Variety: Vera
Species: Lavandula × intermedia (Dutch lavender / Lavandin)
Colour: Violet-blue — softer and more washed-out than Grosso, closer to a faded denim
Foliage: Evergreen, aromatic, broad silvery-grey leaves — noticeably wider than other lavenders
Height: Around 110cm (44in)
Spread: 90–100cm
Flowering: July to August, roughly three weeks after English lavenders
Scent: Sweet for a Lavandin, with less camphor than Grosso — closer to English lavender in character but still not quite the same
Hardiness: Fully hardy throughout the UK
RHS AGM: No
Introduced: One of the oldest Lavandin cultivars, grown commercially in Provence since at least the 1930s
Sold as: Pot-grown plants (P9 & 2L available depending on season)
Plant outdoors: From late April in the south. May is safer in northern and exposed gardens
Delivered: From April/May, weather dependent

Vera — A Small Name for the Tallest Lavender

Vera is the big one. At around 110cm when established, she is taller than any other lavender in our range, including Grosso, and has a presence in the garden that compact English varieties simply cannot match. The flower spikes are long and loose, held on stems that rise well above a broad mound of silvery foliage, and the whole plant has a wild, slightly unkempt character that looks more like something you would find on a hillside in the Drôme than in a tidy suburban border. That is either its great appeal or a reason to choose something else altogether as this is not a lavender for the tidy garden.

The scent is interesting. Vera's sweeter and less camphor-heavy than Grosso's, and before Grosso came along in the 1970s, Vera was the main commercial Lavandin grown across southern France. Some growers still prefer its fragrance. Unfortunately, the lower yields per hectare did Vera in commercially. In a garden, though, oil yield is not something we Brits worry about. What you get is a tall, structural lavender with a scent that sits somewhere between the sweetness of English lavender and the punch of modern Lavandins. By the way plants this tall can look a bit leggy in their first year. Vera is no exception, but give it two seasons and a good August prune, and it fills out properly.

The Original Lavandin

Vera has a claim to being the oldest named Lavandin cultivar. The word "vera" means "true" in Latin, and for decades, this was simply what people meant when they said "Lavandin" — the true one, the original natural hybrid between English lavender and Spike lavender. It was growing in the fields around Grasse and the Vaucluse long before anyone thought to select improved varieties. When Pierre Grosso found his famous seedlings in 1972, it was Vera (along with an even older cultivar called Abrialis) that they replaced. Vera lost the yield battle, but it never disappeared entirely. Small distillers in Provence still grow it for what they consider a more refined oil, and it persists in old gardens across the south of France where nobody has bothered to dig it up — which, for a plant, is about the best compliment there is.

Planting Companions

A row of Hidcote along the front of a border with Vera rising behind it gives you a stepped wall of lavender — deep purple at knee height, softer violet-blue at waist height. The colour contrast works well, and you get the English lavender flowering first before Vera picks up the display in mid-July. Rosemary is an obvious neighbour, reaching a similar height and sharing the same appetite for sun and sharp drainage. Stipa gigantea or tall Verbena bonariensis planted alongside will lean into Vera's wild, naturalistic character. If you want a tall white Lavandin to alternate with, Edelweiss is the one, though it tops out about 30cm shorter — so expect a gentle slope rather than a level hedge line.

Why Trust Ashridge?

Your Vera lavender is grown right here in the UK and dispatched when soil temperatures are right for planting. We deliver by next-day courier, every plant is guaranteed, and the gardeners in our Somerset office are always available if you need advice — real people who actually pick up the phone. Have a look at our full lavender collection or browse the Dutch lavender range specifically. We are also a Which? Best Buy (sounds a bit smug?).

Frequently Asked Questions

Our guide to growing lavender covers the full picture. These are the questions we hear most about Vera.

What is the difference between English and French lavender?

English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is the hardy, sweet-scented sub-species that includes Hidcote and Munstead. French lavender (Lavandula stoechas) has those distinctive "ears" on top of each flower head and needs more shelter — it can struggle through a wet British winter. Vera is neither. It is a Lavandin (Lavandula × intermedia), a natural hybrid between English lavender and Spike lavender, giving it the hardiness of the English parent with the size and vigour of the wild Mediterranean one.

Which lavender smells the strongest?

Grosso, without question, if you mean raw scent intensity. Vera's fragrance is noticeable but mellower — sweeter, with less of the camphor kick that Lavandins are known for. Some noses prefer it. If you want the strongest scent from the smallest space, though, Grosso or even Hidcote (which packs a lot of fragrance into a compact plant) will outperform Vera on a per-stem basis. Vera's advantage is volume. A lot of stems on a big plant adds up.

Can lavender grow in clay soil?

With effort, sometimes. Lavender needs drainage above almost everything else, and heavy clay holds water around the roots in winter, which is usually what kills it. If your soil is clay, dig in plenty of grit — not a polite handful, but enough to change the texture of the planting hole. Raised beds or mounding the soil up 15–20cm also helps. On truly waterlogged clay, we would steer you towards something that actually enjoys wet feet. Lavender does not.

How far apart should I plant Vera for a hedge?

About 60cm (two feet) apart. Vera is the widest lavender we sell, so it needs more room than English varieties, which go in at 33cm spacing. Even at 60cm you will have a filled-in hedge by the second or third summer from 2L plants. The result is tall, loose and informal rather than crisp and clipped — more of a lavender wall than a tidy box-style hedge. Accept that and it is magnificent.

Is lavender deer-resistant?

Pretty much. Deer tend to avoid aromatic plants, and lavender's essential oils make it unappealing to most browsing animals. We have never had a customer report deer damage on any lavender variety, Vera included. Rabbits are pretty much the same, but they might occasionally nibble a young plant.

Best Lavender for Hedging

Vera Dutch Lavender Plants