What a perfect little bee balm. ‘Grand Parade’ practically explodes with lavender flowers that are covered all summer long with busy butterflies and bees. Because of its small stature, it’s a great perennial for the front of the border. ‘Grand Parade’ grows 15 to 18 inches tall.
The plant grows in a nice, tidy clump. In the spring it won’t sport a big donut hole and it won’t meander willy nilly through your garden like some bee balms are prone to do. In fact ‘Grand Parade’ is so well-behaved that I’m tempted to try growing one in a pot.
I was hesitant to purchase another miniature bee balm after my disappointing experiences with ‘Petite Wonder’ and ‘Petite Delight’. Each bloomed for only several weeks each summer and were prone to powdery mildew. I’ve grown ‘Grand Parade’ for two seasons now, and I have yet to see even a speck of powdery mildew. After the muggy, damp summer we just endured, I consider that a small miracle.