previous
  • Fine Gardening's Tip Off!
    Fine Gardening's Tip Off!
  • Thoughts From a Foreign Field
    Thoughts From a Foreign Field
  • Save Money by Growing Your Own
    Save Money by Growing Your Own
  • Homegrown / Homemade
    Homegrown / Homemade
  • Containers as Focal Points
    Containers as Focal Points
  • Slideshow: Beautiful Clematis
    Slideshow: Beautiful Clematis
  • NEW Video Series: There's a Better Way
    NEW Video Series: There's a Better Way
  • Fragrant Plants for Pathways
    Fragrant Plants for Pathways
  • Make a Succulent Topiary
    Make a Succulent Topiary
  • Stylish Shady Containers
    Stylish Shady Containers
  • Mulch for a Healthy Garden
    Mulch for a Healthy Garden
  • Dwarf Citrus Trees
    Dwarf Citrus Trees
  • In Pursuit of the Perfect Potting Shed
    In Pursuit of the Perfect Potting Shed
  • Elephant's Ears
    Elephant's Ears
  • Pretty in Pink
    Pretty in Pink
  • Designing with Curved Terraces
    Designing with Curved Terraces
  • Indeterminate or Determinate Tomatoes?
    Indeterminate or Determinate Tomatoes?
  • Colorful Selections for Shade
    Colorful Selections for Shade
  • Plant an Easy-to-Water Strawberry Jar
    Plant an Easy-to-Water Strawberry Jar
  • Meet Our Mini-Magazines
    Meet Our Mini-Magazines
  • Fast-Growing Trees for Impatient Gardeners
    Fast-Growing Trees for Impatient Gardeners
  • 6 Tips for Weed Control
    6 Tips for Weed Control
  • Comfortable Alfresco Dining
    Comfortable Alfresco Dining
  • Building a Compost Bin
    Building a Compost Bin
  • Garden Confidential: A Plant Walks into a Bar
    Garden Confidential: A Plant Walks into a Bar
next

Browse Plants

Narrowed By:Flower Color: Blue+ Seasonal Interest: Spring+ Moisture: Adaptable
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 listings   Sort By: Sort
Ajuga reptans 'Black Scallop' Ajuga reptans 'Black Scallop'
('Black Scallop' bugleweed) (1 user review)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Black foliage and spiky blue flowers (which appear in early summer) make a dramatic contrast. 'Black Scallop' thrives in full sun, which intensifies the black color. In full sun, the plant produces numerous runners, which should be thinned to prevent crown rot. In large plantings, you can run a rotary mower with a bagger attachment over the patch to control crowding and keep the foliage fresh. In mixed container plantings, the spilling habit of the plant makes it a standout choice. -Ron Smith, Regional Picks: Upper Plains, Fine Gardening issue #120
Salvia officinalis 'Minimus' Salvia officinalis 'Minimus'
(Dwarf common sage) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Dwarf common sage is a tightly compact form of the culinary common sage (S. officinalis), which is notable for its narrow, fragrant, gray-green leaves and lavender-blue, white-lined flowers in late spring or early summer. It is extremely xeric and does not self-seed. 'Minimus' grows to just 15 to 18 inches tall.
Solenostemon scutellarioides Solenostemon scutellarioides
(Coleus, Flame nettle, Painted nettle) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Coleus are tender tropicals that are generally grown as annuals because they are hardy only in Zone 11. The variously shaped leaves of these popular bedding plants typically combine several colors, such as chartreuse, rust red, cream, and purple-black. Some cultivars sport almost all of these colors combined. The darker the red in the leaf, the more sun the plant will tolerate. Coleus blooms in summer, but the blue to white nettle-like flowers are unremarkable and tend to detract visually from the impact of the foliage. -Debra Lee Baldwin, Regional Picks: Southern California, Fine Gardening issue #127


Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 listings   Sort By: Sort