Monarda 'Scorpion'

bergamot

2 litre pot £8.99 Buy
+
-
1 year guarantee

  • Position: full sun or partial shade
  • Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained soil
  • Rate of growth: average
  • Flowering period: July to September
  • Hardiness: fully hardy

    Whorls of vibrant, reddish-purple flowers surrounded by purple bracts from July to September, and aromatic, mid green leaves. This striking bergamot is perfect towards the back of a sunny, well-drained, moisture retentive border. Disease resistant and taller than other varieties, the tall purple stems must be supported with brushwood or canes before the flowers appear.

  • Garden care: Most monardas can be capricious, and do not like soil that is either too damp or too dry. These plants are susceptible to powdery mildew, and while this rarely causes long-term damage, it can look unsightly towards the end of the summer. You can help reduce this by applying a 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted organic matter around each plant. Resist cutting bergamot back in autumn, since the stiff, vertical stems look good all winter.


Penstemon 'Sour Grapes'

beard tongue

Greyish-blue flowers with metallic sheen

£7.99 Buy

Echinacea purpurea

coneflower

Long lasting, rosy purple flowers.

£7.99 Buy

Perovskia 'Blue Spire'

Russian sage

Violet-blue flowers and silvery foliage. Great planted en masse

£9.99 Buy

Eryngium yuccifolium

button eryngo

Distinctive strap-shaped foliage

£8.99 Buy
 

Prairie

Indulge a passion for ornamental grasses by creating a prairie- or meadow-style garden. They can be richly planted with native wildflowers or a selection of complementary perennials and self-seeding annuals to create a naturalistic planting effect. Prairie gardens often...

Read full article