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Out of Hibernation

Michael came out from his sewing room hibernation today! It was a beautiful day - a bit chilly with temperatures in the 50s, partly cloudy with a few sun breaks and just a few very minor sprinkles. The garden is waking up fast. I love this time of year. The trees are just leafing out,  so when the sun does appear, there is a dappled scattering of sunrays dancing throughout the garden. The birds are singing and busy flitting about building their nests. In these crazy times, this is the only place where I feel totally calm and at ease and can filter out life's unpleasantries. We got a lot done today. Yesterday was even nicer with warmer temps and more sun. I got the tarps off the decks, statues and water features. Today was spent mostly cleaning up, more planting and moving pots around. Veronica 'Georgia Blue' Blue-eyed Mary ( Omphaloides verna ) with Daphne tangutica ) Japanese Maple ( Acer palmatum 'Beni Hime') Beesia Red Currant ( Ribes sanguineum 'King Edwa...
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Badja Peak Mint Bush


Every time we have a garden tour, there seems to be one plant that people single out and ask about. This time, it was  Prostanthera cuneata 'Badja Peak', commonly referred to as "Alpine Bush Mint" or "Australian Bush Mint" (originating from Alpine regions of Australia).

This small shrub was planted in July of 2021 so this is its second year (I mistakenly told someone it had been here three years - sorry!) It is located in the front garden on the northeast side and has survived two winters. Most references recommend planting it in a warm, sheltered spot but this isn't really the case in our garden. It is listed as being hardy to 10-15 degrees.

Our plant gets considerable shade with periods of full sun around mid-day and some afternoon sun but I would say it gets more shade than sun. This year it is about 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide with a somewhat sprawling habit. The evergreen foliage is dark green and minty aromatic when crushed. Flowers began to appear in late May. The flowers are large, cupped and white with purple flecks inside the flower. Very pretty!








Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. AnonymousJune 6, 2023 at 6:30 AM

    I hope you had a successful open garden: I wish you lived closer to Seattle so I could visit. This "Australian Bush Mint" is lovely (evergreens brighten the spirit in winter) and vigorous: 4' wide in 2 years! What's it's supposed eventual size?
    Chavli

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    1. Phillip OliverJune 6, 2023 at 7:19 AM

      We had around 85 people I think. It was super busy and a nice pleasant day for it. It can get anywhere from 3-5 feet from what I've read.

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  2. tz_gardenJune 6, 2023 at 9:48 AM

    I love the way Australian Bush Mint surrounds your bird bath. So pretty!

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  3. Kris PetersonJune 6, 2023 at 10:47 AM

    Thank you for the introduction to this interesting plant, Phillip. I grow Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata" (also called mint bush) but I'd never heard of this one. Mine produces small lavender blooms, although before this year they've bloomed lightly, if at all. (I'll once again attribute the difference this year to our heavier rain.) I'll be on the lookout for your species.

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  4. Hoover BooJune 8, 2023 at 5:19 PM

    That's a beauty. The flowers are quite something. It looks very happy in your garden.

    "Alpine" doesn't usually come to mind when paired with "Australia", but of course there's more to Australia than arid regions and sandy beaches.

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  5. Lisa at GreenbowJune 12, 2023 at 4:19 AM

    Those blooms look like small orchids. Are they fragrant? They remind me of Catalpa tree blooms.

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