How to Choose a Dried Lavender Bunch
A dried lavender bunch can be the perfect addition for home decor simply displayed in a vase, or to add interest to a mixed bouquet. It can be French or English, long or short, with straight or wavy stems. The colour can vary from pale greyish blue to deep indigo. But it boils down to two main types.
Long Lavender Bunch
Long lavender bunches tend to be the variety Lavandula x intermedia. This is the type that is most commonly grown to make loose lavender grains. It has long straight stems up to about 50 or 60 cm with pale grey-blue flowers in a traditional lavender colour. This type of flower is the one you often see flopping all over the path in the early summer!
These lavender bunches are grown in both the UK and France and tend to be the cheapest available because each bush is very productive.
Dark Blue Lavender Bunch
Darker blue lavender bunches tend to be varieties of Lavandula angustifolia. They’re often shorter at around 30cm long but the colour is very satisfying in shades of deep indigo. Varieties might include the French Super Blue or English Folgate or Imperial Gem. The plants tend to be smaller and neater than the previous type and flower later. These bunches tend to be more expensive even though they’re smaller.
Which bunch to choose
- If you’re simply placing a few stems in a vase, then it’s simply a question of preference or vase height.
- For larger mixed bouquets the stem length might be a factor.
- For a more relaxed feel when making a bouquet or arrangement, the darker blue varieties can be better because the stems are less upright and regimented to look at.
- For wreath making the straight stems of the paler type can come in handy if you want an even finish. The stem length isn’t an issue as you’ll be cutting them down to size.
- Both types are available from UK and French growers if you shop around, although the UK ones can be a little more expensive as they don’t have the economy of scale that the French can muster.
See related page – Dried lavender stems
We hope you found this dried lavender bunch page helpful – any questions just get in touch!