French, Spanish and hybrid lavender

They have soft, felty, grey-green leaves and long-lasting chunky flowers, many distinctively topped with ‘ear-like’ tufts of upright petals. Flower colours range from deep mauve-purple to pale violet, white and crimson-red. Plants grow in a range of heights from 40-90cm (16in-3ft).

A sheltered position in full sun is essential and the soil must drain freely. It will thrive in any hot spot in the garden or in containers.

More susceptible to cold than English lavenders so should be given protection from harsh weather, and ideally be brought under cover in winter. It can’t tolerate wet or frosty soil in winter.

Flowers have a distinctive sweet honey scent that is easily masked by the highly scented foliage and have long been grown for the fragrant oils used in perfumes.