Backyard Nature Wednesday: Garden blues

Blue is not a common color in my garden. The garden's palette bends more to the red/orange/yellow spectrum. It just gives added importance to the blues that the garden does have.
Blues like Evolvulus Blue Daze, now in bloom.

The plant is an evergreen subshrub that grows in a low spreading mound not more than one foot tall and at this time of year the mound is covered in these dainty flowers.


One of my most reliable blue bloomers is the blue plumbago that continues its flowering throughout the hottest, driest days of summer and into fall. In fact, in this time of mild winters, my plants have not been out of bloom since last spring.

At this time of year, of course, there are a few bluebonnets gracing my Texas garden.

It is, after all, our state flower. This lupine, along with paintbrush, coreopsis, and other native plants make our roadsides look like colorful patchwork quilts in spring. (Thank you, Lady Bird Johnson.)

Salvias (sages) are a proven source of blue that leans toward purple, like this 'Mystic Spires' salvia.

This salvia even has blue in its name. It is 'Black and Blue,' another very dependable source of blue in the garden palette. 

Of course, most dependable of all is the bottle tree. Always blue, always in bloom.

Comments

  1. rusty duckMarch 30, 2016 at 3:59 AM

    I've been trying to get Salvia 'Black and Blue' to overwinter but absolutely no success, even with cuttings. I shall just have to resign myself to having it as an annual :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersMarch 30, 2016 at 9:12 AM

      Like so many of my plants, mine bloomed off and on throughout our just ended "winter," but it is certainly worthwhile growing it as an annual. In addition to adding blue to the garden palette, it is also a great favorite with pollinators.

      Delete
  2. CarmenMarch 30, 2016 at 8:12 AM

    Refreshing to see blooms in other colors. These look lovely.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersMarch 30, 2016 at 9:13 AM

      Blue is always a refreshing color. I need to get more of it into my garden.

      Delete
  3. Judy KruegerMarch 30, 2016 at 11:32 AM

    Blue is my favorite color, has been since I was a tiny girl. But sometimes hard to find in flowers. I have a blue plumbago, it is my most forgiving shrub. I also love a blue bearded iris but I am hopeless with bulbs since I moved to CA. I look at them in other people's yards! By the way, those little white iris plants you posted about recently: mine went crazy this weekend. They make me happy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersMarch 30, 2016 at 11:50 AM

      Lots of the blue available to gardens comes through bulbs, but, like you, I have just about zero luck with bulbs. Salvias are always my "go-to" plant for any color since they come in just about any color in the rainbow and they are very forgiving.

      Delete
  4. AnonymousMarch 30, 2016 at 4:10 PM

    Very interesting, thank you for this

    ReplyDelete

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