Fothergill's Bergamot Panorama Mixed Seeds

Details:

• Botanical Name: Monarda didyma (Labiatae), a hardy perennial native to North America, named in honour of botanist Nicholas Monardes.
• High Nectar Yield: Specifically favoured by pollinators; these flowers provide a vital food source for bees and butterflies throughout the summer months.
• Aromatic Foliage: The young leaves contain "false bergamot" oils, offering a pleasant scent and making them a traditional and fragrant addition to pot pourri.
• Growth Habit: Features a tall, upright habit reaching approximately 90cm (36in), providing excellent structure and height at the back of garden borders.
• Plant Class: A reliable hardy perennial that is trouble-free to grow, flowering for the first time the year after sowing and returning faithfully every summer.
• Ideal Positioning: Thrives in partial shade, making it a versatile choice for those trickier spots in the garden that don't receive full day-long sun.
• Heritage Appeal: A traditional garden favourite with a rich botanical history that brings a touch of classic wild-flower elegance to any outdoor space.

Care Instructions:

• Sowing: Sow seeds thinly indoors from February to May in trays of quality seed compost. Lightly cover the seeds with a fine layer of compost or vermiculite.
• Germination: Place in a propagator or a warm, bright position at a temperature of 15-20°C. Keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged.
• Transplanting: When seedlings are large enough to handle, move them into individual 7.5cm pots. Harden off gradually before planting out in autumn or the following spring.
• Soil Preference: Prefers moist, well-drained soil; Bergamot is particularly successful in soils that do not dry out completely during the height of summer.
• Maintenance: Cut back the stems to ground level in late autumn after the foliage has died back to encourage vigorous new growth the following spring.