Description of Mimulus tigrinus (Tiger Monkey Flower)

Mimulus (tigrinus group) is usually sold as tiger monkey flower. It’s grown for bright, spotted blooms and it likes cool, damp conditions. In a bog garden it’s a good way to add low, colourful flowers without taking up much room.

Appearance

Plants stay compact, often 20 to 30cm tall, with soft green leaves. Flowers come in mixes of yellow, orange and red, usually with speckling and blotches. It tends to flower in summer, and in a mild season it can keep going for a good while.

Care Guide

Give it moisture and shelter. In hot, dry spots it burns out fast.

• Sun: Light shade or morning sun is ideal. Full sun is fine if the soil never dries.
• Soil: Moist, fertile compost with good organic matter.
• Water: Keep the root zone damp at all times.
• Deadheading: Pinch off spent flowers to keep new buds coming.
• Growing on: It’s often grown from seed or young plants and does well in pots sunk into the bog.

If slugs are an issue in your garden, grow it in a small pot and sink the pot into the bog so you can keep an eye on it.

Suitability for Bog Garden

This is best near the front of a bog garden, where you can actually see the flowers. It’s also handy for filling small gaps between bigger plants, or for adding colour around stones and edges.

Because it stays low, it won’t block taller marginals behind it. Try it in drifts of five or seven for a stronger effect, or use it as a seasonal plug-in around irises.

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