Garden Photo of the Day

What to do with blue?

Click here to enlarge this photo.
Photo/Illustration: Michelle Gervais
Click here to enlarge this photo.
Photo/Illustration: Michelle Gervais

When it comes to blue foliage, I have a garden mental block. I just can’t seem to figure out what to put it with. But Scott Endres in St. Paul, Minnesota, sure knows what to do. If these combos are any indication, blue goes with just about anything! In the first photo, blue fescue (Festuca glauca, USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8) is paired with purple heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens cv., annual), keeping it on the cool side of the color wheel, while in the second photo, electric contrast is in order with some chartreuse ‘Angelina’ sedum (Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’, Zones 6-9) and the gold-and green foliage and scarlet flowers of a geranium (Pelargonium cv., annual).

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Comments

  1. wGardens 08/30/2010

    Great solution! Very nice!

  2. Vespasia 08/30/2010

    Just beautiful, blue is one of my favorite colors in the garden but difficult as the selection is limited. This is a lovely solution, one to keep in my for next year!

  3. arboretum 08/30/2010

    for better or worse, i can honestly say that this is the first use of annual geranium in a perennial border-that i have ever liked. And if st. paul is z.6 ?......well anyway, i'm definitely on the hunt for that great yellow sedum. thanks so much for the inspiration,scott!
    best,
    mindy
    http://www.cottonarboretum.com/

  4. NorthNance 08/30/2010

    Blue foliage looks particularly good combined with the chartruse of heuchera 'Key Lime' (Key Lime Coral Bells).

    In addition, blue foliage grasses & blue junipers look more sophisticated when combined with the short ophiopogon planiscapus 'Ebony Knight' (Ebony Night Mondo Grass).

    2 minutes ago · LikeUnlike ·

  5. sheilaschultz 08/31/2010

    Oh yeah...blues, whites, purples, add in a few varigated leaves and you have fun combos. Scott, you must have more than a bit of an artist in your soul.

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