Overview

Lavender is a flowering shrub-like plant that is striking when planted in a border, as the background to a flower garden, or in naturalized areas of the landscaping. It has grayish-green leaves and most varieties sport long stems covered in small lavender or deep purple flowers. Lavender is grown not just for its visual appeal, but also because of its fragrance and use as an herb in teas. A drought-tolerant plant, lavender must be spaced properly to avoid competition from other nearby plants for soil moisture and resources.

Step 1

Choose a garden bed that receives full sunlight and well-drained soil. Choose slightly sandy or rocky beds or other areas that do not have high amounts of organic matter in the soil.

Step 2

Dig planting holes as deep as the nursery pot and twice as wide. Remove the lavender from the pot, then set the lavender in the planting hole so it is at the same depth it was at in the pot, then fill in the hole with soil, lightly tamping it down around the plant.

Step 3

Space lavender plants 2 feet apart in a row, unless planting large varieties which are spaced 3 feet apart. Leave 3 to 6 feet between each row of lavender plants. Water the plants immediately after planting.

Step 4

Lay a 1- to 2-inch layer of rock or bark mulch around and between each of the lavender plants. This preserves soil moisture but also prevents weeds from growing in the space and competing with the lavender.