Alba White English Lavender

Alba White English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia 'Alba') is the classic white lavender for cottage gardens and low hedges. It makes a scented, rounded shrub about 1m tall and wide, with slender grey-green leaves and white flowers through summer. It is cold hardy and loves dry air and soil, which suits cooler, drier inland and southern gardens.

Why you'll love it

• Clean white flowers. White spikes stand out against the grey-green foliage and brighten a border through summer.
• The partner for purple and pink. Alba is the classic companion to purple and pink English lavenders, so a three-colour planting is easy to build.
• Cold hardy. English lavenders cope with cold better than French and Italian types, and an established plant tolerates light frost.
• Fragrant and useful. Flowers can be cut for the vase, or dried for arrangements and potpourri.
• Flexible. It suits hedging, rockeries and pots, with the same simple care in each.

Where it works best

Knot gardens and formal borders. Plant 80cm apart in a row to make a low scented hedge, and alternate white Alba with purple and pink forms for a traditional three-colour knot garden.

Mediterranean style borders. Set it among gravel, olive trees and sage, and it gives a sunny holiday look with almost no fuss.

Rockeries and pots. Give it a gritty mix and a spot in full sun, and a pot by the door puts the scent right where you walk past.

Growing Alba White English Lavender in Australia

Position and climate. Choose a sunny, north facing position in full sun. It tolerates lower light levels, but flowering suffers. It is at home in cool, dry climates and inland districts. In humid gardens, grow it in a pot or on a raised mound.

Soil. Free draining soil on the alkaline side is preferred. Sand or gravel worked into the planting hole helps where the ground is heavy.

Water and feed. Mulch and water regularly for 12 weeks while the plant establishes, then back off. Avoid wet feet. Apply slow release fertiliser once a year after flowering to keep growth compact.

Pruning. Clip over twice a year, removing only a third of the foliage and avoiding old wood. Keep in mind that lavender can upset cats and dogs if they eat a lot of it.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Alba White English Lavender as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly once planted. It arrives as a small, upright young plant and fills out over a season or two. The tube comes from our grower, and supply is not constant. The tube shows as sold out when the grower has none, and the notify button on the page emails you the day it is available again.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• See all lavender varieties
• Lavender care guide for Australian gardens
• Perennial plants for a cottage garden
• Frost hardy plants

Common questions

Can I mix it with other lavenders?

Yes, and it works well. Combine white Alba with purple and pink English lavenders at the same spacing and they flower together, giving a tidy three-colour pattern.

When does it flower?

Through summer. Clip it over lightly after the flush finishes to keep it dense, and cut stems for drying while the buds are just opening.

Will it grow in a humid climate?

It prefers drier air, so humidity is its weakness. Use a pot, a raised mound and gravel mulch, space plants widely and water only at the base.