Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Yearbook 2013: Your most favorite plant, flower, shrub, tree, 1 by happy_macomb

happy_macomb wrote:
For me, last year's most special plant was Agastache Purple Haze, http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFind... and http://www.northcreeknurseries.com/plantName/Agastache--Purp...

I planted "Purple Haze" on my awful front hill which is an arid, ugly hill that previously had just sported vinca, poison ivy and weeds. It was one of many plants I tried out on that hill. I started that project in the fall of 2012. I was dubious whether anything I planted on that hill would "take." And many of the ornamental grasses that I planted in 2012 on that hill did not make it through that first winter. Most of the perennials were ok, but not robust.

In any event, I planted the Agastache in very late 2012. I gave its selection very little thought -- it was just one of many plants pulled out of a hat because they could take a mostly sunny spot, with little supplemental water, weren't fussy, were long-lived, and weren't deer candy. I don't think Agastache is supposed to be long-lived, but I gave it a shot anyway because Donnerville kept urging me to try it. I thought Agastache liked good drainage, which I don't have. I didn't really believe Donner's assessment of its merits and I wasn't optimistic about its prospects.

To my shock, it bloomed early and spectacularly and -- to my continued shock -- it kept blooming for most of the summer. "Purple Haze" is well named - it was airy and gloriously purple and splendid. And it was a bee magnet. And it just kept blooming. It was a focal point. A "heart be still" event. Who knew?

It is a fairly big plant -- a bit taller than the 2.5 feet Mobot gives it. I planted 6 plants together on 2 square yards (three plants to a square yard). They were by far the most successful of the plants on my awful front hill, in my opinion. I also planted two other Agastache -- "Golden Jubilee" (from Donner) and "Black Adder" (from Santa Rosa). I planted them in the spring of 2013 -- might be that they need a winter before they can get going (as I said, I planted "Purple Haze in late 2012). They were not special in 2013.

There was nothing I didn't love about "Purple Haze" last year.

My photos of it from last year do not do it justice. The attached photo is from North Creek. Mine were not this upright -- they were more fountain-like. They didn't sprawl, but they were open rather than erect. They blended to together and looked like a single plant, though there were 6 together.

As much as I loved it, my husband never remarked on "Purple Haze" -- and trust me, I dragged him out to look at that hill every day so he had plenty of chances. He instead focused on plants that did nothing for me.

Which is one of the many magical things about gardening -- we each find delight in what pleases us, even if what catches our eye means nothing to the person standing next to us. It is both a private and a very public celebration.

It remains to be seen whether "Purple Haze" will do well in follow-up years. I am fickle, and in 2014 expect to be drawn to some plant as yet unknown....

This message was edited Jan 29, 2014 10:26 AM