In article ,
(mmarteen) wrote:

I have been looking at the catalogs and noticing that some of them are
showing a hidecote "superior" lavender. I was planning on getting some
hidcote lavender to pair with some roses I will be planting. Anyone
know about this variety? Is it actually a new variety or do the
nurserys just label their selected variety superior?

mm

It's a SMALLER version of wild lavender & it's very pleasant. I don't
believe it's particularly new, but it has become a standard, & absolutely
nothing wrong with it, though there certainly are other strains just as
nice, & fits into much smaller areas than wilder full-sized strains. If
one wanted to train lavender as a hedge, or see it turn into a
rugged-trunked gnarly old thing in a decade, little "Hidcote" wouldn't fit
that bill; but for a flowery beautifully scented subshrub it's so nice
there's no reason to seek out anything less common.

It doesn't want much watering, so if it's with a type of rose that calls
for regular watering, it might not be as perfect, but older well rooted
roses also don't need much water so would be great companions.

I wrote up a bit about wild true lavender:
http://www.paghat.com/lavender.html
in comparison to Hidcote cultivar:
http://www.paghat.com/lavenderhidcote.html
& basically I like them both, though wilder big ones can provide more
drama than Hidcote.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/