Easter Bonnet Lavender Alyssum

Easter Bonnet Lavender is a compact sweet alyssum with fragrant lavender flowers and an especially early display. PanAmerican Seed lists the named cultivar in its Easter Bonnet range and describes the series as uniform, compact, fragrant and early flowering; its cultivar facts give a mounded, spreading and trailing habit, with a typical height of 4–10 inches and width of 10–12 inches ([PanAmerican Seed product guide](https://www.panamseed.com/media/culture/PAS/13010_PAS_PIG.pdf), [PanAmerican Seed Easter Bonnet profile](https://www.panamseed.com/Products/003500482005764/alyssum-easter-bonnet-violet/)). ## Form and use The low mound suits edging along paths and the front of beds, where its small, four-petalled flowers can soften a hard edge. Lavender is the named color form; PanAmerican Seed’s series information says its flowers are fragrant and its plants remain compact and tidy. ## Siting and soil The species is Lobularia maritima in Brassicaceae. Grow in sun and light, moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Sow or plant for cool-season color; sweet alyssum is usually grown as an annual, though it can act as a short-lived perennial in mild conditions. The Royal Horticultural Society recommends clipping after the first flush to encourage further flowering and notes potential problems with slugs, flea beetles and downy mildew ([RHS sweet alyssum profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/124133/lobularia-maritima/details)). ## Maintenance Clip lightly after the first flush if continued flowering is wanted. Remove spent or damaged growth and avoid leaving the plant in saturated soil.