I posted the Jessica Walliser list of flowers that host beneficial insects,
When a lot of roses are planted, some will fail to come out of dormancy and others will die later. I have had empty spots from roses never leafing out, from Rose Rosette disease (where weird growth signals the disorder), and from sudden death in KnockOut roses.
In each case, the loss means a hole in the garden and in the soil. I fill holes with composted cow manure or mushroom compost. Both will help clay soil mix with the organic material, thanks to soil creatures always at work.
I have two farm teams in the back, the fence roses and the last free ones that came to replace the ones that never grew. However, I am going to use the openings to plant more beneficial plants - mints and borage.
Borage is an easy beneficial insect plant. Bees love it, so the plant is also called Bee Bread. The herb drops seed and keeps starting new plants. Last summer, when I bought a huge packet of Borage, I had the plant all along Mrs. Wright's fence and also just off the front patio, where Mrs. I could pick the flowers every day - they taste a bit like cucumbers. The point of beneficial insect plants is to attract a whole series of good insects, and borage is definitely a game-changer.
Three Well-Behaved Mints: Mountain Mint, Horse Mint, and Catmint
Mints are known for taking over, and caution is urged when planting certain kinds, such as planting them in the soil in pots, to contain the invasive growth. Or just leaving the pots on top of the ground.
But some mints are clumping rather than stoloniferous (invasive underground through their stolons, like grass and violets). Bamboo can be clumping or stoloniferous - but I suggest using bamboo only for a small, well placed forest.
I like the well-behaved mints because they flower easily and attract many beneficial insects, including butterflies.
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| Mountain Mint attracted this butterfly. |
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| Bee Balm is also called Horse Mint. This variety is called Monarda and makes a big, clumping clump. |
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| Catmint is a substitute for Lavender, but Almost Eden said, "I like Lavender." Their plant is 25 years old. |