This compact, shrubby species is producing mounds of soft foliage and lemon flowers in the Scented Garden.
The genus Santolina, or cotton lavenders, occur in the Mediterranean, where they thrive in dry, rocky habitats, so particularly enjoy well-drained soil in full sun. This selection has finely divided, grey-green, fragrant foliage, and produces contrasting creamy-white flowers which smother the domes of foliage in summer. These are produced in button-like heads, in which several tiny flowers are held in a tight cluster surrounded by rows of involucral bracts. Santolina contains 27 species. It belongs to the daisy family, Asteraceae, which is one of the largest plant families comprising approximately 1600 genera.