There are many species of lavender, from L. angustifolia , hard English lavender that reputedly has the best oils in the industry, to L. dentata and L. stoechas , tender French and Spanish types. However, there are three particular cultivars that the Chicago Botanic Garden recommends for the Midwest's climate and soil conditions. Munstead' and 'Jean Davis' can be found on the east side of the Rose Garden, while 'Hidcote' is grown along the perimeter of the English Walled Garden. Roots should appear in 14 days if the cuttings are kept misted. Mature lavender clumps can be left intact throughout the winter to add interest to the winter landscape with their silvery, upright architecture.
Gardeners can then cut the clump down to a few inches in early spring before new growth begins.
It is imperative to provide lavender with a well-drained site if it is to survive the cold and damp of winter. The tender lavenders, L. dentata and L. stoechas , can be grown outside in containers during the summer and then brought inside to overwinter as houseplants. L. dentata makes a particularly good houseplant as it will stay in bloom throughout the winter if kept warm and given plenty of water with a balanced liquid ferilizer once a month. It is also much more tolerant of soggy roots than L. stoechas , which will quickly succumb to root rot if overwatered or subjected to poor drainage. Lavender is indeed a versatile modern garden plant with a long history of cosmetic, medicinal and decorative uses.