A wonderful piece and timely! I've been studying my Mixed Border and wondering what's missing. There are lots of tall plants, like Monarda digyma, too many actually. They tend to form large clusters, as you know. I recently visited Pollinator Paradise in Pillsboro, NC, and saw what I was missing — tall, spiky plants. The beds were peppered with deep purple Liatris spicata. It was stunning; now I'm on a hunt. In the past, I grew them, but they were floppy and needed staking. I'm cursed with the need for tidiness. I should get over the listing or plan to stake. Either way, I will be adding other spikey plants to my bed. P.S. That answers a lot of unanswered questions I had in my garden--folks! Those cheeky beasts!
Thanks Helen! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I love the vertical exclamation points they make. Have you tried culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum? It's one of my favorites and forms large clumps of candle-like flowers. Maybe you already grow it.
A wonderful piece and timely! I've been studying my Mixed Border and wondering what's missing. There are lots of tall plants, like Monarda digyma, too many actually. They tend to form large clusters, as you know. I recently visited Pollinator Paradise in Pillsboro, NC, and saw what I was missing — tall, spiky plants. The beds were peppered with deep purple Liatris spicata. It was stunning; now I'm on a hunt. In the past, I grew them, but they were floppy and needed staking. I'm cursed with the need for tidiness. I should get over the listing or plan to stake. Either way, I will be adding other spikey plants to my bed. P.S. That answers a lot of unanswered questions I had in my garden--folks! Those cheeky beasts!
Thanks Helen! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I love the vertical exclamation points they make. Have you tried culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum? It's one of my favorites and forms large clumps of candle-like flowers. Maybe you already grow it.
I do grow it, and it's a great pollinator plant; however, the white color is washed away in my hot-colored garden.