Bee balm (Monarda didyma) is an herbaceous perennial plant in the mint family that’s easy to grow and care for. Its vibrant summer flowers and medicinal properties make it a valuable plant for humans and wildlife. It’s also commonly known as ‘bergamot plant’, not to be confused with the completely unrelated citrus fruit whose peel is used to flavour Earl Grey tea.
It’s native to North America, where it was traditionally used by Native American tribes for medicinal purposes. The plant was used to treat a variety of ailments, including sore throats, colds and fever. Today, bee balm is still used in herbal medicine, and its leaves can be used to make a tea that is believed to have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.
How to grow bee balm
Growing and caring for bee balm in your own garden is easy. It’s a great plant choice for gardeners looking to attract native wildlife to their garden, while also enjoying the beauty of its bright-red, pink or purple flowers that are like magnets to pollinators.
Bee balm has natural insect-repelling properties, so it can be used as a ‘companion plant’ to repel pests such as aphids, flea beetles and spider mites. Planting it alongside vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers can help to deter these pests, and promote healthy growth.
Where to grow bee balm
Bee balm needs full sun to partial shade and requires a free-draining, moist soil, but it can tolerate dry conditions once established. In terms of climate, bee balm is a hardy plant that can withstand temperatures as low as -20°C. It’s also drought-resistant, making it an excellent choice for gardens in areas prone to dry spells and as part of a ‘water-wise’ garden.
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Early in the fall, I was delighted to find this fallen redbud leaf with this unusual, sculpted edge. This leaf is evidence of bee activity much earlier in the year. This is the work of female leafcutter bees (Megachile spp.) who cut out leaf semi-circles with their strong mandibles. Each leaf piece becomes a nursery for a single egg provisioned with a pollen loaf. Leafcutter bees often nest in hollow stems and other cavities, sometimes in the ground. Unlike other bees who store pollen on their legs, leafcutter bees carry it on the undersides of their abdomens. These are solitary bees, so each nest is typically individually situated, and the bees are generally gentle and non-aggressive.
Silver birch (Betula pendula) is a deciduous tree with a slender shape and graceful appearance, which has given rise to its lovely name of the ‘lady of the woods’. Silver birch trees look attractive year-round with white bark, spring catkins and yellow autumn leaf colour. The catkins and seeds are popular with wildlife such as bees and birds, while several species of moth lay eggs on birch leaves.
Hardy fuchsias are commonly grown in UK gardens, and it’s no surprise – many flower from June to November and need very little care. Native to Central and South America, most hardy fuchsias survive UK winters (RHS hardiness rating H4), although some may still require protection from the harshest weather (RHS hardiness rating H3 or H2). In milder parts of the UK, hardy fuchsias can grow into a shrub up to 3m in height but in colder regions they may be damaged by frost and require cutting back to the base, from where they regrow in spring.
A great tree for multi-season interest, Lagerstroemia fauriei adds a decorative flourish from summer to winter. The Japanese crepe myrtle, as it is also known, is a deciduous tree with gorgeous fall color. This crepe myrtle also develops beautiful summer blossoms and attractive peeling red and brown bark.
Mahonias are woody evergreen shrubs and the best of them flower in winter. In the past, they were regarded as something to shove in the shady corner or, even more insultingly, as car park plants. But now – thanks to the demand for architectural foliage – they are having their moment in the sun... or, rather, their moment in light shade, which is where they prefer to be.
Who would be without a hellebore or two in the dark months of February and early March, when we long for the onset of spring? Their generous, characterful flowers bring colour and hope to the garden when we need it most, and they really don’t need much to keep them happy.
As inextricable from mass festive wares as tinsel and paper hats, the poinsettia blazes red in most shops and homes during December. Being such an omnipresent sight makes it unappealing for many of us, but, thankfully – if the standard scarlet species makes you wince – there are less common forms available that are well worth buying to brighten the house this Christmas.
Should you be stopped in your tracks by the blazing colour of a tree this autumn, it is likely to be a maple (Acer). Their distinctive palmate leaves burn breathtaking, vivid shades of scarlet, ruby, or gold before they fall, outshining most trees in the vicinity. Some acers also offer colourful spring foliage; others have a sculptural spreading shape with multiple trunks; and a few provide attractive bark during the winter months.