Confusion exists around lavender plants and pet safety: there is no risk at all from the plants. “Lavender plants are generally non-toxic in nature, however, if sufficient quantities of the vegetation are consumed, it can result in dangerous intestinal blockages.” Wag Walking Dogs simply don’t eat lavender bushes in sufficient quantities to harm themselves, neither… Continue reading Lavender Plants are Safe for Cats & Dogs
Category: Shrubs
What are Shrubs?
A shrub is a woody, freestanding plant that naturally has multiple main stems. Through pruning, many shrubs can be grown as a tree form with a single main trunk, and vice versa, many trees can be pruned & trimmed into a shrubby form, which is how hedges are made. Rose bushes are natural shrubs that can be… Continue reading What are Shrubs?
Lavender 8:8:8 Watering Rule
Water your lavender plants, just don’t overdo it.
Harvesting Lavender Flowers
All the lavender plants we sell have flowers suitable for drying or oil extraction, great for aromatherapy, chandlery and baking. When should I harvest Lavender for its oil? Lavender flowers contain the most oil immediately after their full bloom, when the very first florets begin to wither, but most are still looking lovely. Which Lavender… Continue reading Harvesting Lavender Flowers
Differences between English, Dutch, and French Butterfly Lavenders
Differences & Similarities The groups of Lavender plants commonly grown in UK gardens are English Lavender, Dutch Lavandin, and French “Butterfly” Lavender. They all: Lavandula angustifolia: Common or English Lavender Lavandula x intermedia: Dutch Lavender or Lavandin Lavandula stoechas & L. pedunculata: French / Spanish “Butterfly Ears” Lavender Which Lavender is Best as a Herb for Kitchen Use? All lavender is edible, but only… Continue reading Differences between English, Dutch, and French Butterfly Lavenders
Is Lavender Native to the UK?
No, Lavender is not native to the UK, it’s a Mediterranean plant. The Romans introduced lavenders to Britain over 1,500 years ago, using the flowers to scent and wash themselves; the word itself is from the Latin lavare, to wash. Their legionaries carried dried lavender to pack into bandages for its antibacterial properties, and it… Continue reading Is Lavender Native to the UK?
Trim Lavender Around Late February / March
This post is a bit late for getting in a February trim, but since the weather has been fresh and plants slow to wake up, we got away with it. Our school of thought on clipping Lavender is to do it twice a year: The first trim needs to be done by early March. This… Continue reading Trim Lavender Around Late February / March
Prepare Soil For Planting Trees, Shrubs & Hedges
This article is primarily about preparing soil before planting trees (ornamental or fruiting), hedging, roses, and other shrubs. It won’t consider vegetable beds, where more work might be justified, or perhaps No-Dig methods. Soil preparation is important because it helps strong roots to establish quickly. If the roots struggle to settle in, the whole plant will struggle. Like so many things in gardening,… Continue reading Prepare Soil For Planting Trees, Shrubs & Hedges
How to Cut Back Lavender Hard In Late Summer / Early Autumn
August or September is the best time to hard prune Lavender for great flowers the following year Late August is the absolute best time to prune your Lavender plants, when the final flush of flowers has died down.September is also fine, but it’s best not to leave it later, or you will get sparser flowers… Continue reading How to Cut Back Lavender Hard In Late Summer / Early Autumn
Should I Cut Lavender In Spring Or Autumn?
Lavender should be pruned hard every year to keep it dense, bushy, and covered in flowers during Summer It’s not good to prune your Lavender plants in late Autumn / Winter when it’s not in growth, and if you prune it in Summer you will remove all the flowers, so that leaves either Spring, or late-Summer… Continue reading Should I Cut Lavender In Spring Or Autumn?
How to Grow Lavender
We start delivering Lavender plants each year when the weather warms up in April. How to Grow Lavender Don’t plant lavender out too early in Spring: the cold soil will shock the roots. In most years for most of the UK, wait until warm nights arrive in May, even June in the coldest Northern regions. … Continue reading How to Grow Lavender
Cutting Back Buddleja Bushes in Early Spring
Or: How to Record a Gardening Video Using a Potato I am sorry everyone, really. I genuinely didn’t realise how bad the camera in my potato is: it was a good potato when I bought it second hand down an alleyway ten years ago, so it came as much of a shock to me as… Continue reading Cutting Back Buddleja Bushes in Early Spring
Lavender Pests and Diseases Exist!
I read an article the other day that claimed that lavender is immune to disease, a quality linked to its healing properties I almost choked on my caviar and crisps at such dangerous misinformation. As the most famous musical plagiarist of my youth said: In the everyday running of our nursery, we are always on the… Continue reading Lavender Pests and Diseases Exist!