Lavender ‘Phenomenal’

* Common name: Lavender ‘Phenomenal’

* Botanical name: Lavandula x intermedia ‘Phenomenal’

* What it is: A new lavender variety discovered at Bucks County’s Peace Tree Farms that blooms heavily with long wands of purple for weeks in early summer. ‘Phenomenal’s’ silvery-green foliage also stays full, unlike most lavenders that “bare out” toward the inside with age. Technically an herb with lots of uses (potpourri, dried flowers, cooking) but attractive enough that it’s mainly used as a perennial flower.

* Size: Grows 24 to 30 inches tall and wide.

* Where to use: Think Mediterranean conditions – heat, sun, gravelly/alkaline soil. Sunny gardens, west- or south-facing foundations, and edging walks and driveways are all good sites. The main threat is root-rotting wet soil, so avoid planting in poorly drained clay or areas that get soggy – even occasionally. ‘Phenomenal’ tolerates our summer humidity better than most lavenders.

* Care: Best time to prune is right after plant finishes blooming in mid to late summer. Shear plants by about one-third then. Keep the soil consistently damp the first season to establish the roots, then water usually not needed. Scatter a balanced organic or slow-acting fertilizer around the base of plants each spring. Lavender are seldom bothered by any pests, including deer.

* Great partner: Interplants nicely with purple coneflowers, pink garden phlox, sedum and/or pink lilies. Pink roses are a good shrub partner.