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The award for happiest perennial this summer goes to bee balm (monarda)—hands down!
I’ve even got the wild, native version coming up in one of my flowerbeds, and I have no idea how it got there.
It’s mixed with the purply-red ‘Jacob Kline’ which I do remember planting but haven’t seen bloom in that flowerbed for several years, and the royal purple ‘Purple Rooster’ which I actually DO remember planting.
I’m not sure if some of the plants have been blooming for the last couple of years but were buried by other perennials and I didn’t notice them, or if some of them sprouted from seed and decided THIS was their year to shine.
Either way, it’s a lovely show.