My garden is not just for me, but for all of the critters that inhabit the landscape. So this month when I did my walks around the garden, I tried to notice the pollinators and which plants they were attracted to. The place was full of activity!
This is black cohosh (Actaea racemosa) which is planted next to our outdoor shower. It is covered with bees for about a month, but they never bother us while we use the shower. This vignette is a favorite. The white is narrow-leaf mountain mint (Pyncanthemum tenuifolia), the yellow is black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), and the blue is downy skullcap (Scutellaria incana). This spreading perennial, broad-leaved mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum), seems to attract the smaller bees and other pollinators.Right in the center is a native bumblebee, exploring the blooms of the sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’). The clethras are one of the few shrubs that bloom in mid-summer. Another native bumblebee, this time on the anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum ‘Blue Fortune’). This is actually not a native in New England, and it only lasts a few years in our poor soils, but I still include it in my garden, replacing it every few years as needed.And finally, this butterfly on the Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium dubium)!
Goldenrod Garden 