common name: Lavender
size: 12-24"
interest: Gray-green foliage, small purple flower spikes on thin stems
culture: full sun, sharply drained soil
time of year: June-September
companion plants: Geranium 'Rozanne', Artemesia (Wormwood), Stachys (Lamb's Ear), Salvia (Meadow Sage)
Many of us have grown, or attempted to grow this plant at the request of lavender-smitten customers who like the look and fragrance of the gray-green foliage with their petite flower spikes. While they're thinking 'Southern France', you're thinking "This is New England, lady!" So we asked Ellen D. of North Winds Farm in Pawling, NY what her secret is. She grows fields of different lavender cultivars which she uses in her soaps, oils and sachets. She sells them in Farmer's Markets and online. Here are her tips:
* You need a minimum of 6 hours of full sun - southern exposure is the best
* Sharp drainage is a MUST, especially in winter
*Add lime to the soil to bring the pH up to 6.5-7 (Ellen adds pelletized lime in spring and fall)
*Sand is also added to the soil for drainage and to keep it loose
*She does not recommend mulch - she uses crushed stone instead
*Do not fertilize - they thrive in poor soil
*She prunes them back lightly in fall right before the first light frost (she calls it "a buzz cut") - that keeps them tight through the winter so the snow doesn't break them apart
I also asked her which varietes she grows up in her zone 5a area. 'Hidcote' and 'Munstead' are some of the varieties which she grows. She also tries the Spanish varieties, but inside her greenhouse.
Thanks again for the information, Ellen!
We are currently well stocked with 'Hidcote', 'Mini Blue', 'Munstead', 'Phenomenal' & 'Provence'. Stop by soon and try out some of Ellen's tips! 
