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Wednesday 27 February 2008

Hyssops .. I must have them !!

I wasn't actually going to get to a post today .. but I have a chocolate buzz and I can't help myself now ! LOL
Ok .. seriously now .. I have a favorite type of plant that yet again I would not go without. It may not be the best looking plant in the garden but it packs a punch with anise aroma and what a bee/butterfly magnet ! .. If you need pollination of something in your garden, grow hyssops because insects are drawn in by the "yard" full !
I started out with the common anise hyssop .. I have no idea if it is Blue Fortune or not. I just know it knocked me over with its scent .. I was totally in love and smitten for life with these plants. Next I became a little daring and planted "Golden Jubilee" .. I read, that depending on the source of information , its zones went from 7 to possibly 4 .. BIG gap there right ? .. I tried not to fall in love with this one thinking it wouldn't make it through our quirky winters .. That was 3 years ago now, and to my surprise and complete happiness it has volunteers dotted in a few places last year .. I was stunned and so darn happy it was ridiculous .. Only other gardeners KNOW what I mean .. doesn't matter your level of expertise .. that feeling goes across the board when we are in garden heaven happiness !
In any case .. I'm still crossing my fingers the volunteers made it through this LONG winter .. I hope to see them this Spring and have that goofy grin on my face that hubby shakes his head in wonder about !
These are my pictures from last year mid August .. drought time .. so even then it was holding its own quite well .. the "gold" isn't showing up as dramatically as it really is .. but none the less an eye popper !
Hyssop information http://www.gardenerspath.com/plantguide/anisehyssop.html
http://www.gardencrossings.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/503/index.htm


22 comments:

VP said...

Joy - Hyssops were in my Special Seed Stash too - so I'm looking forward in joining you in appreciating this plant this year.

Marie said...

I know what you mean!

Beautiful garden photos!

Anonymous said...

I love them too!! I like the Proven Winners Color Spires Pink and Alcapulco Salmon and Pink! Color Spries Pink really attracts the butterflies and is very drought tolerant!
Here is the site for them:
http://www.provenwinners.com/plants/default.cfm?doSearch=1&searchKeywords=hyssop&btnSearch=go

Robin's Nesting Place said...

I had hyssop last year and really enjoyed it.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi VP
It really is an amazing plant to have and I appreciated it right from the get go with the scent ! You are going to be enjoying the inhaling of anise too ! LOL

Hi Marie !
Thanks ! your photos of the crocus were really nice too !

Hi Anna !
Thanks for the link .. I'm going to look them up .. and I am SO a Proven Winners fan it isn't funny .. love their products !

Hi Robin!
Yup .. it is an essential to me now in the garden .. great for pollinating insects.

Anonymous said...

Hi, beautiful garden :)
though i'm not really interested with hyssop.

anyway, i'm deadly curious to know the name of the flower in your photo - the yellowish one in the right hand side with 5 petals.

DO you know the name for that flower?

Aunt Debbi/kurts mom said...

How pretty. This makes me a little sad:( I've tried to grow it a couple of times, but it crispy fried in our summer heat. Guess I'll just have to stick to stinky salvia.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello fiore
The flower is of my Morden Sunrise . A very hardy, compact shrub rose. My favorite actually !
Thanks for stopping by.

Hi Debbie
You really have a hard time with heat exhaustion there .. almost desert conditions ? LOL .. Here we have to worry about getting plants through the winter. Is there a moderate in between place in the world .. other than the UK ? LOL

Gail said...

joy,

Pretty garden...

Is that a baptisia next to the hyssop
Another of my favorite plants....purple/blue?

Enjoy the day,
Gail

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi Gail
Yup .. the standard one .. but I would love to have some of the new coloured ones .. Prarie Smoke or Twilght Blues ..
This took patience ..it needed a few years in my garden to get nice and big .. and with our drought summers I'm surprised that is hung in there ! I really like them a lot : )

Mary Beth said...

You had me wanting to plant hyssop for a minute there - until you mentioned zone 4-7. I wonder if there's a heat-loving variety for my zone 9b garden . . . Thanks for the message about my mesquite - it led me to your blog!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi Marybeth
Maybe planting one as an annual might be the way to go ? .. I didn't think the Golden Jubilee would make it here but it has been a wonderful treat so far !
Joy

Anonymous said...

halo Joy,
thanks for your info regarding morden sunrise. it is beautiful :)

Anonymous said...

I did a whole post of Hyssops just for you :).

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi fiore
You are welcome .. it truly is my favorite and I take so many pictures of it, it is ridiculous .. but once smitten .. you can't help yourself !

Hi Anna
I'm going to get over to your side and have a good long look ! Thank you .. I'm happy to inspire my favorite plants for you to post on ! : )

Ellen Zachos said...

What an excellent photo gallery you have, wonderful plant choicces and lovely pictures.

Melanie Chopay said...

Joy, a friend of mine gave me a few seedlings of her golden Hyssops. I need to move them to a better spot because your's looks better than mine :-) Honestly, I really love them just have to work on that combination thing.

More importantly, I'm going out to buy some chocolate RIGHT NOW. Last night my oldest daughter called me to let me know what train she was taking home from college today. She added that she had just been visited by the "time of the month" fairy. Me too, was my reply, my younger daughter heard me at that moment and shouted ME TOO! HOly cow, we need chocolate around here. My lucky husband just left on a trip a few minutes ago, the man could've been insane by Sunday otherwise.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi ellen
Thank you for visiting my blog ! I had a nice visit on yours too !
Thanks !

Hi melanie
Well .. the famous phrase "OOPS, I did it AGAIN" for me .. those little foil wrapped chocolate Easter eggs .. went grocery shopping and was totally over come with the NEED .. this is one "wolfing" chocolate cycle .. next I will be howling at the moon !
Enjoy the chocolate with your girls it is a "good thing !" LOL

quu said...

Greetings from Finland! :)

I am so happy to see that you have Golden as well, it is so beautiful plant. :) and pretty pictures too!

I grew Golden Jubilee from seed last spring. I wish, that I can see plant again spring to come! Winter has been warm..


-quu-

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello quu !
Welcome to my little bit of Canada !
Yes .. I am so happy to not only have it come back , but seedlings have grown in the garden around it as well .. now that really makes me happy .. Good Luck with yours ! I hope it comes back too !
Joy

Vérone said...

Magnifique !!!
Vérone

CanadianGardenJoy said...

merci verone !!
Joy : )