Welcome to My weekly series! ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs CELEBRATING 26 YEARS! Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc. for the last 25 years. She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany, an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects. QUESTION THIS WEEK: Hello Linda - I have Walkers Low Plants that are 3 years old planted along the front and side of my house in Old Lyme. They bloomed magnificently this year but these last 2 weeks they became ugly, brown, dry looking like they are dying. Out of desperation, I started cutting them back. Other than a lot of bees and ladybugs, I noticed this other bug but I do not know what it is. There is no root rot, no slimy under branches. I am not sure what I did wrong. These have always been hardy and great looking. Wonder if you can shed some light on this. I have a feeling there is no hope for them. By the way, I do enjoy your column. LINDA'S ANSWER: Hi Karen, You didn't do anything wrong. Mother Nature is not helping us out with rain, so the brown, dead stems are from the dryness of the soil. Nepeta likes dry, but not this dry. Your Nepeta will be fine, just cut back the dead stems and water them deeply once a week. Also, cut back the already spent flowers so the plant can rebloom. The insect in question is Lady Bug larvae. They are a good bug and are voracious eaters of aphids; welcome them in your garden! Sprigs D&Twigs EMAIL OR MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO: info@sprigsandtwigs.net or Linda Lillie, Sprigs & Twigs Inc, PO Box 245, Gales Ferry, CT 06335 SPRIGS & TWIGS VOTED THE BEST BY DAY READERS EVERY YEAR! Welcome to My weekly series ! ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs CELEBRATING 26 YEARS ! Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs , Inc. for the last 25 years . She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany , an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional , a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects . QUESTION THIS WEEK : Hello Linda - I have Walkers Low Plants that are 3 years old planted along the front and side of my house in Old Lyme . They bloomed magnificently this year but these last 2 weeks they became ugly , brown , dry looking like they are dying . Out of desperation , I started cutting them back . Other than a lot of bees and ladybugs , I noticed this other bug but I do not know what it is . There is no root rot , no slimy under branches . I am not sure what I did wrong . These have always been hardy and great looking . Wonder if you can shed some light on this . I have a feeling there is no hope for them . By the way , I do enjoy your column . LINDA'S ANSWER : Hi Karen , You didn't do anything wrong . Mother Nature is not helping us out with rain , so the brown , dead stems are from the dryness of the soil . Nepeta likes dry , but not this dry . Your Nepeta will be fine , just cut back the dead stems and water them deeply once a week . Also , cut back the already spent flowers so the plant can rebloom . The insect in question is Lady Bug larvae . They are a good bug and are voracious eaters of aphids ; welcome them in your garden ! Sprigs D & Twigs EMAIL OR MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO : info@sprigsandtwigs.net or Linda Lillie , Sprigs & Twigs Inc , PO Box 245 , Gales Ferry , CT 06335 SPRIGS & TWIGS VOTED THE BEST BY DAY READERS EVERY YEAR !