Get the blues properly with my favourite plants
Blue Monday is usually the third Monday in January, supposed to be the most depressing day of the year, but the best blue plants will raise your spirits. It’s a fairly new phenomenon, invented by a travel company to sell more holidays! I’ll have no truck with this Blue Monday nonsense – unless we’re looking at blue plants, that is. Here is a selection from my garden.
The best blue plants – Bluebells
First up are bluebells. This clump came from my mother’s garden, where they appear to be leftovers from the woodland that once covered the land. It’s a top spring combination with Heuchera Marmalade as ground cover.
Echium pininana Blue Steeple
One of the first Echiums that flowered in my garden, and a bit of a minnow at about 5ft, but the bees love it. Very easy from seed – see how to grow it. I bought my Echium seeds from Plant World Seeds – they have a great selection.
The best blue plants – Sweet peas
There are many blue sweet peas (Night Sky is a beauty), but I do like this one, Singing the Blues, which is quite apt for Blue Monday. It’s time to start sowing – here’s how.
Echinops
Cottage garden favourite and stalwart of the back border, Echinops always goes hand in hand with Eryngium in my mind – other top herbaceous perennials.
The best blue plants – Autumn-flowering Gentians
I prefer the autumn-flowering Gentians, as they provide a welcome shot of colour at what can be a tricky time. This is Sapphire Selection, growing in a reclaimed Belfast sink. They’re one of the best alpines.
Blue-leaved hostas
It’s said that blue hostas with thick leaves and a puckered texture are more slug and snail-resistant. In pots and with a copper band around them, they do well in my infested garden. If you want to give blue-leaved varieties a go, here’s a pretty exhaustive list.
The best blue plants – A taste of Down Under
Looking more like a snow gum than a cider gum in this picture, I love the blue-green of Eucalyptus gunnii, especially in winter, when it really stands out against the ‘everbrown’ of the beech hedge. Trim it back in late winter to encourage the bluest, round young foliage – and keep it in check.
Perennial cornflower
Centaurea, or the perennial cornflower, not only has beautifully structured flowers but leaves with a bluish blush. Unfortunately, they often succumb to powdery mildew in my dryish garden. More great herbaceous perennials.
