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Origanum - aromatic and nectar-packed


 The insects, bees and butterflies are shopping for nectar as they browse through your garden. It’s the sugar drink that provides enough energy for flight: the ‘lucozade’ of the natural world. You might think that nectar is all the same strength, but certain plants exude highly concentrated sugar-packed nectar whilst others produce watery liquid with hardly any sugar at all. Not surprisingly it’s the sugar-packed nectar that attracts most interest and one plant, Origanum laevigatum ‘Herrenhausen’, is highly sought after. This will light up August with dainty, foot-high sprays of two-tone pink and purple blooms that look pristine for weeks. The foliage is dark-green and crinkled and, as the flowers fade, a black lacy seed head develops, so this is a plant that looks good for months on end. It’s always favoured by small tortoiseshells, a butterfly that is making a revival after a few lean years. There are other forms of O. laevigatum including the all-pink ‘Rosenkuppel’ and the glaucous-leaved, airier mauve-purple ‘Hopleys’. None are as good as ‘Herrenhausen’ though.

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