What to Plant With Lavender

Lavender is a versatile plant that thrives alongside various companions in the garden, creating a symphony of colors and scents. When selecting partners for lavender, it’s essential to consider plants that share its love for sunshine and well-draining soil. From herbs that bring out the best in each other’s flavors to flowers that provide a feast for the eyes, the right companions can enhance your garden’s beauty and productivity.

Choosing companion plants for lavender isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a strategic move to foster a healthier garden. Plants like rosemary and sage not only complement lavender’s silver foliage but also help repel unwanted pests. Meanwhile, flowering companions such as zinnias add a pop of color and attract pollinators, ensuring your lavender grows lush and fragrant. In this post, I’ll discuss the benefits of companion plants, and the top companion plants for lavender. 

Traits of Lavender Plants

Lavender is a hardy perennial beloved for its fragrant, purple spikes and silvery-green foliage. This sun-loving plant thrives in dry, well-drained soil and resists drought, making it a favorite for gardeners seeking low-maintenance yet beautiful additions to their landscapes. Lavender’s ability to withstand harsh conditions is matched by its versatility in uses, ranging from culinary to decorative.

With its origins in the Mediterranean, lavender has adapted to a range of climates but prefers sunny spots with good air circulation. It’s important to note that lavender does not take kindly to wet, heavy soils or excessive humidity. These traits make it an ideal candidate for companion planting with other drought-tolerant, sun-loving species.

Benefits of Planting

Planting lavender with compatible companions has a multitude of benefits. For example:

Maximize Space

Planting companions for lavender is a clever way to make the most of every inch in the garden. By pairing lavender with plants that have different heights and growth habits, you can fill in gaps and create layers of vegetation. This not only maximizes the visual appeal of your space but also helps suppress weeds, as there are fewer bare spots for them to take hold.

Minimize Soil Preparation Efforts

Since lavender prefers well-drained soil and is tolerant of low fertility, choosing plants with similar needs can save you time and effort in soil preparation. By grouping together plants that thrive in the same soil conditions, you simplify garden maintenance and reduce the need for frequent soil amendments, letting nature do much of the work for you.

More Fragrance

Adding aromatic plants like rosemary and thyme near lavender can intensify the garden’s fragrance. This olfactory enhancement creates an inviting atmosphere and can even have therapeutic benefits. The combined scents are not only pleasing but can also help deter pests, making your garden a sanctuary for both you and your plants.

Beautiful Display of Flowers

Companion planting with lavender allows you to curate a tapestry of blooms that complement its purple flowers. Brightly colored flowers like zinnias stand out against lavender’s muted tones, while the varied blooming times ensure a continuous showcase. This thoughtful orchestration of color and form results in a garden that’s a feast for the eyes throughout the seasons.

Increase Biodiversity

Introducing a mix of plants alongside lavender can attract a diverse array of beneficial insects and birds to your garden. This increase in biodiversity not only aids in pollination but also contributes to a more balanced ecosystem, where natural predators keep pest populations in check. A varied garden is a resilient garden, teeming with life and vigor.

Mimic Natural Environment

By choosing plants that flourish under similar conditions as lavender, you’re essentially replicating the plant communities found in nature. This approach, known as mimicking the natural environment, encourages healthy growth and reduces the likelihood of plant stress and disease. It’s a way of gardening in harmony with nature, encouraging a self-sustaining ecosystem.

Top Companion Plants

In the garden, lavender mingles well with a variety of plants that share its love for the sun and well-draining soil. The following are the best plants you can plant with lavender:

Sage

Sage, with its earthy aroma and robust leaves, is a natural ally for lavender in the garden. Both plants thrive in similar conditions, enjoying full sun and dry soil. Sage’s strong scent compliments lavender’s sweet fragrance, and together they can create a barrier against common pests, reducing the need for chemical controls.

Rosemary

Like two old friends, rosemary and lavender pair perfectly in the garden. They share a love for sunny spots and aren’t fussy about soil. Planting them together not only creates a harmonious visual effect with their contrasting textures but also helps repel pests, thanks to their potent combined aromas. It’s a low-maintenance duo that offers multiple rewards.

Jasmine

Jasmine is a delightful companion for lavender, adding a different dimension to the garden’s scent profile. While lavender exudes a calming, herbal fragrance, jasmine’s sweet, exotic perfume provides a captivating contrast. Both plants enjoy lots of light, but jasmine may require a bit more attention to watering, making it a slightly more demanding partner.

Yarrow

Yarrow is a strong match for lavender, with its feathery foliage and clusters of tiny flowers that come in various hues. It shares lavender’s preference for well-drained soil and full sun exposure. Yarrow’s ability to attract beneficial insects, like ladybugs, makes it a valuable ally in maintaining the health and beauty of your lavender plants.

Thyme

Thyme is a wonderful companion for lavender, forming a low-growing carpet that spreads between the taller lavender stems. Its tiny leaves and delicate flowers echo the texture and palette of lavender, while its strong, earthy scent adds depth to the garden’s aroma. 

Coneflowers

Coneflowers, with their vibrant petals and stately presence, make a delightful pairing with lavender. These hardy blooms not only complement lavender’s purple hues but also stand up to similar conditions: full sun and well-draining soil. They attract beneficial pollinators to the garden, which helps lavender thrive, too. 

Catmint

Catmint is another excellent companion for lavender, especially for those who adore a garden buzzing with life. This herb’s soft, billowy form and cool blue flowers blend seamlessly with the structured, purple spikes of lavender. They’re both drought-resistant and love the sun, making them easy pals in the bed. 

Mugwort

Mugwort, though less common, is a worthy neighbor for your lavender plants. It’s a robust herb that stands up to similar growing conditions, favoring that dry and sunny spot in your garden. Mugwort’s silvery-green foliage contrasts nicely with lavender’s deep purple, offering a play of colors and textures. 

Alliums

Imagine towering alliums with their globe-shaped blooms dancing above a sea of lavender – it’s a sight to behold! Alliums, with their striking forms and love for sunny spots, are not just a visual treat but also deter pests that might fancy your lavender. Their oniony scent is a natural repellent, and they share a bloom time with lavender, making for a synchronized show of splendor in your garden beds.

Oleander

Oleander’s lush foliage and profusion of flowers make it a standout partner for lavender in warmer climates. This evergreen shrub can provide a backdrop for the lower growing lavender, with both plants enjoying full sun and well-drained soil. While oleander’s bold, tropical look contrasts with lavender’s Mediterranean charm, together they weave a tapestry of color and form that’s truly captivating.

Blue Fescue

Blue fescue, with its fine, silvery-blue blades, adds a different texture to the mix when planted with lavender. This ornamental grass is just the thing for defining edges and bringing a bit of softness to the garden’s appearance. It’s a low-maintenance friend for lavender, requiring minimal water once established, and its cool tones set off the warm purples of lavender beautifully. Together, they create a harmonious blend of color and form that’s both soothing and pleasing to the eye.

Sedum

Sedum, a succulent with thick, fleshy leaves and clusters of star-shaped blooms, offers a striking contrast when nestled among lavender. These drought-tolerant buddies share a love for the sun and aren’t fussy about soil. The sedum’s low-growing, sprawling habit complements the upright stature of lavender, and its late-summer flowers keep the garden lively as lavender’s blooms begin to fade.

Oregano

Oregano is not just a kitchen favorite but also a splendid companion for lavender. Their shared preference for sunlight and well-drained soil makes them easy to grow side by side. Oregano’s spreading habit fills in spaces between lavender plants, creating a lush, aromatic carpet that’s as functional as it is beautiful. The herbs’ combined scents are a treat for the senses and a natural pest deterrent.

Zinnias

Zinnias bring a pop of color to any lavender pairing with their rainbow of possible hues. These cheerful flowers are just the ticket for those looking to add some pizzazz to their lavender beds. They thrive under the same sunny skies as lavender and don’t mind the dry conditions. Zinnias’ bold blossoms play off the subtler elegance of lavender, making your garden a vibrant showcase of shapes and shades.

Olives

Olives, with their silvery leaves and Mediterranean roots, are a natural companion for lavender. They share an appreciation for sunny, dry environments and well-draining soil. Olive trees can provide a structural element to the garden, with lavender softening their base with a purple haze of blooms. Together they evoke the essence of a sun-drenched hillside in Provence, offering both visual harmony and a sense of place.

Wrap-Up!

Choosing companions for your lavender plants isn’t just about creating a pretty garden—it’s about building a thriving ecosystem. By pairing lavender with the right friends, like sage and rosemary, you can make the most of your space and give your plants the best chance to flourish. And let’s not forget the symphony of fragrances these combinations can unleash; your garden will not only be a feast for the eyes but a treat for the nose too.