yeuuwwww aphids

[mittens]

last year I learned about those nasty little black smeary aphids that took over my nasturtiums. At that time we still a dwindling crop of lady bugs, which prevented them from spreading beyond the nasturtiums.

This year we have no ladybugs in sight, and I had to chop down, literally, my ancient snowball bush, because in two days it became totally infested with black aphids, and they had begun to spread to some newly started four o'clocks and I didnt want to lose the rest of the garden to aphids.

Anyone have any suggestions as to how to combat these things, and most importantly, is there a snowball bush variety out there that is aphid resistant? I did try tucking perovskia leaves around the four oclocks, and that may have horrified the aphids, because they did leave...but still...

I don't know what kind this was, but it has the jaggedy leaf, with green flowers turning to white in early June.



I don't much care for the thing, but my husband has a sentimental attachment to it...