Lavender varieties

I have a neighbour with the most beautiful lavender, it is huge compared to mine, it must be 3ft high with long flower spikes that have flowered for months and has a very strong scent, but neither of us know what it is. I would like to get some seed from it if possible, but on researching lavender varieties today, i've read that the larger lavenders don't always have seed, or useable seed anyway. Does anybody know if this is true?

 

Okay, Armandii, thanks, i'm too late this year now though, so perhaps i'll try in the spring

 

Pixie, as Armandii says, it's not too late and cuttings generally strike quite easily.However, if you want to take a look at the large range of plants which are now available, you couldn't do better than to have a look at Downderry Lavender's online catalogue:-

downderry

The nursery stocks some really unusual plants, including a few tender varieties which won't last the winter without protection but are wonderful in the garden through the summer months. I have, amongst others, Lavendula canariensis, which has lovely fern-like leaves and spikes of bright blue flowers. The leaves smell exactly like Robinson's barley water - well, to me, anyway.

 

To take the cutting now, will it have to be a non-flowering stem, as the whole thing looks like it has flowered?
Thanks Armandii and ClaraLou. It's such a fab plant!

 

The following link suggests that you use non-flowered shoots, but if you really can't find any I'd suggest you still have a go. My stick-in-a-pot-and-hope-for-the-best method sometimes works very well, I find.

How to take lavender cuttings | gardenersworld.com