Lavandula allardii Meerlo - Lavender

Lavandula x allardii Meerlo is a very beautiful hybrid lavender, with fast growth, reaching a height of 90 cm (35in). It has exceptional foliage, leaves are aromatic and an olive-greyish green colour with dentate edges, and variegated with white-cream. The bush blooms in summer, in the form of tall spikes of light lavender mauve flowers. Forming a beautiful rounded mass, this evergreen plant is decorative all year round, even in winter. It is grown in open ground in mild regions, in full sun, in poor and very well-drained soil. It is also a beautiful patio plant, which should be stored away from strong frosts.

Lavandula Meerlo is a recently selected horticultural creation from New Zealand. It is part of a hybridisation program carried out between Lavandula dentata, from Spain and Morocco, and Lavandula latifolia from France.  All plants resulting from this cross, formerly identified as Lavandula x allardii, are now named Lavandula x heterophylla. They are vigorous lavenders but not very hardy, with foliage that resembles that of the Lavandula dentata to varying degrees, but with flowering similar in shape to their second parent L. latifolia. All these plants are shrubs with woody stems belonging to the Lamiaceae family, related to sage, thyme, mint, and rosemary.

Lavandula Meerlo forms a large, rounded, and bushy clump within two years, composed with leafy stems. At maturity, it will reach an average size of 80-90cm (32-35in) in all directions. Its evergreen foliage is composed of large elongated and spatulate leaves, whose variegated colour will be lighter in dry soil. These leaves, with a variable appearance, are covered with a grey down and are more or less edged with small teeth. They release a fantastic fragrance with the slightest touch, both powerful and sweet, which lingers briefly on the fingers. Flowering usually takes place in June-July (earlier or later depending on the growing conditions). Pale blue-violet scented flower spikes open at the top of long leafy stems that stand out distinctively from the foliage.  These attract pollinating insects. The dried leafy stems can be used in wardrobes to repel moths.

With its significant growth, unique foliage, and extraordinary fragrance, Lavandula Meerlo is one of the best hybrids derived from Lavandula dentata. It has its rightful place in an authentic Mediterranean garden, not too cold and not wet, alongside rockroses, rosemary, teucriums, and other shrubs of a dry scrubland. It can also be associated with grasses such as Stipa pennata or Stipa tenuifolia, which, with their tousled appearance, will contrast with its rounded shape and create a harmonious combination. It also works wonderfully among evening primroses, perennial flax, asphodels, euphorbias, or dark shrubs like dwarf conifers. It pairs particularly well with a small bindweed called Convolvulus althaeoides. It is also interesting to combine several lavender varieties together, creating an elegant display with a variety of flower and foliage colours, as well as different plants of varying sizes and volumes.

Tips: the hardiness of this lavender does not exceed -6°C (21.2°F) in very well-draining and dry soil. Outside mild regions, it can be grown in a large pot that can be overwintered in a bright but unheated space.