I like to mix flowers and companion plants with the vegetables in our veggie gardens at Struan Farm, mostly to attract bees, but also to repel pests. This week things are flowering away, and I found myself drawn to the Lemon Bergamot, Hyssop, and seeding Dill, they're looking beautiful!
The Lemon Bergamot looks like a tiered wedding cake. It's also called Mondarda citriodora or "Lemon Bee Balm." Bees love the flowers, and a tea can be made from its leaves. I'd also read somewhere that it helps the flavour of tomatoes too, so have planted it in one of my beds of tomato plants.
Bees, hummingbirds and butterflies love Hyssop. It's flowers and leaves are edible, can be used in salads and soups.
I can never manage to use all of the Dill before it flowers and goes to seed, but it's hard to find fresh here in NZ when you need it for salmon. I'll save the seeds from these heads for next year....
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