This bed looked glorious all summer – and now looks terrible.
I had a Six Hills Giant nepeta (bottom left – this is dead, right?) next to a thing with pink flowers (bottom right – Spiraea japonica “Anthony Waterer” – looks nearly dead). I also had a Phlox in there (definitely dead). The only thing that seems to still be alive is the Escallonia “Iveyi”.
It’s a bit of a bugger because I’d thought that nepetas were virtually indestructible. Monty Don said they were. So, do I (1) replace it with another (bees went crazy for it and it revived quite a few we found in the house), (2) put something else there or (3) be lazy and just bung some lavender in there (bear in mind that my whole sodding garden will be a bunch of lavender at this rate)?
It has occurred to me that the reason so many plants keep dying may not be all the rain but may be slugs instead. They don’t eat lavender or rosemary. However, I still have some (very tired looking) sage so they haven’t eaten that.
Why not try something completely different? What would you like to see in this area?
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Sorry, that was a bit of a whingey post. Thing is, I did loads of research before planting (and spent quite a lot) so it rather breaks the heart to start again.
I think what I’ll end up doing is pottering around my local garden centre and choosing some stuff at random (this is a bit cheaper than ordering online).
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The Spirea should be ok. It has some leaves and what looks like buds forming. It may need a bit of a trim though. Look to see if there are any buds or anything pushing from the base.
The Escallonia is, as you said, fine. Leave that.
The Nepeta usually dies back to the ground so you may not have lost it. Be careful not to damage any new shoots if you see them.
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Ah wicked, thanks! My husband will be really pleased if I don’t have to spend yet more cash on new plants.
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Monty Don is right. You would be hard pressed to kill a Nepeta. We have a mild climate but the Nepeta still dies away completely above ground every year but it comes back even stronger the next. The bees adore the Nepeta and it won’t be too long now before you will see some fresh green shoots. Amelia
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