Lavender Collapse - Can it be saved?

Several lavender shrubs I look after seem to have collapsed slightly leaving the centre of the shrubs exposed, showing the less attractive woody tangle of stems beneath.

I suspect this may have been caused by the winter snows or perhaps the heavy rain we've been having this spring.

Any other theories as to the cause are welcome.

More importantly, does anyone know of a way to restore these shrubs to the nice, compact globe-like shape they were before?

Many thanks to you all in advance.

Lavender will not grow back if you cut it back to old wood.  So really all you can do is give them a light trim and possible try to tie them together a bit to disguise the wood.  Use any trimmings to take cuttings so that you can replace the old plants next year.

When they reach this stage of age, it is indeed best to take cuttings and prepare to start again.  Lavenders are not on the whole a very long lived plant - some of mine have set seed and self seeded into the gravel path, nice surprise that was.   Much is said about not cutting into old wood, but having done so many times - usually because I am going to pull the plant out, they have often recovered!!  Lucklily the plants don't read the books, or the threads.

Yep, Lavenders don't live very long (and start to look ropey after about 4 or 5 years) they're easy to take cuttings from so, as said, take some cuttings now and prepare to replace the plants by spring.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Perhaps I shall take cuttings from some and hack into the wood of one or two (just to please you, Bookertoo ) and see what happens.

Was very interested to learn that Lavendar is shortlived. Will bear that in mind for future plantings.

Many thanks

I shall be interested to see what happens if you do cut into the wood, maybe hack is not quite the phrase I might have used!  Let me know if it lives or dies, and please don't berate me too much if it doesn't work!