Lavender is a gorgeous perennial herb to grow, and it brings color, texture, and a beautiful scent to your garden and yard. While you can certainly grow it alone, there are a variety of beautiful plants that pair nicely with lavender in the garden. These options can range from herbs to flowers, or even growing lavender with garden vegetables. One unexpected but brilliant combo to consider is growing your lavender alongside strawberries.

Not only do lavender plants and strawberries taste delicious together, but they also make perfect garden companions. Both plants thrive in similar growing conditions and have similar lighting needs. With lavender (Lavandula spp.) hardy in zones 5 through 9 , depending on the specific species, and strawberries (Fragaria spp.) hardy in ,zones 3 through 9 depending on the specific species and cultivar, there is also a significant amount of overlap in which areas these two plants can thrive in.

Both lavender and strawberries can be purchased either as young plants or as seeds, depending on the specific cultivar. Regardless of whether you decide to start your strawberries and lavenders from seed or buy young potted plants for your garden, it’s important to pick a good spot for them. Both strawberries and lavender need well-draining soil to grow their best. They also both thrive in full to part sun.

While lavender can grow up to 3 feet, strawberries generally don’t grow larger than around 12 inches. So consider growing your lavender toward the back of your garden bed while using your strawberries as a delicious ground cover toward the front. If you have extra space, you can even add in other herbs and vegetables that pair well with strawberries and create even more biodiversity in your garden. Pollinators like bees and butterflies are sure to appreciate your stunning garden as well.