Friday Flowers
(Blue Mist Shrub)
is the subject today
This has become one of my most favorite, all time great, plants.
I grew it up north in the Hudson Valley and it was ok (not spectacular, but ok..). I had actually, many years ago, seen it grown in Maine. So I figured if it did well there, surely it would be good in the Hudson Valley. And yes, it was fine.
I love that it takes its time to flower. The clear blue flowers are at their peak at the end of August.
When we redesigned our hot, sunny, dry, sloping garden here in North Carolina I thought of this shrub. Combined with some lavender, thyme, guara and liriope it could be spectacular.
Well…I had no idea!
It is beyond gorgeous here. The entire shrub has numerous butterflies hanging around it every day. The flowers are such a clear, clean blue and the plant must be twice the size it ever was up North. We have three of them in this south-facing slope and they couldn’t be happier!
They make for beautiful, long lasting cut flowers either used alone or in combination with others.
These indigo berries were entwined in some of the branches the other day. Very nice indeed…
The bees are also very happy here:
Here it is mixed with end-of-season hydrangeas, in my sunny yellow pitcher:
It’s still flowering, but I can see the end is just around the corner.
If you DO plant these, be sure to cut them back in early spring. Don’t be afraid: prune back to within 10″ of the ground. You will be rewarded!
