LAVATERA T. BARNSLEY

Overview and Features

Lavatera thuringiaca ‘Barnsley’ is a fast-growing, deciduous shrub celebrated for its abundant pale pink, hollyhock-like flowers and soft, silver-green foliage. A standout variety, ‘Barnsley’ produces delicate, open-faced blooms with pale pink petals and a darker pink flush in the centre, offering months of colour in summer and early autumn.

This plant is a classic cottage garden favourite, prized for its ability to fill large spaces quickly, tolerate dry conditions, and attract pollinators. While technically a sub-shrub or shrubby perennial, it is often grown like a small flowering tree due to its upright form.

• Produces soft pink blooms with a dark pink centre

• Flowers from June to September

• Upright, bushy habit: typically 1.5–2.5 m high x 1–1.5 m wide

• Deciduous – dies back in winter and reshoots from the base in spring

• Attracts bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects

• Makes an excellent back-of-border or informal hedge plant

Growing Conditions and Maintenance

Lavatera ‘Barnsley’ is undemanding and robust, thriving in most well-drained soils and full sun. With a little care, it will reward with vigorous growth and masses of blooms.

• Light Requirements:

  • Prefers full sun for best flowering

  • Will tolerate light shade, but with fewer blooms

• Soil Preferences:

  • Grows in most well-drained soils

  • Tolerates poor, sandy, or chalky soil

  • Avoid heavy clay or soggy conditions

• Watering:

  • Water regularly during dry spells, especially in the first year

  • Once established, fairly drought-tolerant

  • Avoid overwatering or waterlogged roots

• Feeding:

  • Feed in spring with a general-purpose fertiliser

  • Add organic mulch annually to improve soil and retain moisture

• Pruning and Maintenance:

  • Prune hard in early spring—cut back all stems to 15–30 cm above ground

  • This promotes strong, bushy new growth and better flowering

  • Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowers and prolong display

Seasonal Impact and Garden Uses

‘Barnsley’ brings a romantic, airy presence to summer borders and is especially useful for filling gaps or softening fences and walls.

• Flowering Time:

  • From early June to September, sometimes longer in mild conditions

• Garden Design Applications:

  • Perfect for cottage gardens, coastal sites, wildlife borders, or informal screens

  • Works well as a standalone specimen or in groups for mass effect

  • Suitable for large containers, though requires support and regular watering

• Companion Plants:

  • Beautiful with Salvia, Verbena bonariensis, Echinacea, Rudbeckia, and Lavandula

  • Mix with grasses or grey-foliage plants for soft contrast

• Pest and Disease Resistance:

  • Generally pest-free and disease-resistant

  • May suffer stem dieback if not pruned hard or if poorly drained

• Size
  3 lt

We currently only deliver within the island of Ireland, other countries can be quoted for by contacting [email protected] or via telephone on 06964084
 

Standard Delivery is FREE on orders over €250*

All standard deliveries will be completed within 5-7 working days via Fastway Couriers, any delay to this delivery time, the customer will be notified by One of our staff.

The in-Store delivery charge will vary compared with online, in-store delivery charge is done on a case by case basis. 

* Only mainland Ireland addresses qualify for free delivery.
 

Live Plants Delivery

Our live plants are packed with care and diligence by our staff, our horticulturists review each plant before despatch to ensure quality is maintained.
Live Plant delivery charges are not calculated on weight but on the space required per package to ensure safe delivery, so delivery charges may vary as some plants require more space than others when packed.
All live plants are despatched within 3-5 working days where possible, our couriers aim to deliver within 48 hours of despatch from our Garden Centre to allow the plant to arrive in healthy condition.
 

Click & Collect

Can’t wait for delivery? Why not try our FREE Click & Collect service? Simply make your purchase online and collect it from our store located in Croagh Co. Limerick. Our staff will contact you by phone when your order is ready for collection (Please allow 24 hours minimum). When collecting your item, call the store on 069-64084. We will then load into your car as required. This service is available in-store 9am – 6pm Monday – Saturday (No collections on Sundays)

Click here for more information about our shipping conditions.

You can pay your online order either by credit card or via Paypal.
If you have any further questions about the online order payment please contact us via ­069 640 84 or mail.