The Flowering Perennial That's A Great Companion For The Lavender In Your Garden

Lavender (Lavandula spp.) is a stunning plant that fills gardens with beautiful flowers and a soothing fragrance. As wonderful as lavender is alone, it's even better when paired with other flowers that thrive in similar conditions. One of the best plants to grow alongside lavender is the beautiful coneflower (Echinacea spp.). 

Lavender and coneflower plants look stunning together, and if you've got purple or yellow coneflowers, they'll look gorgeous with the lavender. The yellow will contrast, while the purple will complement. Even better — they also thrive in similar lighting and soil conditions. With lavender being hardy in zones 5 through 9 depending on the specific species, and coneflowers hardy in zones 3 through 8, they also have a significant amount of overlap in the regions where they grow well. Both plants are also a hit with butterflies and other pollinators as well, so they're perfect for anyone putting together a pollinator garden.

Both lavender and coneflower can be grown from seeds, but they take some time to mature. So if you want a beautiful garden right away, you may want to purchase them as live plants. You can also purchase coneflowers and lavender as bare roots. Make sure the garden you're planting the lavender and coneflower into has well-draining soil and receives full or part sun. Both plants are drought tolerant, so they can be perfect additions to xeriscaped gardens and other water-wise landscaping.  

Depending on the specific cultivars and species you opt for, coneflowers can range between 2 and 4 feet. Lavender, on the other hand, can range from 1 to 3 feet, making it the perfect height to grow in front of taller coneflower varieties. Adding in additional plants (like different types of sedum that thrive in similar conditions) can help introduce even more color to your garden.