There’s something about the plump flower heads of Lavender ‘Purple King’ which makes you want to give them a squeeze as you pass by, and once you’ve done it you won’t want to stop! That’s because the squeezing action releases the lavender fragrance and just enough of the oils to make your hand feel cool and refreshed. No wonder that Lavender ‘Purple King’ is considered one of the most soothing of flowers.
Mind you the flower colour is pretty soothing in itself, the two tones of cool lavender-blue as pretty as a summer garden and just right for mixing with all sorts of other flowers.
It’s good to grow among some fruits and vegetables too. Try it with Meyer lemons, then you get the contrast of the golden fruits with the lavender flowers. Add some dark grape coloured Penstemons and deep red daylilies (Hemerocallis) and you have a scene which would make a garden painter envious.
As a background to purple cabbages and yellow nasturtiums, and coloured stem beets too if you are daring, is another way to use Lavender ‘Purple King’.
It’s also tall enough to grow as a hedge inside the garden, responding well to regular clipping which keeps the foliage dense. As a massed planting on a bank ‘Purple King’ is a joy, especially if there is a foreground planting of silver foliage such as Eriocephalus africanus, the new Euphorbia ‘Silver Swan’ or Stachys byzantina, the much loved lambs’ ears.
The soothing colours of Lavender ‘Purple King’ make it ideal for planting among bright, even garish flowers which might otherwise be just too bold or seem to clash. Its also good to mix with deep, reddish-black Pelargoniums and with Marguerite daisies, especially those with white or deep pink flowers.
In beach gardens, grow this lavender among dark red Arctotis, blue-grey succulents and inky blue Osteospermums.
However it’s used, remember to give it a spot where there will be lots of sun and excellent drainage. Cut off the old flowers and give it a light clipping over when they have finished to keep it growing strongly.
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Schemes & Themes
using Liddle Wonder Plants