OK, so I'm reading this a week later. Hoping you think to come back and check! I'm in Philly. Was told last year that the only way to keep my lavander passed a year was to take clippings and start new plants inside. Well I didn't have what I needed, and I couldn't get it in time, so figured they would die. They didn't! I was delightfully shocked! Of course, last winter was wonderfully warm for around here, so no guarantees, but this year, I'll treat them a little better, and actually mulch them over, hopefully with straw, if we can get some. (I'm not paying $12 for a little 1 cubic foot, like the prices in craft stores!) Good luck. Cross your fingers and maybe we can have two warm winters in a row!

Thanks Mistacottt and nhbabs. My lavender is indeed a multifada, so i could take a chance and leave it outside, tipping it on its side, or hope that it acclimatises to being indoors. It is in a pot because my garden has no soil but gravel instead so i grow most things in pots, unfortunately. Its always been in pots- last autumn i transplanted it from a small one to a larger one (terracotta) that it is in now, so the soil is a year old at most. I highly doubt the problem is being potbound, more rather an issue with humidity and temperature. My house has huge french windows rather than walls so it does get a lot of light even if not always direct sunlight. Its somewhat like a warmed conservatory. The temperature inside is about 22 degrees, maybe 21. But there isnt much difference between night and day in winter. The flowers have all bent over, a bit like cut flowers that you leave in a vase for a few days. The leaves are curling up and soft instead of firm like before. I will feel the soil and water if needed today, wait a few more days and then see if it improves. If it doesnt, i will bring it back out and try to fit it with in my coldframe.... Does that make sense? I am in switzerland and although the winters arent the worst, we get very strong chilling winds that sometimes bring the temps down to -20! I hope he makes it! Thanks again :)

Aha! Fantastic thread! Answered my question as to which plants to bring in...now if I can just keep them alive thru the winter in the dry house...lol Thanks for the help!

No amount of leaves stuffed in a box is going to get a lavender 'tree' through a zone 3a winter. I don't know if your lavender is grafted or not but the 'standard' portion is likely Lavandula stoechas which is only hardy to zone 8. You'll want to overwinter it like Rosemary...a bright cool room with temperatures remaining ideally above 5C and below 15C. The range 5C to 12C in a very bright room would be perfect.