Garden Blues

 

Yellows, pinks, purples, reds, and of course greens, color the palettes of most gardens. But what about blue? Above us is a bright blue sky, around us a deep blue ocean. Although it is a less common color among flowers and foliage, blues in the garden can actually offer your garden a sense of balance and peace. 

 

Blue’s recessive quality serves as a beautiful blender for other colors. Blue is also a versatile color, appearing warm or cool depending on its hue and plant companions. When pale blue flowers are paired with lavender, gray and green, they appear cool and help knit the other colors together. When placed near electric colors such as magenta or hot pink, blue offers a stabilizing effect. Blue’s versatile nature makes it a natural winner in any garden setting.   

 

In feng shui, blue is associated with the clear sky and the healing, refreshing waters. It’s no wonder that “Iris Blue” was picked as the 2008 Interior Color of the Year. Traditional bearded irises have been gracing us with the color blue for centuries. There is something breathtaking about iris when its spread wide and tall in a flowerbed, creating a thick river of blue. 

 

Al’s Growing Facilities have grown several varieties of bearded iris bred by the world renowned breeders, “Schreiner’s Iris Gardens”.   To begin or enhance the blue in your garden, try Iris ‘Yaquina Blue’. This iris has an exuberance of ruffles in a rich, marine blue color that reminds us of Oregon's Yaquina Bay. Bearded irises are simple to grow. They grow from corms, a type of bulb. Plant the corm just slightly buried in the soil. The top of the corm should be above ground. These irises need good drainage. After they are finished blooming in May-June, cut back their foliage and flower stalk to approximately 6 inches above the soil.

 

After creating a river of iris, you may consider using the soft puffs of blue hydrangea blooms for the sky. Hydrangea ‘Endless Summer’ is a newer mophead variety, and the rave of many gardeners. One of its outstanding features is its ability to develop blooms on new growth. This is a huge breeding breakthrough for hydrangeas. In the past, most varieties bloomed on last year’s stems. ‘Endless Summer’ flowers can bloom pink or blue depending on your soil conditions. To keep the flowers blue, add aluminum sulfate or acid fertilizer to keep the soil acid. The ‘Endless Summer’ Hydrangea loves afternoon shade, but can take more sun than other hydrangea varieties. Plus, the blooms are fantastic for fresh-cut or dried flower arrangements in your home.

 

If you want your garden blue to bring you peace and relaxation, incorporate lavender into your landscape. The blue-purple flower spikes of lavender are not only beautiful, but can be harvested to be used as a relaxation aromatherapy. Furthermore, the silver foliage, in combination with various blues, helps to create restful scenes where your eyes can take refuge. Lavender is available year round, but there are typically more varieties available during their June blooming season.

 

Your garden blues are not limited to blooms. The blue foliage Hostas like ‘Blue Angel’, ‘Blue Moon’ & ‘Devon Blue’, add a subtle blue tone to your shade garden. Blue hosta leaves add an illusion of depth especially when contrasted with green or silvery foliage.

Let your blues reach new heights with evergreen trees like the Blue Spruce or Juniper. These will create cool compliments to the green palette in your more sunny areas.

 

The quest for garden blues can become a seasonal adventure.  Maybe even one day, breeders will create an allusive blue rose. But for now, as you transform your garden into a ‘Heavenly Blue’, see if you notice a little more peace and balance in your home.