Gransnet forums

Gardening

Lavender smell

(38 Posts)
JustkeepswimmingDonna Sat 15-Aug-26 09:50:06

When I was young I couldn't stand the smell of lavender. Fast forward 40 years and now I can't get enough of it! I've planted some in my garden and the bees love it. Plus it looks so pretty. Funny how your tastes change over the years.

MissAdventure Sat 15-Aug-26 14:54:41

Aveline

I put lavender bags or lavender soap in my nightie and pants drawers. Just a lovely refreshing smell.

I was loathe to say I keep lavender bags in my drawers 🤭

Aveline Sat 15-Aug-26 15:03:22

MissAdventure - I'm past caring. My drawers are certainly capacious enough!

Silvershadow Sat 15-Aug-26 15:05:42

I keep lavender bags in the wardrobe especially where woollens are to deter moths. Also small mesh bags filled with lavender in my drawers!

JenniRen Sat 15-Aug-26 15:08:46

I've just dried some lavender from the garden and made lavender bags which are now in drawers. Another lot is drying to fill more. I am an old lady, don't mind smelling of lavender, it's better than some alternatives.

The bees have thoroughly enjoyed it, now it's been chopped back.

MT62 Sat 15-Aug-26 15:11:49

Silvershadow

For a full hedge probably English. They tend to be a bigger lavender bush but ask at your garden centre as some are dwarf plants. This year we managed to buy plants with purple and white flowers combined but they are not big bushes. I think the English ones are called Hidcote. Have a look on the RHS website for guidance.

👍🏻 don’t want them too high.
It’s just to hide a strip of grass that never grows (due to concrete underneath) next to our driveway.
I believe rosemary is a good one to grow in conditions like that & I love the smell of rosemary too.

JenniRen Sat 15-Aug-26 15:12:05

MT62

Silvershadow

We are very lucky here in the south as the lavender likes the soil. We are growing different kinds of lavender, both the traditional type and the French. Quite often our local garden centres sell lavender plants off when the blooms have faded. I just buy them, trim off the dead stalks, pop them in the ground ready for next year. We’ve built up quite a few that way.

I love the smell of lavender and find it very soothing. I buy Yardleys lavender eau de toilette which I find useful in this heat.

How do you stop lavender becoming woody? Do you trim it back?

Good question.
Ours is very woody and we wondered whether or not to remove it and replant with new. It has been pruned very well, though, by the person who helps us in the garden occasionally.

You mustn't prune it right back beyond any leaves.

MT62 Sat 15-Aug-26 15:14:38

Silvershadow

Sorry that was for MT62.

Ahh yes thanks. Just trying to reply on your previous post.. advert keeps getting in the way.
Yes that’s a good site to explore for ideas 🙏

JenniRen Sat 15-Aug-26 15:16:04

Cressy

Lavender should be cut back now once flowers have ‘gone over’. Cut back leaving a small amount of green growth. Lavender only grows on new wood. You can put the cut lavender in bunches. I hang them around the house and they are fragrant for many months.
I the cuttings every year at this stage too.

Sorry, I see you and others have answered this already.

Previously we had someone to help who used a hedge cutter and just cut it straight across. This year the new person we have helping is a trained gardener and she cut it into neat mounds with new green growth showing.

JenniRen Sat 15-Aug-26 15:18:51

MT62

Our rosemary takes off and grows all over the path if it's not hacked back!

Yes, Hidcote is a neat upright lavender whereas some other varieties sprawl.

Greyduster Wed 19-Aug-26 17:10:00

My lovely late DH - always an optimist, never much of a gardener - won a packet of lavender seeds and a bag of compost at a church fete. I laughed at him when he said he was going to grow them. I laughed on the other side of my face when he managed to raise thirteen strong plants, which are still growing in the form of a small hedge in front of his plum tree! I’ll be giving those a crop tomorrow.

MT62 Wed 19-Aug-26 17:15:14

JenniRen

MT62

Our rosemary takes off and grows all over the path if it's not hacked back!

Yes, Hidcote is a neat upright lavender whereas some other varieties sprawl.

Ahh! Quite a few to choose from.
Will do my home work. Thanks

MT62 Wed 19-Aug-26 17:16:41

Greyduster

My lovely late DH - always an optimist, never much of a gardener - won a packet of lavender seeds and a bag of compost at a church fete. I laughed at him when he said he was going to grow them. I laughed on the other side of my face when he managed to raise thirteen strong plants, which are still growing in the form of a small hedge in front of his plum tree! I’ll be giving those a crop tomorrow.

Ahh. Good for him