New kids on the block
Like I needed any more plants in the jungle, ummm I mean garden, I added a few more to the menagerie last year. I know, I know, I have a problem that professional help couldn't fix (don't we all) but I must say, in my defense, it is so hard to walk past the plants at the garden centers! After all, I wouldn't want to be rude and the little darlings think I was ignoring them! After a year of being in the garden, here are some observations......
Agastache or Anise Hyssop, although technically this is not Hyssop. For all but one species, Agastache is native to North America. The giant purple that grows natural in the eastern half of the country is on the threatened to endangered list. I first got to know this plant at the garden center when I noticed that while it was blooming, I couldn't get close to it because of the bee activity. To say bees love it is an understatement. Thumbs up for that alone. The leaves have a fresh minty fragrance and the lime green color goes wonderful with the pale purple blooms. Will reseed easily, but I haven't noticed it to be a problem.
Autumn Sage Rose Pink. Salvia greggii. I just noticed this year that I must subconsciously have a love affair with sages. And why not!? There are so many varieties with a choice of color of blooms, the leaves are aromatic and they're just a good all around plant. This one I picked because I liked the chartreuse color of bloom and it is evergreen in my climate. It is drought tolerant ...once established!!!....and blooms for most of the season. Takes full sun and well drained soil. It's been a winner.
This yellow one is a low growing, small leaf primrose. I'm crazy about the tall wild primrose that have the most beautiful, clear color yellow flower, so purchasing this was a natural. Besides, I needed something to go underneath the birdbath that didn't get too tall. It took it a bit to get established, but that was more for the fact that it is on a slope where I planted it. Plenty of sun where it is at and it does get moisture from spraying out and filling the birdbath.
Ornamental Allium. I had always wanted to grow these as I think the blooms are really funky. They come in bags in the bulb section that the stores put out in the fall and well, I just couldn't pass them up. The leaves first start appearing in the early Spring and remind you more of a tulip leaf than an onion. The flower stalks will get to 3 feet tall at least, so they are usually used at the back of a border. I just put them here and there because honestly, there is not enough foliage to hide a shorter plant and I like a more random look anyway. They also come in white that I got but the purple shows up much better.
Santolina Neapolitan (grey Santolina) - I bought this at a small herb nursery as I had never heard of this plant and was curious. I also liked the fine grey/green foliage. It has done wonderful. Evergreen in my zone 6b-7, has no pests that I have seen, drought tolerant and the leaves have a wonderful scent. The little button yellow flowers are an added bonus. The average height is 30", it likes well drained soil that is sweet. Lime can be added but I just planted in regular soil and it is doing fine. Suppose to propagate easily by layering, so I'm going to give it a try. It has been traditionally used in herb knot gardens with boxwood, so it would be great to have extra plants for the herb garden. Also suppose to repel moths and is a great companion plants to repel other harmful insects. Worth a try.
Yellow Baptisia or false Lupine. When I worked at the garden center, a customer had given me a start of this plant a few years ago. I used to have a blue Baptisia awhile ago and had always liked them. Only I had made one mistake...I moved the blue one and it died. Found out later that they do not like to be disturbed, so plant where you want it to stay. I'm adding this one to this list because although it's been in the garden a few years, this is the first year it has really bloomed. What a beauty! Want to note that it just finished blooming, so it is late spring flowering. Hearty zone 5-9, likes full sun and is a legume, or member of the pea family, so it will fix nitrogen to the roots, so watch over fertilizing. I planted this in average garden soil and have never fertilized.
Would like to make one more comment...a few of these plants are drought tolerant but please note that a plant is drought tolerant ......once established!!! When first planting, water as you would any other plant until the plant has time to settle into it's new home.
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