Laudable Lavender

We Brighton gardeners love lavender. Lavandula Stoechas, Angustifolia, 'Hidcote.' We think of it as our own (even though it originates from the Mediterranean.) We just can't get enough of it. It's in everyone's front gardens in Brighton. Why? Because Lavender loves us. It's drought tolerant, loves a bit of chalk, it's aromatic, and so so easy to grow. Or is it?

"Hot lavender, mints, savory, marjoram;

The marigold, that goes to bed wi' th' sun,
And with him rises weeping; these are flow'rs
Of middle summer..."

Mr. Shakespeare of Winter's Tale fame.

Plant your lavender, watch it grow vigorously, and vigorously and vigorously, and then suddenly it's a woody old plant with a bit of foliage on the top of the stems and quite frankly it's not that nice anymore. Why? Because you didn't give it a good prune in it's first couple of years.

You've got to be harsh. 

It will thank you in the long term. 

Because when it gets old it gets woody and every gardener will tell you "you can't cut into the old wood." That means you can't cut into the wood which has no growth on it. 

When should you do your cutting back? In the rest of the country, wait until March - in Brighton do it now, we won't get a frost for yonks (if we ever do..) Go on give it a good haircut before it gets too woody because 'you can't cut into the old wood...!'

PS The same principal applies to Rosemary