English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a Mediterranean sub-shrub valued for its scent, silver foliage and the bees it attracts. It needs full sun and poor, stony or sandy, free-draining soil, ideally limy (pH 6.5–8.0); it copes with drought far better than with wet winter soil, which is the most common cause of losses. Plant in spring, 30–40 cm apart, without compost or fertiliser, which make plants floppy and less fragrant. Pruning keeps lavender compact: in late March or April trim into a rounded shape, and after flowering in August cut back by about a third, always staying above the bare woody base, which rarely resprouts. For drying, cut stems just as the lowest flowers open, tie them in small bunches and hang them upside down in a shady, airy place. In cold, exposed gardens a loose covering of conifer branches protects young plants in winter. Plants usually become woody after eight to ten years and are best replaced.