What to Plant Lavender With?

'What to plant Lavender with?' is a common question. Lavender's more than just a beautiful hue or a soothing fragrance. This robust, fragrant perennial is a star performer in many gardens worldwide, attracting pollinators and delivering an intoxicating aroma. But, many wonder about what to plant lavender with. This simple question encapsulates a lot more than it seems. From aesthetic color schemes and traditional pairings to beneficial companion planting, let's explore the ingenious ways to make lavender even more vibrant.

What to Plant Lavender with for a Gorgeous Color Scheme

Using lavender as a garden focal point calls for color planning, allowing for the development of beautiful and eye-catching contrasts. Lavender is famous for its bluish-violet flowers, blending subtly with its silvery foliage. This color profile grants it exemplary versatility to fit diverse garden palettes.

For a cool-toned garden, consider pairing your lavender with pink roses or asters. This combination tends to evoke those romantic cottage gardens of old. This is my favorite way of planting lavender but I also have red poppies that have self-seeded, which also give an additional splash of unexpected color.

However, if you have an affinity for warm tones, golden black-eyed Susans or California poppies can juxtapose lushly against lavender's pale purple. For an exciting, tonal contrast, plant lavender with oranges or vibrant reds.

The Heuchera 'Paprika', a bright red ornamental, would produce a spectacular chromatic explosion alongside lavender. As already mentioned red poppies are a great addition, or red salvia (scarlet sage) with lavender is very eye-catching.

What to Plant Lavender with? - Traditional Plant Pairings

A part of the rich tradition of gardening includes pairing lavender with certain plants. The roses and lavender duo is an all-time favorite, integrating harmoniously in terms of growth needs, aesthetic appeal, and fragrance. Who doesn't love that white picket fence, blowsy rose blooms and complimentary lavender interspersed? It's one of those marriages made in heaven!

Another traditional English garden look derives from combining lavender with boxwood shrubs, where the lush green foliage dramatizes the soft purple lavender.

Ornamental grasses, such as festuca, also make a fantastic backdrop for lavender. The contrast between lavender's mounded form and the upright stature of ornamental grass creates an enigmatic visual appeal.

What to Plant Lavender with for Mutually Beneficial Companion Planting

In the world of gardening, companions matter. Companion planting, where certain plants are grown together for mutual benefits, has countless environmental and biological advantages – from pest control to better growth. Lavender makes a great companion because of its strong fragrance, which repels deer, rabbits, and harmful insects while attracting beneficial pollinators.

Some lavender companion plants to consider are planting vegetables like cabbage or broccoli with lavender, as it helps keep common pests at bay. Other herbs like rosemary and thyme also make great companions with lavender because of their similar growing conditions.

Lavender Grown in Vegetables and Orchards to Deter Common Pests

Lavender is not only a beautiful and aromatic addition to any garden but also serves as a practical companion plant, particularly in vegetable gardens, where it can help deter various pests. The strong scent of lavender is unappealing to many insects and can mask the scents of your vegetable crops, making them less detectable to pests. Here are some common pests that lavender can help keep away from your vegetable garden:

1. Whiteflies: These tiny winged insects can be problematic, especially on vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and cabbage. Lavender's scent can help repel whiteflies, protecting your plants from their damaging effects.

2. Cabbage moths (Cabbage loopers): Lavender can help deter cabbage moths, whose larvae are known for chewing large holes in the leaves of cabbage, broccoli, kale, and related crops.

3. Fleas beetles: These small, jumping beetles can cause serious damage to eggplants, potatoes, and greens. Lavender can help repel these pests thanks to its potent scent.

4. Aphids: While lavender may not completely eliminate aphids, it can help reduce their numbers, although sometimes you will find that lavender bushes themselves fall foul off the dreaded aphid if there is an infestation around. Aphids are attracted to many vegetables and can cause significant damage by sucking sap from plants.

5. Mice, Rabbits and Deer: The scent of lavender is also known to deter rodents like mice and deer, which can be a nuisance in the garden, damaging roots and nibbling on lower vegetables.

Using Lavender in the Vegetable Garden

To maximize the pest-repellent benefits of lavender in your vegetable garden, consider the following strategies:

Plant Placement: Integrate lavender plants throughout your garden, especially around or near vegetables that are susceptible to the pests mentioned above. Lavender can be particularly effective when planted along the borders of your garden or in raised beds alongside vulnerable crops.

Companion Planting: Combine lavender with other aromatic herbs or pest-deterring plants for a more robust defense strategy. For example, planting lavender near rosemary, basil, or marigolds can enhance the overall pest repellency in the area.

Maintenance: Keep your lavender healthy and flowering, as the flowers produce the most scent and thus are more effective at repelling pests. Regular pruning and proper placement ensuring full sun will help maintain vigorous plants.

By incorporating lavender into your vegetable garden, not only do you enhance the garden's aesthetic and aromatic appeal, but you also leverage a natural and effective pest deterrent. This helps reduce the need for chemical pesticides, leading to a healthier, more sustainable garden ecosystem.

Tips and Ideas on What to Plan with Lavender

When planning what to plant lavender with, do keep in mind that this sun-loving perennial thrives in well-drained soil and needs good air circulation. Planting it on a slope or raised bed can improve its longevity.

Intermingling lavender with large stones or gravel can create a Mediterranean landscape and can accentuate its natural beauty and allure. Similarly, incorporating potted lavender in patio landscaping will add a touch of perennial elegance. 

Finally, remember that the beauty of lavender lies in its simplicity. You need not over-complicate things – even planting it with just white daisies can create a soothing and simplistic display.

In conclusion, lavender offers tremendous versatility. While it's beautiful enough to shine on its own, understanding what to plant lavender with can take your gardening venture to a new level of beauty and function. Whether you’re referencing traditional pairings or branching out with contemporary color schemes, incorporating companion planting, or seeking inspiration in various tips and ideas, lavender is a striking staple in any garden setting.

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