The following is from Melanie Palmer, curator of the Durango Botanic Gardens.

     After a hiatus of a couple years, partly due to Covid-19, the DBG Docent program brought back the Docents’ Choice Plant of the Year.  At Docent refresher training this year, the first gatherings of Docents in two years, Docents voted for their two favorite plants.  

  The votes are in and the choices are:  for 2019, Kintzley’s Ghost, Lonicera reticulata, (below, left) and for 2020, Hummingbird Trumpet Mint, Monardella macrantha ‘Marian Sampson’.  The ornamental grass Undaunted Ruby Muhly, Muhlenbergia reverchonii, was a close runner-up. 

Both plants garner a lot of attention from passersby. The Kintley’s Ghost covers the fence not far from the entrance to the Demonstration Garden.  The Hummingbird Trumpet Mint makes a stunning groundcover in the Wind Garden.  The Kintzley’s Ghost is also the subject of an article in the Member Portal of the Durango Botanic Gardens website.  

     Both of these plants are in the Plant Select ® program, and detailed information about them can be found on the Plant Select ® website, plantselect.org 

     Pollinators and hummingbirds will soon be buzzing around both of these plants.  

     In our experience, the Monardella can be somewhat touchy to grow.  It appreciates a little afternoon shade and very good drainage.  We have also sheltered this plant with a layer of pine needles in mid-late fall, removing this mulch in late spring when the plant starts to leaf out.  We think this has aided its ability to come through our winters.  

Previous Docents’ Choices are

2018:  Hopflower Oregano, Origanum libanoticum

2017:  Coral Canyon Twinspur, Diascia integerrima

2016:  Mojave Sage, Salvia pachyphylla

2015:  Hot Wings Maple, Acer tataricum, ‘GarAnn’

2014:  Horned Poppy, Glaucium acutidentatum