The Lavender Variety Shoppers Love For Longer Blooms & A Garden Full Of Birds And Butterflies

Nothing is more lovely than the scent of lavender carried on the breeze on a sunny summer day. And not only is lavender a well-known herb used by gardeners to add a pop of purple color to their landscaping, but it can also attract pollinators to your yard. It's also used in many other creative ways to bring a lovely scent into the home and for culinary purposes. While there are a multitude of varieties to choose from, most fall into five major categories: French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, or lavandin. One recent lavandin cultivar has proven to be an extremely successful plant that is known for its longer-lasting blooms and appeal to birds and butterflies — 'Phenomenal' lavender (Lavandula x intermedia 'Phenomenal').

You could say they knew what they were doing when they named this cultivar. Bred with a multitude of conditions in mind, this lavender plant can survive high heat as well as frigid temperatures. This means it's suited to grow in a variety of locations, perfect for those who experience wide swings in temperatures from spring to fall. It produces blooms longer than most other lavender varieties from midsummer to fall, sometimes blooming twice. 'Phenomenal' lavender's striking purple flowers and silver-tinged leaves put off an exceptionally strong lavender scent. This makes this cultivar not only attractive to the birds and the butterflies but also makes it a great choice for flower and herb crafting in the home. As an added bonus, this cultivar of lavender is also safe for human consumption.

There are things you should know before planting any type of lavender, like the best location for planting, water needs, and soil types. Thankfully the 'Phenomenal' isn't as picky as some varieties. Once established, the 'Phenomenal' is extremely easy to care for. The other benefit of this cultivar is because it is so versatile, it makes it easy to choose as the best variety of lavender for your garden's climate. It thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 9, which includes the majority of the U.S. This means many of us gardeners who previously struggled to grow a healthy lavender plant can finally have one that thrives for our pollinator friends.

When you get your 'Phenomenal' lavender plant, you will first need to find the best location in your garden for it to thrive. This lavender type prefers at least 6 hours of full sun and well-draining soil, so it doesn't get waterlogged. Dig a hole at least twice as wide as the pot you purchased it in and deep enough to cover the plant just under 2 inches from the beginning of the main stem. Backfill with soil and gently pat the surface down. You will want to water deeply after planting to make sure the roots get enough water. Add more soil if it has settled too much. Lastly, add some mulch to the surface of the soil, without touching the main stem. Until the plant is established, you will need to water whenever the top inch or two of the soil is dry.