Product Field NotesLavender Plants
Anouk Deluxe 1201 Lavender: Window Box Color That Comes Early
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Anouk Deluxe 1201 lavender is a short, wide Spanish lavender, about eight and a half inches tall and eleven inches across, with dark violet-blue to purple flower heads over gray-green leaves. It has the strong, resinous fragrance of the Anouk family, so a little goes a long way when it sits right under a window.
It is Lavandula stoechas 'Anouk Deluxe 1201', and like other Spanish lavenders it opens the season early, starting in May.
Anouk Deluxe 1201 at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula stoechas 'Anouk Deluxe 1201' |
| Flower color | Dark violet-blue to purple |
| Foliage | Gray-green |
| Size | About 8.5 inches tall and 11.1 inches wide |
| Habit | Compact, upright and broadly spreading |
| Bloom | Starts early May, peaks late May, high rebloom |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 6a to 9b |
| Fragrance | Strong, resinous and camphor-like |
| Wildlife | Great for pollinators; deer resistant |
Planting a lavender window box
Most lavenders get too tall for a window box and block the view by July. At about eight inches, Anouk Deluxe 1201 stays below the sill line. In a standard 24- to 30-inch box, two or three plants spaced about eight to ten inches apart fill it without crowding. Leave room at the front edge for a trailing plant that also likes sun and dry soil if you want something spilling over.
Drainage is the make-or-break detail. Check that the box has holes, use a gritty potting mix rather than garden soil and skip any liner that holds water. A south- or west-facing window that gets six or more hours of sun is ideal.
Watering and feeding in containers
Window boxes heat up and dry out faster than beds, which lavender handles better than most plants, up to a point. Water deeply when the top inch or two of mix is dry, and check daily in a July heat wave. In cool, wet stretches, hold off; soggy mix is the bigger danger. A light, balanced feed once or twice a season keeps container plants flowering without making them leggy.
Keeping it in bloom
- Deadhead: snip faded heads where the stem meets the leaves. Its rebloom rating is high, and spent heads slow new ones down.
- Trim after a flush: a light shear keeps the mound tight and full.
- Turn the box: if one side leans toward the light, turning containers every few weeks evens the growth.
Winter options
Anouk Deluxe 1201 is rated for zones 6a to 9b, and Spanish lavenders are generally less cold-hardy than English lavender. Window boxes are also exposed to wind and freeze from all sides. Before hard frost, lift the plants into pots and move them to a cool, bright, frost-free spot, watering lightly through winter, or move the whole box if it is portable. Replant after your last frost; the Frost Date Estimator gives a local date.
Flowers and fragrance
Grow it for color, scent and pollinators. Its heads are rated good for fresh cut use and fair for drying, so snip a few for a bud vase when you deadhead. Culinary use is not recommended.
Choosing a plant format
It is offered as a 3-inch plug, a 4-inch pot or a 1-gallon pot. Plugs and 4-inch pots fit window boxes best. See the product page for current sizes and availability, and use Notify Me there if it is not available right now.
Frequently asked questions
How many plants fit in a window box?
Two or three in a 24- to 30-inch box, spaced eight to ten inches apart, will fill in nicely.
Will the scent be too strong under a window?
It is strong and resinous, more like rosemary than sweet lavender. Most people enjoy it outdoors; if you are sensitive to strong scents, try a moderate-scented Anouk instead.
Can it stay in the box all winter?
Not reliably in cold zones. Window boxes freeze hard, so bring the plants in somewhere cool and bright.
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