More plants to identify - Stachys or not ??!!

fotofit wrote (see)

Hi everyone - I'm back - let the challenge continue !! 

I have 'square eyes' from searching internet etc all very interesting but still unable to identify a couple of plants. I've also been waiting for plants and flowers to develop so that I could get more useful photos.

I'm pretty sure that the first plant is a Stachys variety with fairly distinctive crinkly serrated edged leaves and flowers which do not seem to open much. However, although there are so many varieties of Stachys none seem to match what I have !!

The second unidentified plant - the final 2 photos - has similar characteristics to the Stachys - square stem etc but as these are not exclusve to Stachys I have wondered if it's a type of Phlomis although it's not like a yellow one I have in the garden and unlike ones I have seen in gardens locally !!!

Thanks in advance for any helpful suggestions 

 

 

 

 

That's it for now. 

 

First one - Salvia 'Purple Rain'?

Try Stachys nemerosa, very similar to the one i have.

The second plant sounds similar to a form of Verbena Bonariensis. Square stems etc. I have had stems of this family grow out of the top of a flower head and produce a smaller flower head which then continued on up.

Hi yarrow2 and backyardee - many thanks for the really helpful replies - I was giving up on the idea that I would ever find out the identity of these plants !! 

I'm pretty sure now that the first is Salvia 'Purple Rain' - the internet images look just like the plants in the garden !! The bees absolutely love it - even when it's raining !!!  

I've just been in the garden planting 'potted on' seedlings that had become pot bound and had to come in because of the rain but at least, on a positive note, I don't have to water them in but not sure how many will be there in the morning after the slugs and snails have dined !! 

I had no idea that there are so many varieties of verbena - it's amazing what's out there when I look !! There are lots of Verbena Bonariensis self-sown seedlings growing near the second plant so it could be a variety planted by the previous property occupants. They did leave labels by a few of the plants but many which did not have labels have not been known to neighbours so I'll feel quite chuffed when I can tell them what they are - I will give credit where it's due and say it's not down to me !!!

Thanks once again and happy gardening