Plant of the month: The show-stopping ‘Platinum Blonde’

There’s a new blonde bombshell on the scene, and she’s set to ruffle a few feathers in the garden border! Introducing the temptress that is ‘Platinum Blonde’. Read on to find out what’s so different about this show-stopper, and here’s a clue, it ain’t the flowers…

The fragrance of Lavender is kinda irresistible, and I’ve never heard anyone complain about the aroma the same way they do with hyacinths and oriental lilies. With life being so hectic nowadays, we can all benefit from the calming tendencies that the potent lavender oils provide! I’ve been using lavender oil on my pillow for many years, and I sleep like a (dribbling) baby!

But, hey, Lavender isn’t always that easy to establish in our gardens, often succumbing to root rot. Plants prefer dry bottoms, and this new ‘Platinum Blonde’ is versatile and will grow in a range of different soils.

That’s not all though, the cream-striped foliage gives a feature-length display that will create interest in your garden over a much longer period than standard Lavender. Oh boy, this is one handsome plant…!

‘Platinum Blonde’ carries the cutest purple blooms, pumping out clouds of that glorious fragrance. Plants are neatly rounded, and not bulky and bad-shaped like some other Lavender. ‘Platinum Blonde’ is a form of English Lavender, so has the best nose-clearing fragrance. French Lavender are nice, but the fragrance often more ‘musty’.

That added dimension of pretty foliage opens up more possibilities for displaying your Lavender. These blonde bombshells would look great mixed in with your summer patio plants, so don’t just relegate them to the cottage garden border…!

Would you believe that ‘Platinum Blonde®’ was a chance finding in a field of thousands of plants!? Can you imagine how lucky you would be to spot such a beaming plant!

The variety is a natural mutation from the classic English Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, and was found in the fields of Momparler Nurseries´s by Juan Ismael Momparler.

It wasn’t that easy though, Juan needed to isolate the plant. So, he dug it up and trialled it himself for a few years. He quickly noticed the different way this Lavender behaved though, it seemed less susceptible to root rot, and that glimmering foliage gave the most amazing colour change from spring to summer.

The cream-lined foliage of Lavender is most vivid during the spring, and offers a great support act to early spring patio plants such as Pansies and Primroses. However, leave your plants in place and just replace the plants around them, as Lavender ‘Platinum Blonde’ will keep looking handsome with Petunias and Bacopa surrounding them too!

Plants are tough and resilient, preferring a dry Mediterranean soil, but also coping well with wet feet from time to time too. Plants are untroubled by pest and diseases that can often strike in the garden too, which will leave you with more time to enjoy your display! Furthermore, bees and butterflies will love your Lavender, as will you! And, what’s even better, deer and rabbits WON’T love them…

Plants stay small and cushion-like, growing no more than 45cm (18in) across. Just a quick trim at the end of the flowering period is the only maintenance too!

Plants are available for instant impact from garden centres across Europe, or as younger plants by mail order here

How to grow Lavender ‘Platinum Blonde’:

Flowering time: June to August

Location: Border, hedging, patio pots

Soil: Well-drained

Light: Sun, full sun if possible

Hardy: Survives down to -15C! Plant will come back every year.

Care: Very easy pruning, just trim as required, after flowering

Size: 45cm (18”) high x 45cm (18″) in spread

Plant of the Month is sponsored by Plantipp, a company based in The Netherlands who handle the introduction of new plants into Europe (with Concept Plants doing the same job in North America).