Lovely Lavenders

I ordered a new garden book on lavenders. I can't believe I have gone this long without a good guide to help me identify one from another. I have many different kinds and I love them all, but I am having trouble differentiating my 'Grossos' from my 'Hidcotes' and I thought a book would be a good resource. Lavenders start to bloom in March around here with the Spanish types being the early bloomers, and they may re-bloom throughout the season, but not with the exuberance of the early spring bloom. I couldn't imagine my gardens without Spanish lavender in the spring. Then the French start to bloom and may in fact bloom for many months, becoming a mainstay throughout the year. I do love English lavender as in the pictures above, that are blooming right now. The foliage is lacy and pretty and the blooms are a vibrant shade of purple held above the shrub, not to mention a lovely scent. Every year I vow to harvest some of the lavender to dry and bundle. Maybe the book will inspire me to finally get around to doing that this year.