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Lavendula in Los Angeles?

>From: Susannah Meininger <susannah@gladstone.uoregon.edu>
>Subject: Lavendula in Los Angeles?
>Sender: susannah@gladstone.uoregon.edu
>Date: Fri, 02 May 1997 09:30:34 -0700
>   <snip>
> Meanwhile, we are thinking of moving to LA in a year, and I am taking
> cuttings of favorite plants just in case.  My collection of artemisias are
> looking forward to it!  I'm wondering about lavenders, though.  Do they do
> well there?      <snip>

Susannah -

I have not yet grown lavenders from seed, but I have had the
occasional seedling pop up from time to time in gardens, so they are
probably not too difficult.

The best way to establish a plant such a Lavender is to plant out as
a small plant (4in plants are often available; check that they are
not root-bound), in the fall, so that they can establish their own
root system over the cool and relatively wetter winter.  They do
very well in a variety of soils, but are always best in gritty lean
soil and good sun (they are often short lived in heavy soils and/or
part shade).  They also LOVE to grow in proximity to large rocks or
paving, where they roots can get underneath and find the cooler root
runs (they are also very attractive this way).

With all of the various lavenders available in California these
days, remember to choose them carefully, massing a good amount of
one type or cultivar, perhaps with accents of one or two others.
Too often I see a sort of 'collectors' garden of lavenders, a
hodge-podge of various types and colors, which can bring all of them
down into a messy smudge of greyish-blue-lavender.  Also be sure and
contrast the fine textured forms of lavenders with an occasional
bolder form, such as Mexican Echeverias, one of the biennial
Verbascums, and Aloe rosette, or some such.  These can often be
matched to the specific colors of the lavenders, and their heavier,
stronger forms help the lavenders finer texture stand out better as
well.

 Sean A. O'Hara                     sean.ohara@ucop.edu
 710 Jean Street                    http://www.dla.ucop.edu/sao
 Oakland, California  94610-1459    h o r t u l u s   a p t u s
 (510) 987-0577                     'a garden suited to its purpose'
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