Companion Plants for Lavender: The Ultimate List
Lavender is a gardener’s dream: beautiful, tough, and adaptable. But it’s even more spectacular (and easier to grow) when surrounded by perfect partners. Whether you’re filling a border, planning a Mediterranean bed, or creating a pollinator garden, these are the best companion plants for lavender—plus a few combinations to avoid.
Keter Manor Outdoor Apex Double Door Garden Storage Shed (6 x 8ft)
A durable and stylish beige and brown garden storage shed perfect for storing garden tools, equipment, bikes, and outdoor essentials. Weather-resistant, low maintenance, and ideal for any garden or allotment setup.
🌱 Compost & Soil Improvers
Give your garden beds a boost before winter with compost and organic matter.
Shop Compost & Soil Improvers
🌿 Autumn Plant Feed & Fertiliser
Prepare your soil for autumn planting with suitable fertilisers and soil nutrients.
Browse Garden Fertilisers
🥬 Seed Trays & Propagation Kits
Keep growing through autumn by starting suitable hardy crops under cover.
Shop Seed Trays
Why Choose the Right Companions for Lavender?
- Improved drainage & airflow: The right partners keep beds dry and healthy.
- Less maintenance: Mediterranean herbs and drought-lovers thrive on similar care—low water, lean soil, lots of sun.
- Design impact: Contrasting forms and color can make your lavender “pop.”
- Wildlife value: Diverse blooms keep bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects coming all season.
The Ultimate List of Lavender Companions
Mediterranean Classics
- Rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, marjoram
- Thrive in dry, poor soil and full sun.
- Mix for an edible, fragrant, evergreen tapestry.
- Santolina (cotton lavender), artemisia, curry plant
- Silvery/grey foliage highlights lavender’s colors.
Flowering Friends
- Salvia (perennial and annual)
- Tall purple/blue spikes echo lavender blooms—great for bees.
- Echinacea (coneflower)
- Adds height and color contrast; attracts pollinators.
- Coreopsis, gaillardia, rudbeckia
- Sunny yellow and orange to set off lavender’s purple.
- Sedum (stonecrop), yarrow
- Succulent or feathery foliage + late-summer bloom appeal.
- Alliums
- Dramatic verticals; both thrive in sunny, lean soil.
Cottage & Border Beauties
- Roses
- Especially “old roses” or shrub types—jointly maximize scent and bloom.
- Nepeta (catmint)
- Soft mounding habit; flowers for ages.
- Veronica (speedwell), heuchera
- Bold foliage and spike flowers draw eyes along beds.
Wildlife & Water Savers
- Eryngium (sea holly), globe thistle
- Bee magnets, love dry, infertile conditions.
- Achillea (yarrow), perovskia (Russian sage)
- Prolific pollinator plants; look stunning with lavender’s grey-green foliage.
Bulbs & Spring Color
- Tulips, crocus, alliums, iris
- Plant among lavender for early color before lavender wakes up.
What Not to Plant With Lavender
- Moisture lovers: Hostas, ferns, and astilbe—all want consistently damp soil (lavender will rot).
- Shade plants: Lavender needs at least 6hrs sun.
- Heavy feeders: Melons, corn, or brassicas with high nitrogen needs aren’t good neighbors.
Design Combos to Try
- Silver/purple/blue: Lavender, artemisia, nepeta, salvia, catmint.
- Classic Provence: Lavender, rosemary, thyme, pink old roses, and silvery lamb’s ear.
- Pollinator patch: Lavender, verbena bonariensis, allium, and echinacea.
Wrapping Up
Pairing lavender with the right plants brings out its best—bold borders, buzzing bees, and effortless low-water beds. Mix and match favorites from this list for a wellness garden that’s vibrant and maintenance-friendly, year after year.