A Taste of Honey

A sure way to pick out the monardas in a prairie-style border is to listen for the loud buzzing of the insects that are drawn to this rich source of nectar. The buzz explains the plant’s common name of ‘bee balm’ – although, in fact, not all bees can reach the nectar in the long tubular flowers. “Short-tongued bumblebees have to bite through the base of the flower to reach the nectar, leaving holes that honey bees use later on,” explains Carole Whittaker of Glyn Bach Gardens, who, with her husband Peter, has established a National Collection of Monarda in their six-acre, wildlife-friendly garden in Pembrokeshire.

With some 100 different