For many gardeners the Latin names of plants may seem an unnecessary complication but in fact they are usually the only way to be sure of getting exactly the plant you want. They’re worth mastering because once you understand how the botanical system of family, genus, species, hybrid and cultivated variety (cultivar) it helps you understand how the plants are related and how the differences and similarities of cultivars have evolved. This is especially helpful with the lavenders, where things are even more complicated.

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