Gardening tips: Expert on how to grow lavender at home

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Lavender is a popular plant that can be found in most English cottage gardens. Although the plant is drought-tolerant with its silver-green foliage, it still has specific needs. In a video for the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), Simon Charlesworth from Downderry Nursery in Kent has shared some of his top tips for pruning and caring for lavender.

The lavender expert also shared which varieties to plant and what they look like.

The gardening expert said the three “best things” for growing lavender are full sun, well-drained soil and pruning.

Mr Charlesworth said to plant them in full sun and in well-drained soil.

If the soil is a bit heavy, he said to add loads of grit – up to 25 kilos a square metre.

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He then said to give them a “good prune at the right time”.

He explained: “Give them a jolly good prune at the right time which is usually straight after flowering.

“If you go about a third into the foliage of the plant that’ll set them up well for the winter.

“They will put on about two centimetres of fresh growth so they re-close for the winter which helps them stave off the bad weather.”

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There are a plethora of different lavender varieties which can be grow in UK gardens.

The gardening expert said there’s a “great choice” for gardeners.

He suggested trying the angustifolia which is known as “blue ice”.

This variety is well-scented and pale purple in colour.

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Another variety he suggested was the Folgate lavender.

This has beautiful, vibrant mid-purple flowers and silvery-grey leaves.

There are also the strongly scented ones that flower a bit later and are a bit taller.

He suggested lavender Sussex which is “brilliantly architectural” and Olympia which flowers later and is more robust.

Lavender Anniversary Bouquet is “perfect for bunching” and making into lavender beds.

The Hidcote, English lavender is one of the most popular types to grow.

It has dark purple flowers and blueish, green foliage.

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