Lavender Alba - White Lavender
Overview
Lavender Alba is a stunning white-flowered variety of English lavender that brings elegance and tranquillity to any garden. This compact, evergreen shrub produces masses of pure white flower spikes that contrast beautifully with its silvery-grey foliage, creating a sophisticated alternative to traditional purple lavender whilst retaining all the beloved characteristics that make lavender such a garden favourite.
Key Features
Flower Colour: Pure white spikes
Foliage: Silver-grey, aromatic leaves
Height: 45-60cm (18-24 inches)
Spread: 45-60cm (18-24 inches)
Flowering Period: June to September
Hardiness: Fully hardy (RHS H5)
Fragrance: Classic lavender scent
Growing Requirements
Soil Conditions
Lavender Alba thrives in well-draining soil and is particularly suited to sandy, chalky, or gravelly conditions. It tolerates poor soils exceptionally well but struggles in heavy clay or waterlogged conditions. If your soil retains moisture, consider adding horticultural grit or creating raised beds to improve drainage.
Light Requirements
This variety requires full sun to perform at its best, needing at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Insufficient light will result in leggy growth and reduced flowering.
Watering Needs
Once established, Lavender Alba is remarkably drought-tolerant and requires minimal watering. Water regularly during the first growing season to establish a strong root system, then reduce watering significantly. Overwatering is one of the most common causes of lavender failure.
Planting and Care
When to Plant
Plant in spring (March to May) or early autumn (September to October) when soil temperatures are moderate and rainfall is typically adequate for establishment.
Planting Instructions
Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball and the same depth. In heavy soils, plant slightly proud of the surrounding soil level to improve drainage. Space plants 45-60cm apart to allow for good air circulation and mature spread.
Ongoing Maintenance
Prune annually in early spring (March) or immediately after flowering. Remove spent flower stems and trim back by one-third, taking care not to cut into old wood which may not regenerate. Light pruning helps maintain a compact, bushy shape and encourages abundant flowering.
Garden Uses and Design Ideas
Border Planting
Lavender Alba creates excellent low hedging or edging, particularly effective along pathways where its fragrance can be appreciated. The white flowers provide a neutral backdrop that complements virtually any colour scheme.
Container Growing
Well-suited to container cultivation, making it perfect for patios, balconies, or areas with unsuitable soil conditions. Use a gritty, free-draining compost and ensure containers have adequate drainage holes.
Companion Planting
Pairs beautifully with roses, providing a classic cottage garden combination. Also complements other Mediterranean plants such as rosemary, santolina, and ornamental grasses. The white flowers create stunning contrasts with purple or blue flowering plants.
Wildlife and Environmental Benefits
Lavender Alba is highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects, making it an excellent choice for wildlife gardens. The long flowering period provides a reliable nectar source throughout summer and early autumn. Despite being loved by pollinators, deer and rabbits typically avoid lavender due to its strong fragrance.
Harvesting and Uses
Cut Flowers
Harvest flower stems just as the buds begin to open for the strongest fragrance and longest vase life. Cut in the morning after dew has dried but before the heat of the day.
Dried Flowers
For dried arrangements or potpourri, cut stems when approximately half the flowers on each spike have opened. Hang in small bundles in a warm, dry, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight.
Culinary Uses
Like other English lavenders, Alba can be used sparingly in cooking and baking, though it's primarily grown for ornamental purposes rather than culinary use.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Leggy Growth: Usually caused by insufficient light or lack of annual pruning. Move to a sunnier position and prune regularly.
Poor Flowering: Often results from too much shade, over-fertilising, or excessive moisture. Lavender performs best in lean, well-draining conditions.
Winter Damage: Whilst hardy, lavender can suffer in very wet winter conditions. Ensure excellent drainage and avoid cutting back in autumn, leaving pruning until spring.
Why Choose Lavender Alba?
This white lavender variety offers all the benefits of traditional lavender whilst providing unique aesthetic opportunities in garden design. Its pure white flowers create a sophisticated, calming presence that works beautifully in both formal and informal garden settings. The compact growth habit makes it suitable for smaller gardens, and its drought tolerance makes it an environmentally responsible choice for water-wise gardening.
Perfect for gardeners seeking the classic lavender experience with a distinctive twist, Lavender Alba proves that sometimes the most elegant choice is the unexpected one.
Buying Shrubs from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we sell a variety of shrubs both evergreen and deciduous with a variety of flowering times throughout the year. At certain times of the year our shrubs you buy from us may not look like the images shown on our website when deciduous leaves have fallen, the shrub has finished flowering or has been trimmed back.
Some leaves on evergreen shrubs can be damaged in winter by frost or harsh winds but in spring new leaves will readily replace those damaged. This is quite normal on many evergreen varieties and is preferable to plants grown with excessive protection that show cold shock once planted out and establish less satisfactory initially.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
* Please Note: Shrubs in 20 litre pots and above might require a pallet delivery starting at £79.99 per pallet. Depending on the exact pot size and height it may be possible to get approximately 5 plants per pallet at no extra cost. The maximum height we can dispatch on a pallet is 2.0m, this includes the height of the pallet and pot.
Shrubs are deciduous or evergreen woody plants, and often provide fragrant flowers, berries and foliage. They are good for structural framework, and they can provide a wonderful shelter and food source for wildlife.
Planting and Conditions
Container grown shrubs can be grown at any time of year. It is a little known fact that shrubs planted in the autumn and winter will be easier to look after than those planted in the spring and summer, because they will have time to establish and become hardy in the cooler months.
Plant the shrub at the same depth as it was in its original pot. Planting too deeply can result in root and stem rot.
One of the biggest causes of death in new shrubs is drought stress, so keep it well watered until it’s established.
Make sure you loosen the soil prior to planting. Most shrubs are tolerant of most soil types as long as it is fairly well draining.
Most shrubs will grow happily in containers, but they will be much more demanding on feeding and watering than shrubs in the ground would be. They will also need potting on every couple of years so that they don’t suffocate or become stunted in their pot.
Aftercare and Pruning
Once established, shrubs generally do not require much water. However, at first they need careful, frequent watering and should not be left to dry out.
Shrubs in the ground are generally not demanding and in most cases, annual feeding with general purpose fertilizer will suffice. Shrubs in containers may need more feeding; usually from early spring until late summer.
Shrubs also benefit from mulching in order to supress weeds, conserve moisture and provide vital nutrients. Mulch also greatly improves soil conditions. Shrubs can be mulched in late winter, after fertiliser has been applied, but it can be mulched through autumn to late spring as long as the ground is damp.
All shrubs benefit from dead-heading once spent flowers become apparent. Rhododendrons and Lilac especially benefit from the removal of dead flowers.
Some shrubs may show signs of reverted growth or ‘sporting’. This is where random shoots of different leaves associated with the plant’s parentage begin to appear. Most commonly this is where plants with variegated leaves sprout pure green growths instead of variegated ones.
To control reversion, remove reverted shoots promptly to discourage them. Reverted shoots are usually much more vigorous than the variegated ones, and thus should be completely pruned out and cut back into wood containing variegated foliage.
Potential Issues
Although shrubs are usually very robust garden plants, they can sometimes start to decline with no apparent or obvious reason.
This will start with browning leaves, which could indicate plant stress due to lack of water or waterlogging, an establishment failure or, in the worst case scenario, honey fungus. Another cause of leaf browning is a high salt content in the soil. This could be a natural occurrence, especially if you live near the ocean, or it could be from over fertilisation.
To remedy a high salt content, cut back on fertiliser and step up your watering regime for the next few weeks. If you live by the ocean, this will be harder to remedy—but stepping up your watering will help to wash some of the salt away all the same.
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