Anise hyssop

If you’re looking for flowers in the Meditation Garden right now, you’ll find Anise hyssop. Here is a picture, so you can greet the plant by name.

And here is some information, from the Xerces Society’s website:

“Giant Blue Hyssop

Agastache foeniculum

“Members of the mint family tend to be highly attractive to bees, and giant hyssop is no exception – in fact, it happens to be one of the most attractive plants for bees and supports a diversity of pollinators. Historically, mass plantings of giant blue hyssop were established in parts of the Midwest and Canada specifically as a “honey plant” to support apiaries. While bees probe the deep tubular flowers for nectar, skippers, fritillaries, and the occasional hummingbird may also visit the plant.

“Though it is in the mint family, it does not spread aggressively like culinary mint, though it may be prone to re-seeding throughout the garden. As it’s generally ignored by rabbits and deer, it may be used as a barrier to keep them away from more sensitive plants.”

So, it has a long bloom time, and deer don’t like it. Great!

If you see any pollinators around the plants, let us know in the comments section.