Perfect for the modern kitchen gardener and the contemporary living garden or patio container. Lavender is a perennial flowering plant native to the Mediterranean - Munstead Blue, in particular, is its compact, early blooming, English variety, with bluish-purple flowers above slender, aromatic, grey-green leaves. First introduced in 1916 by the garden designer Gertrude Jekyll, and named after her house Munstead Wood in Surrey, England, this variety is a great choice for containers and is widely used in cooking as a condiment for salads, soups, stews. It provides a very aromatic flavour - Its fresh or dried flowers are used to make tea, while the fresh flowers can be crystallized or added to jams, ice cream and vinegars. An essential oil is also made from the flowers for both culinary and therapeutic purposes LATIN NAME Lavandula officinalis NAME Lavander VARIETY Munstead Blue QUANTITY 200 seeds PLANT SIZE Height 45 cm Width 60 cm CONTAINER SIZE Height 30 cm Width 30 cm COMPANION PLANT Thyme, oregano, nepeta, borage, chamomile, nigella   SOWING Indoor Mar-AprOutdoor Apr-June TIMING Germination 20-40 days Harvesting 90-120 days SPACING When sowing 3-5 cm; Depth 0,2 cm When thinning 20-30 cm GROWING Sunligth Full sun Soil Well-drained, fertile and moist soil Watering Regular, allow to dry out Feeding No fertilizer or compost addition is necessary CARING Expert tip Although Munstead Blue is a good variety of lavender to start growing from seed, lavender seeds are slow to germinate in general and will require warm temperatures, between 18 °C and 21 °C. Thus, start early and be patient. SUPPORTING PollinatorsAttracts bees and butterflies. PestsIt is said to repel mice HARVESTING Cut back the stalks after the flowers have faded. Leave the foliage over winter to prevent the plants from becoming leggy and bare at the base. Trim them back in April, taking care not to cut into old wood as it will not regrow if you do. EATING Medicinal properties Lavender has many health benefits, such reducing anxiety and improving sleep. How to eat Lavender's sweet, fragrant flavour complements a range of foods. To ensure it doesn’t overwhelm a dish, you can use some tricks. For sweets, try using lavender-infused sugar or dried flowers. For meals, lightly toast dried lavender to deepen its complexity and remove perfumed notes.