Bergamot (Syn. Snow Maiden)

£5.99

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 wonderful, long-lasting, tufted, white flowers surrounded by a ruff of green bracts appear from July to September, above pointed, aromatic, mid-green leaves. This elegant bergamot associates well with other late-flowering perennials such as achillea and veronicastrum, or with ornamental grasses. It looks gorgeous planted en masse in the middle of a sunny, moisture-retentive herbaceous border, where it will be smothered with butterflies and bees during the flowering period. 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.

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