Lavender 'Grosso' (Dutch lavender, Lavandin)
Lavender x intermedia 'Grosso'
Lavender Grosso is a taller than average lavender and is low maintenance, hardy and easy to grow. It prefers a sunny well drained spot but is tougher and more forgiving than some other varieties when under conditions which are not ideal. It is often the plant of choice for larger landscaping schemes for this reason, and also because it thrives with little aftercare.
The neat foliage looks good for most of the year, even in winter when, if neatly clipped back, it forms a silver structural bush.
From July onwards the plant positively erupts with tall, robust flower spikes of purple blue. Grosso is one of the lavenders of choice planted for the commercial production of lavender oil and flowers for drying. So as you can imagine the flowers are highly scented and very popular with pollinators. If deadheaded regularly the flowers will continue until early Autumn.
The flowers are great to dry for the winter months. Harvest them and clip to form uniform length bundles. Hang them in a warm, dark place to preserve the colour and fragrance.
This is an ideal plant for larger hedges and also for formal clipping. It looks good in a Mediterranean garden setting. If planted with other lavenders like Lavender angustifolia 'Hidcote' and 'Melissa Lilac', and Lavender stoechas, your garden can have lavender in flower all summer long!
In a herb garden setting lavender thrives beside other herbs with similar cultural needs like rosemary, sage and thyme. Lavenders in the border can be interplanted with bold annuals for a splash of summer long colour. Try zinnias, marigolds, cosmos and gazanias. These all thrive in similar conditions to lavender and come in a huge range of colours to suit all tastes. If you prefer a perennial garden, lavenders mix well with the more drought tolerant cultivars of roses. They also grow well with many perennials like Echinacea and Achillea, whilst Sedum will make a great ground cover in a lavender bed.
Have a look at our perennials section – Just beyond the Herb Garden – for inspiration.