Lavender Musk (Mimulus ringens syn. Erythranthe ringens) - Non-Native for Damp Edges & Bog Gardens (Peat-Free, Pesticide-Free)

Elegant lavender-blue, snapdragon-like flowers rise above upright, square stems and fresh green foliage from mid to late summer. Mimulus ringens (Lavender Musk) isn’t a submerged plant, but it loves consistently moist to wet soil, making it ideal for the pond collar and bog garden, where it adds colour and gentle structure just when many edges are going quiet. Expect roughly 60-100 cm in bloom with a clump-forming habit that’s easy to guide. The tubular flowers are readily used by bumblebees and other long-tongued pollinators, while the leafy clumps provide edge cover for wildlife moving between water and land.

Where it thrives

• Light: Full sun to light/partial shade (best flowering in sun)

• Moisture/Zone: Pond collar / bog in consistently moist to wet soil; set at the rim (keep the crown just above water level; not for submerged baskets)

• Setting: Mid-layer behind low edgers (Myosotis, Brooklime) or mixed into meadow-style damp borders

Planting & care

• Plant in peat-free bog/pond-edge compost or moisture-retentive garden soil; mulch to hold moisture

• Deadhead or lightly shear after the first flush to tidy and encourage more flowers

• Stake only in very windy sites (stems are generally self-supporting)

• Divide every 2-3 years in spring to refresh clumps and manage footprint

Safety (important & honest):
Grown for ornament. Do not ingest. Wash hands after gardening. Keep plant material and soil out of natural watercourses; never release garden plants into the wild.

Truth-first wildlife note:
The open, tubular blooms are well used by bumblebees and other long-tongued pollinators in high summer. Surround with UK-native, single-flowered marginals to maximise ecological value while Lavender Musk supplies colour and height on the dry side of the rim.

Joel says…
“Lavender Musk gives an easy, summery lift at the pond edge - clean colour, bee traffic, and tidy clumps. Keep it evenly moist, trim after the first show, and it’ll perform for months.”

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are ordering perennials between the months of October and March, including aquatic plants, please be aware that this is the dormant phase for perennials, so your plants may arrive showing potentially little or no top growth at this stage, or can in some cases still have some old leaves from last year showing also. Please don't worry, as this is all quite normal. Once the weather warms up in spring, you will start to see fresh growth and activity! If you ever have any concerns at all, please just message the team on enquiries@wildyourgarden.com and we'll always do our best to help.