Anise Hyssop (Agastache x) has been a popular plant this year. Its sturdy stems hold large, colorful flower spikes in purples, pinks and oranges. ‘Blue Fortune’ seen in the middle, has a long, dense flower head and is an awesome perennial to attract butterflies and other pollinators. ‘Black Addar’ has deep purple flower buds that open to violet-blue spikes. They range from about 2-3′ tall. ‘Bolero’, which is a pink bloomer, is a more compact plant getting about 16-18″ and ‘Tango’ (A. aurantiaca) seen here along the front has more open flower spikes and is also a shorter grower to about 14″ with gray-green foliage. They all have leaves that have a distinct minty fragrance so if you’re worried about deer, that fresh scent keeps them at a distance.

Plant in full sun in well-drained soil. They will not survive in standing or constantly moist soil so it’s a great plant for sites needing drought tolerant plants. It’s also salt tolerant so keep it in mind for down by the shore.

Have containers that need to bridge the seasonal gap? ‘Bolero’ and ‘Tango’ would work well alone or with other companions like Sedum cauticola (Stonecrop), Heuchera (Coralbells) or the Ornamental Cabbages.