Lavandula angustifolia 'Felice Purple' 15cm

‘Felice Purple’ is a compact English lavender that delivers everything you want from the classic cottage-garden favourite in a neat, tidy package. Through summer it produces dense spikes of richly fragrant purple-blue flowers above a mound of narrow, aromatic silver-grey foliage that stays evergreen all year. The flowers are loved by bees and butterflies, and the plant is listed as an RHS Plant for Pollinators. They are also lovely cut fresh, dried for sachets and potpourri, or used sparingly in baking.

Its naturally rounded, bushy habit keeps it to around 30–50cm tall and wide. That makes it ideal for edging paths and borders, planting as a low fragrant hedge, filling gaps in gravel and Mediterranean-style gardens, and growing in pots and window boxes on a sunny patio. Plant it where you will brush past it, so you can enjoy the scent every time.

Plant in full sun in free-draining soil. It is happy in chalky, sandy or loamy ground and copes with acid or alkaline conditions. Lavender dislikes wet, heavy soil, especially in winter, so add grit on clay or grow it in a container with a gritty, free-draining compost. Once established it is drought tolerant and needs very little feeding. Trim lightly straight after flowering, removing the spent flower stems and a little of the foliage to keep the plant compact. Avoid cutting back into old, bare wood, as it rarely regrows from there. Lavender can cause mild stomach upset in cats and dogs if eaten in quantity, so it is best kept away from pets that like to chew.

Each plant is hand-selected before dispatch.

Available from Pengelly Garden Centre.