Lavender angustigolia 'Arctic Snow'
Overview
Lavender Arctic Snow is a striking white-flowered English lavender variety that brings pristine elegance to any garden setting. This exceptional cultivar produces masses of pure white flower spikes that create a stunning contrast against its silver-grey foliage, offering all the beloved characteristics of traditional lavender with a sophisticated, contemporary twist. The clean white blooms seem to glow in evening light, making this variety particularly magical in moonlit gardens or areas viewed during twilight hours.
Key Features
Flower Colour: Pure white, densely packed spikes
Foliage: Silver-grey, highly aromatic leaves
Height: 40-50cm (16-20 inches)
Spread: 40-50cm (16-20 inches)
Flowering Period: June to September
Hardiness: Fully hardy (RHS H5)
Fragrance: Rich, classic lavender scent
Growth Habit: Compact, rounded mound
Special Feature: Exceptional white flower colour intensity
Growing Requirements
Soil Conditions
Arctic Snow thrives in well-draining, moderately fertile soil with a preference for alkaline to neutral pH. Like all English lavenders, it performs exceptionally well in sandy, chalky, or gravelly soils and is remarkably tolerant of poor conditions. The key requirement is excellent drainage - heavy clay or waterlogged soils will cause root rot and plant failure. In areas with poor drainage, consider adding horticultural grit or creating raised beds.
Light Requirements
Full sun is absolutely essential for Arctic Snow to achieve its characteristic pure white flower colour and maintain compact growth. The plant requires a minimum of 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. In partial shade, the white flowers may appear less vibrant, and the plant will develop a loose, leggy habit with reduced flowering.
Watering Needs
Once established, Arctic Snow is highly drought-tolerant and requires minimal watering. During the establishment period (first 6-12 months), water regularly but allow soil to dry between waterings. Mature plants rarely need supplemental watering except during prolonged drought periods. Overwatering is more detrimental than underwatering.
Planting and Care
When to Plant
Potted lavender can be planted at any time of year, providing the ground is not frozen or waterlogged and its not excessively windy.
Planting Instructions
Prepare a planting hole twice the width of the root ball and the same depth. In heavy soils, plant slightly proud of the surrounding ground level to improve drainage. Space plants 40-50cm apart to accommodate mature spread and ensure adequate air circulation. Water thoroughly after planting and apply a light mulch of gravel or grit around the base.
Pruning and Maintenance
Annual pruning is essential for maintaining Arctic Snow's compact shape and ensuring abundant flowering. Prune in early spring (March) or immediately after the main flowering period. Remove spent flower stems and trim back the entire plant by one-third, taking care not to cut into old woody growth. Light deadheading throughout the flowering season will encourage continued blooming.
Garden Design and Applications
White Garden Schemes
Arctic Snow is perfect for creating sophisticated white or silver-themed gardens. Combine with other white-flowering plants such as white roses, philadelphus, or white-flowered perennials for a cohesive, elegant display that's particularly stunning in evening light.
Mixed Border Integration
The pure white flowers provide a neutral element that harmonises beautifully with any colour scheme. Use as a calming influence between strong-coloured plants or to brighten darker corners of mixed borders. The white blooms particularly enhance purple, blue, and pink flowering companions.
Contemporary Landscapes
Arctic Snow's clean white flowers and architectural form make it excellent for modern, minimalist garden designs. Plant in geometric patterns or use as repeated elements to create rhythm and structure in contemporary plantings.
Cottage Garden Settings
Despite its modern appeal, Arctic Snow works wonderfully in traditional cottage gardens, providing a fresh interpretation of classic lavender whilst maintaining the authentic character that makes lavender so beloved in informal settings.
Container Growing Excellence
Patio and Balcony Gardens
Arctic Snow is exceptionally well-suited to container cultivation, making it perfect for patios, balconies, or courtyards. Use terracotta or stone containers that complement the plant's Mediterranean origins, ensuring excellent drainage with crocks and gritty compost.
Seasonal Displays
The long flowering period makes Arctic Snow valuable for extended seasonal container displays. Combine with other drought-tolerant plants such as rosemary, santolina, or ornamental grasses for low-maintenance yet attractive arrangements.
Winter Interest
Even when not in flower, the silver-grey evergreen foliage provides year-round structure and interest in containers, particularly valuable during winter months when many other plants are dormant.
Wildlife and Environmental Benefits
Arctic Snow is highly attractive to beneficial insects, with its nectar-rich flowers drawing bees, butterflies, and hoverflies throughout the extended flowering period. The white flowers are particularly visible to night-flying moths, making this variety valuable for supporting nocturnal pollinators often overlooked in garden planning.
The plant's natural deer and rabbit resistance makes it ideal for gardens where these animals are problematic, whilst its drought tolerance makes it an environmentally responsible choice for water-conscious gardening.
Harvesting and Practical Uses
Cut Flower Production
Harvest stems just as the first flowers begin to open for maximum fragrance and longevity. The pure white spikes create elegant, sophisticated arrangements either on their own or combined with other flowers. Cut in early morning for best results.
Dried Flower Crafts
For dried arrangements, potpourri, or craft projects, harvest when approximately half the flowers on each spike have opened. The white flowers dry to a beautiful cream colour whilst retaining their form and much of their fragrance. Bundle stems loosely and hang in a warm, dry, well-ventilated area.
Aromatic Applications
The intensely fragrant foliage can be harvested throughout the growing season for use in sachets, natural air fresheners, or homemade cleaning products. The essential oils are just as potent as in purple-flowered varieties.
Why Choose Lavender Arctic Snow?
Arctic Snow offers a sophisticated alternative to traditional purple lavender whilst retaining all the qualities that make lavender such a garden favourite. The pure white flowers bring a sense of calm elegance to any setting, working equally well in traditional and contemporary garden styles.
This variety is particularly valuable for gardeners seeking to create white or silver-themed plantings, or those wanting to use lavender's wonderful fragrance and pollinator appeal whilst maintaining a more subtle colour palette. The reliable flowering, compact growth habit, and excellent hardiness make it suitable for gardeners of all experience levels.
Whether you're creating a serene white garden, adding sophisticated accents to mixed borders, or simply wanting to enjoy lavender's timeless appeal with a contemporary twist, Arctic Snow delivers exceptional performance with understated elegance. It proves that sometimes the most beautiful statement is made not with bold colour, but with pure, simple perfection.
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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