LAVENDER 469 



April to September. Hardy perennial. There is a var. aureum, with 

 golden leaves. Plate 224. 

 ciutivation. Lamiums are at home in most soils. Any ordinary 



border will suit it, where it can form a dwarf clump. It is 

 very free-flowering, and may be readily propagated by dividing the 

 roots in spring. 

 Description of Lamium maculatutn, natural size. Fig. 1 is an 



Plate 224. enlarged section through the flower. The two lowest 

 whorls in the centre shoot represent the persistent calyces, after the 

 corollas have been shed. 



LAVENDER 



Natural Order Labiate. Genus Lavcmdula 



Lavandula^ (Latin, lavandus, to be washed : the ancients using it to 

 perfume their baths). A genus of about twenty perennial herbs, shrubs 

 or sub-shrubs, with blue or violet flowers in whorled spikes; the corolla 

 tubular, two-lipped. There are four stamens, bent downwards and 

 hidden within the corolla. The species are chiefly natives of the 

 Mediterranean Region. 



History. "^^^ Lavender is of ancient renown for its sweet 



fragrance and medicinal virtues. The true Lavender, 

 Lavandula vera, and an allied species, X. Stcechas, were introduced from' 

 the Mediterranean Region as far back as 1568. Lavender became almost 

 an essential plant in all old-fashioned gardens, the housewife growing 

 the flowers for the purpose of perfuming the clean linen in her press, 

 and for making Lavender water. Miteham in Surrey has been long 

 famous for its acres of Lavender, and it is said that the essential oil 

 produced there realises six times the price of that distilled by the French 

 growers. 



PTincipaispecies. LAVANDULA Stcechas (upright). French Lavender. 

 Stem branched, 2 to 3 feet high. Leaves narrow, the 

 margins curled back, grey, with cottony hairs on each side. Flowers 

 dark purple, the whorls forming a long dense spike, surmounted by a 

 cluster of coloured bracts ; June to September. Hardy aromatic shrub. 



L. VERA (true). Common Lavender. Stem branched, forming a 

 rounded head. Leaves lance-shaped, somewhat spoon-shaped, the edges 

 curled back, both sides covered with gi-eyish down. Flowers blue 

 occasionally white ; June to September. Also known as X. spica 



