And the Forecast Is....

You guessed it...rain! The local doppler radar this AM doesn't look hopeful. I feel like I am in Hilo, HI, the rainy side of the Big Island. This is like the rainstorms you see there. I did hear the birds tweeting earlier but I think they are even putting on their snorkel gear! So for today, I want to tell you about a great plant that attracts hummingbirds to our garden every year. I don't entice the birds with feeders - just plants. We do have a perfect habitat (meadow and woodland edge) but it's the flowers and the small habitats we have created that bring them within ten feet. One of our favorite plants (and it is not drooping in this rain) is catmint. There are several varieties but this is our favorite - Nepeta sibirica 'Souvenir 'd Andre Chaudron'. It is hardy to zone 3-8 and as Van Berkum Nursery (http://www.vanberkumnursery.com/) has listed on their site, "A wicked rugged plant...that can stand the test of time." This versatile plant is drought tolerant and has a long bloom. Our plants have grown five feet although the catalogs may say 2-3'. It will depend on your site conditions. But give it room as it is robust enough to smother out even the toughest of weeds . Keep transplanting it in different areas of your garden. That's one thing we can continue to do in this wet weather!

A photo of Nepeta sibirica 'Souvenir d'Andre Chaudron' in our garden on a sunny day.