Pull in the pollinators!

If you want a plant that is great for bees and butterflies, with colour and scent from summer to early autumn, agastache or giant hyssop is the answer, says Hazel Sillver

- Hazel Sillver

OFFERING incredible flower power and a rich supply of nectar, agastaches, also known as giant hyssops, are increasingly popular perennials. From midsummer to autumn, their attractive flower spikes provide informal charm and a steady show of colour. They also boast richly aromatic leaves, which can smell of liquorice, mint or lemon, and this means that slugs and other pests leave them alone. But the main pull for the modern gardener is their wildlife appeal.

“Agastache is a powerhouse when it comes to pollinator gardens,” says landscape designer Nathan Tuno, who works at Roots Landscape Inc. “My favourites are ‘Blue Fortune’, ‘Tango’ and ‘Kudos Ambrosia’. They have a blooming season that lasts until the first frosts. Mix these three varieties in your garden and you will have pollinators a-buzzing!”

One of the best plants for bees

Bee expert Dave Goulson, author of Gardening for Bumblebees, states that giant hyssop is “one of the very best plants for bees” and highly recommends the variety ‘Blackadder’.

Giant hyssops are closely related to regular hyssop (Hyssopus), another bee favourite, which hails from the Mediterranean and, being a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae), agastaches are also related to lavender, nepeta, monarda, salvia, thyme and rosemary, all of which are aromatic plants loved by bees and other pollinators.