Lavandula 'Ellagance Pink'

Lavandula 'Ellagance Pink': Pink Lavender in a Tidy Package

Lavender in soft pink on a compact little mound, smelling exactly as good as you hope. 'Ellagance Pink' is the cotton-candy version of a classic, and IT'S NOT SORRY ABOUT IT.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Lavandula angustifolia 'Ellagance Pink'
• Common Name: English Lavender
• Height: 30–35 cm (12–14 in)
• Spread: 30–35 cm (12–14 in)
• Flowers: Fragrant, light pink flowers on short spikes
• Bloom Time: Early to late summer (June to August)
• Foliage: Narrow, aromatic, grey-green leaves on a compact mound
• Features: Fragrant, compact, rabbit resistant

Where to Plant: Its small size makes it a natural for edging paths and patios, fronting a sunny border, or filling containers and herb gardens. Plant a row for a low, scented hedge, and cut the flowers fresh or for drying.

Companion Plants: Plant pink lavender in a sunny, dry bed with red pasque flowers, Russian sage and pearly everlasting. Pulsatilla vulgaris 'Red Bells' opens red pasque flowers at 15 to 30 cm in April and May. Anaphalis margaritacea 'New Snow' adds papery white flowers at 45 to 60 cm from July to September. Perovskia 'Denim 'n Lace' brings blue Russian sage at 70 to 80 cm from July to October. Schizachyrium scoparium stands behind at 60 to 120 cm, a native little bluestem.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in lean, very well-drained soil. Sandy or gravelly soil is ideal. Clay is a problem, because wet winter roots are lavender's biggest threat, so use a raised bed or add plenty of grit. Skip rich compost and fertilizer. Water regularly the first season, then only in long dry spells. Leave it standing over winter. In spring, once new growth shows, trim it lightly, removing no more than about 10 cm (4 in), and don't cut into bare wood. Shearing off spent flower spikes after the first bloom keeps it neat. Lavender doesn't like to be divided. Give it a sheltered, snowy spot in zone 5 and replace it if it gets old and woody.

History: 'Ellagance Pink' belongs to the Ellagance group of seed-grown English lavenders from Kieft Seeds in the Netherlands, bred to be compact and to flower in their first year. The species, Lavandula angustifolia, comes from the western Mediterranean despite its English nickname, and the species name means narrow-leaved.

Final Thoughts: Deer and rabbit resistant, drought tolerant once established and loved by bees and butterflies. Line a sunny path with it. PRETTY IN PINK, SMELLS EVEN BETTER.