Can You Plant English And French Lavender Together

Yes, you can plant English and French lavender together, and doing so can create a stunning, fragrant display in your garden.
 
If you’re wondering whether you can plant English and French lavender together, the short answer is yes, but it comes with a few important considerations.
 
Both varieties share a love for sunshine and well-drained soil, which makes them compatible companions in the right spot.
 
However, their differences in hardiness, bloom time, and fragrance mean you’ll need to plan carefully to keep both thriving side by side.
 
In this post, we’ll explore why you can plant English and French lavender together, how to manage their distinct needs, and what to watch out for so your lavender bed looks beautiful all season long.
 
Let’s dig into the details of growing these two lovely herbs together.
 

Why You Can Plant English and French Lavender Together

You can plant English and French lavender together because they both crave the same fundamental growing conditions, even if their personalities differ slightly.
 
When you plant English and French lavender together, they’ll both reward you with aromatic foliage and colorful blooms if you give them full sun and gritty, alkaline soil.
 
The biggest challenge isn’t whether they’ll coexist, but rather how to handle their contrasting cold tolerance and growth habits in one garden bed.
 
Let’s break down the key reasons this pairing can work, along with the adjustments you’ll make to keep every plant happy.
 

1. Shared Love for Sun and Drainage

Both English and French lavender thrive in similar soil conditions, which is a huge plus when you plant them together.
 
They both hate wet feet, so planting them in sandy or gravelly soil with excellent drainage is non-negotiable for success.
 
A sunny spot that gets at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily will keep both types blooming vigorously.
 
If your soil is heavy clay, you can still plant English and French lavender together by amending the planting area with coarse sand or grit to improve drainage.
 
This shared preference makes it easy to prepare one bed that suits them both perfectly.
 

2. Similar Watering Needs

Once established, both lavender types prefer to dry out completely between waterings, which simplifies your routine.
 
Overwatering is the quickest way to kill either type, so watering deeply but infrequently works well for both.
 
During the first growing season, you’ll water more often to help roots establish, but after that, nature usually takes over.
 
When you plant English and French lavender together, you won’t have to worry about one needing more moisture than the other, which is a relief for busy gardeners.
 
This uniformity in watering makes them low-maintenance partners in the same bed.
 

3. Complementary Bloom Times

One of the most delightful reasons to plant English and French lavender together is that their bloom times can extend your garden’s color window.
 
English lavender typically flowers in early to midsummer, offering a classic, sweet scent that’s perfect for drying and cooking.
 
French lavender blooms later and often continues into fall, giving you a second wave of color after the English plants fade.
 
By planting both, you’ll enjoy lavender flowers from early summer through autumn, which is a fantastic payoff for your effort.
 
Their visual contrast, with English’s compact spikes and French’s distinctive rabbit-ear petals, also adds texture and interest.
 

4. Similar pH Preferences

Both English and French lavender prefer slightly alkaline to neutral soil, so you can adjust the pH once and satisfy both.
 
Aim for a soil pH between 6.5 and 7.5, and you’ll see both types flourish without any special amendments.
 
If your soil is acidic, adding a bit of garden lime before planting will help both varieties feel at home.
 
Since you can plant English and French lavender together without fighting over pH, this is one less thing to manage, which is a real win.
 

Key Differences to Manage When Growing Them Side by Side

Even though you can plant English and French lavender together, their differences mean you’ll need to be mindful of a few key factors.
 
The most significant distinction is cold hardiness, as English lavender is much tougher in winter than its French cousin.
 
French lavender is only reliably perennial in USDA zones 8 and warmer, while English lavender can survive down to zone 5 with proper care.
 
If you live in a colder climate, you’ll need to treat French lavender as an annual or provide extra winter protection when you plant them together.
 
Also, French lavender tends to grow larger and bushier than English lavender, so give it more room to spread without crowding its neighbor.
 

1. Hardiness Zone Challenges

When you plant English and French lavender together, check your hardiness zone first to ensure both can survive your winters.
 
English lavender is the hardier of the two, tolerating frost and snow much better than French lavender can handle.
 
French lavender will suffer or die in freezing temperatures, so gardeners in zones below 8 should plant it in containers or sheltered spots.
 
If you’re determined to plant them together in a colder zone, consider keeping French lavender in a large pot that you can move indoors or against a south-facing wall for extra warmth.
 
This way, you can still enjoy both types without losing the tender French variety to winter kill.
 

2. Size and Spacing Differences

French lavender often grows taller and wider than English lavender, which impacts how you space them in the bed.
 
English lavender stays neat and compact, usually reaching about two feet tall and wide with a tidy, mounded shape.
 
French lavender can reach three feet or more in height and spread, so it needs more elbow room to avoid shading or crowding its English neighbor.
 
When you plant English and French lavender together, space them at least two to three feet apart to allow for good airflow and healthy growth.
 
Proper spacing also prevents fungal issues, which can arise when plants are packed too tightly together.
 

3. Pruning Timelines

You can plant English and French lavender together, but they have slightly different pruning schedules that you’ll need to juggle.
 
English lavender benefits from a hard prune in late summer or early spring to keep it woody and productive.
 
French lavender should be pruned more lightly after flowering, as it doesn’t respond well to cutting back into old wood.
 
If you prune both at the same time, you risk damaging the French variety, so mark your calendar for separate trimming dates.
 
Don’t prune either type too late in fall, as this can encourage tender new growth that frost will easily damage.
 

Best Practices for Planting Lavender Together

To get the most success when you plant English and French lavender together, follow a few simple best practices from the start.
 
First, choose a spot with full sun and excellent drainage, as mentioned, since this is the bedrock of their success together.
 
Before planting, mix in some horticultural grit or perlite to improve aeration and prevent waterlogging around the roots.
 
Plant both types at the same depth as they were in their nursery pots, avoiding burying the crown too deeply.
 
Water them in well after planting, then let the soil dry out before watering again to encourage deep root growth.
 
Mulch with gravel or small stones rather than organic mulch, which can hold moisture against the stems and cause rot.
 

1. Testing Soil Drainage First

Before you plant English and French lavender together, test your soil drainage to avoid future disappointment.
 
Dig a hole about one foot deep and fill it with water, then see how long it takes to drain completely.
 
If the water takes more than a few hours to disappear, you’ll need to improve drainage by raising the bed or adding plenty of grit.
 
Lavender hates soggy roots more than almost anything, so this step is well worth the extra effort upfront.
 
Good drainage also helps both types develop stronger, more disease-resistant root systems.
 

2. Grouping by Growth Habit

Even though you’re planting them together, consider grouping each variety in small clusters rather than mixing them one by one.
 
This makes it easier to manage their different pruning needs and growth rates without losing track of which is which.
 
Place English lavender at the front or edges of the bed where its compact form can serve as a neat border.
 
Set French lavender toward the back or center where its taller, airier growth can show off without overwhelming the smaller plants.
 
This thoughtful arrangement lets you plant English and French lavender together while keeping the bed visually balanced.
 

So, Can You Plant English and French Lavender Together?

Yes, you can plant English and French lavender together successfully with a bit of planning and attention to their needs.
 
Both share a love for sun, sharp drainage, and alkaline soil, which makes them natural partners in the right conditions.
 
Just remember to account for their differences in hardiness, size, and pruning so both thrive in your garden.
 
If you’re in a colder zone, provide winter protection for the French variety or grow it in a movable container to keep it safe.
 
With proper spacing and care, you’ll enjoy months of lavender blooms and fragrance from this lovely pairing.
 
So go ahead and plant English and French lavender together, and create a garden display that’s both beautiful and resilient.