Monarda 'Gardenview Scarlet'

Monarda 'Gardenview Scarlet': Classic Scarlet, Mildew Not Invited

'Gardenview Scarlet' has the best seat in the house and the hummingbirds know it. Bright scarlet heads sit on pink-tipped bracts that turn bronze, like a fancy cocktail with a garnish. TABLE FOR ONE HUNDRED.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Monarda 'Gardenview Scarlet'
• Common Name: Bee Balm
• Height: 90–120 cm (3–4 ft)
• Spread: 60–90 cm (2–3 ft)
• Flowers: Bright scarlet heads over pink-tipped, pale green bracts that turn bronze
• Bloom Time: Midsummer to early fall (July to September)
• Foliage: Aromatic green leaves with good resistance to powdery mildew
• Features: Fragrant foliage, good cut flower, RHS Award of Garden Merit

Where to Plant: Plant it in the middle or back of a sunny border, in a cottage garden or in drifts in a pollinator planting. Its height gives summer beds a strong vertical line, and the flowers cut well for a vase.

Companion Plants: Aquilegia Earlybird™ Purple Yellow flowers at 28 to 33 cm from May to July, getting the bed going before the scarlet blooms appear. Geranium 'Boom Chocolatta' adds purple flowers at 61 to 66 cm from June to August. Leucanthemum 'Snowcap' brings crisp white daisies at 30 to 35 cm over the same months. All three suit full sun or part sun.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun to part sun in fertile, moist, well-drained soil. Space plants so air can move between them, and water at the base during dry spells. A plant stressed by drought is more likely to get mildew. Deadhead to keep flowers coming. Cut the stems to the ground in late fall or early spring. Bee balm spreads by shallow runners and the centre of an older clump can die out. Divide every two or three years in early spring and replant the healthy outer pieces.

History: 'Gardenview Scarlet' comes from Gardenview Horticultural Park in Ohio, the private garden of plantsman Henry Ross, and was chosen for its mildew resistance. It has earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Final Thoughts: Tall, fragrant and good for cutting. Plant a clump where you can watch the feeding frenzy from the deck. KEEP THE GARNISH COMING.