Hidcote Blue Lavender is a compact, evergreen perennial that delivers vibrant violet-blue flower spikes and silvery-green foliage in a tidy 30-inch upright form. This heirloom cultivar of Lavandula angustifolia reaches maturity in about 100 days and thrives in zones 5 through 9, making it hardy enough for northern gardens yet heat-tolerant in warmer climates. The plant's low water needs and full-sun preference make it a low-maintenance border choice that attracts pollinators while resisting deer, and its aromatic flowers have been cherished for centuries in sachets, oils, and herbal preparations.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
5-9
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Low
Soil
Well-drained, Sandy To Gravelly Loam, Low Fertility
Preferred Temp65-85°F
Growth Stats
30 in
Height
—
Width
18 in
Spacing
100–100
Days to Harvest
PeriodPerennial
TypeBush
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Low
Zones
5-9
Size
30in H x ?in W
Growth
Perennial
Care
Moderate
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Highlights
This compact lavender packs serious ornamental power into a 30-inch frame, sending up abundant violet-blue flower spikes that rise above silvery foliage like tiny exclamation points. Its evergreen habit means the garden doesn't lose its structure in winter, while the dense, upright growth makes it particularly striking when massed in groups along borders or scattered through rock gardens. Deer won't touch it, it shrugs off drought once established, and it flowers prolifically without fussy deadheading or constant attention.
Common Uses
Hidcote Blue lavender shines in the creation of sachets, dried flower arrangements, and fragrant oils that capture the plant's classic sweet scent. The flowers are traditionally steeped for herbal teas and medicinal preparations, while the dried buds and foliage make excellent potpourri ingredients. As an ornamental, it excels in garden borders, rock gardens, and container plantings where its violet-blue color and silvery foliage create striking contrast against stone and darker plants. Its abundant nectar and pollen make it invaluable for attracting bees and other beneficial pollinators to the garden.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Early Summer
First Harvest
Mid-summer
Last Harvest
Late Summer
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost, pressing them onto the surface of moist seed-starting mix under lights at around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Lavender seeds benefit from light to germinate, so do not cover them with soil. Maintain consistent moisture (not wet) until seedlings emerge in 10 to 15 days.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor light and wind. Transplant to the garden after your last frost date when soil has warmed and nighttime temperatures remain above 50 degrees. Space plants 18 inches apart in full sun and well-draining soil.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds outdoors after the last frost date by pressing them onto the surface of prepared soil in full sun. Keep the seedbed consistently moist until germination, which takes 10 to 15 days. Thin seedlings to 18 inches apart once they develop true leaves.
Harvesting
Harvest lavender flowers when they reach peak color (typically deep violet-blue) and just as the lowest florets on each spike open, usually around day 100 or later in the season. Cut flower spikes in the early morning after dew dries but before the heat of the day, using clean shears to snip stems just above the foliage. Tie bundles loosely and hang upside down in a warm, airy, shaded space to dry completely before storing or using in sachets and oils.
Pruning
Prune Hidcote Blue lightly in early spring (just as new growth emerges) to remove any winter-damaged stems and maintain a compact, tidy shape. Deadhead spent flower spikes throughout the growing season to encourage continuous blooming, cutting just below the faded flowers. Avoid cutting back into woody, bare stems, as lavender does not regenerate well from old wood; instead, work with the plant's natural structure and remove only the flowering stems and a few inches of foliage.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Deer ResistantEdible
Scientific Classification
Lavandula L.
Family
Lamiaceae
Genus
Lavandula
Duration
Perennial
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (I)
History & Origin
“Hidcote Blue is an heirloom variety of English lavender that represents generations of selective breeding for ornamental impact and fragrance. The cultivar emerged from the lavender-growing traditions of Europe, where gardeners recognized the value of compact, floriferous plants for the small borders and cottage gardens of the 20th century. Its name likely references Hidcote Manor Garden in Gloucestershire, England, a legendary property where precisely this kind of structured, fragrant planting became iconic. The variety's persistence in seed catalogs and nurseries speaks to gardeners' recognition of its reliability and beauty across more than a century of cultivation.”