In article , "mmarteen"
wrote:
Paghat,
Is there any difference between hidcote and hidcote "superior"? I am
actually looking for something small or dwarf to fit into a little rose
niche that I am planning.
I misread your post & thought you'd said someone called Hidcote "superior"
not that there was new cultivar called "Hidcot Superior" -- the quotations
matter! I hadn't heard of "Hidcote Superior" but a quick look on line
finds nobody claiming "Hidcote Superior" is actually an improved "Hidcote
Blue," & they would make that claim if it were so, hence chances are it's
a company-specific rename of the old standard dwarf form of the much
larger natural L. angustifolia.
It appears to be specifically the marketing gambit by Jelitto, who nowhere
in their catalog claims it is a distinct cultivar, only that their seed,
marketed as "Hidcote Superior" since 2001, produces reliably similar
plants (though it does not germinate easily). It isn't given as a new
registered cultivar, I'd assume it isn't, & if you buy it under the
registered name "Hidcote Blue" or under the trade name "Hidcote Superior,"
the only thing the latter name would indicate is that the seed came
originally from Jelitto; the plants would otherwise be the same
(probably). If it WERE a new cultivar, RHS plus a couple of the leading
perennial associations in the US & Europe would be field-testing it, & a
hasty search at the relevant websites finds no such field tests.
I should also mention that I am in zone 4, Minneapolis and I know that most
lavender is on the edge here. I had a couple different varieties of
lavender a few years back at my old place, a hidcote, a munstead and a
croxton's wild which all died when we had a rediculously dry, subzero
winter. I now have some munstead along a walkway that I hope to keep alive
with serious mulching every year.
I have no experience in such a chilly-wintered climate. Hidcote is not
usually recommended below zone 6, but is certainly stretchable down to
zone 5 with some protective measures. If you see others in Minneapolis
growing L angustifolia of any kind successfully, though, I can't imagine
any reason to assume Hidcote wouldn't do just as well, despite the
generalities about it preferring zones 6 through 9. If you don't see it
around, the only reason would be it doesn't like the world that cold. Your
experience with Hidcote at your previous address will probably not be
different at your new stead, though if your roses beneath which you want
to plant so happen to grow right against the house, there's always some
protective residual warmth in such locations.
-paggers
mm
"paghat" wrote in message
news
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/