

there are many Agastache species. Some are very reliable here others are more like annuals here. I grow lots of them and have good luck with them returning. Lavender is a little more tricky. Good drainage and possibly a rock mulch, help. Sandy soil is best. Don't over water and give plenty of sun. I've had some luck putting them at the top of an elevated area or slope so they stay more dry. I've got some that overwintered this past one and are blooming through this monsson!

Some good Agastache to consider: any of the "sunset" varieties: Apache, Apricot, Arizona. Blue fortune, Blue Blazes, Golden Jubilee, sp. foeniculum, sp. nepetoides. lots of options. I'm in Norman and the City. Might be harder further north.

The one I've had best luck with is the Golden Jubilee agastache. I even have it reseeding on its own. I also have a Sunset variety, but lost the tag. It has survived several years. I have had the G. Jubilee for over 5 years now in semi-shade. What is your favorite source for buying these plants?

Are there any good gardening clubs around Norman that you would recommend? I live in Blanchard and have been in OK for 5 years, but only have gardening friends in Edmond! I want to meet more gardeners closer to home.