Gardening Answers

Do you have fall blues?

Chloe_Moderator | Posted in Northeast Gardening on

Blue flowers, that is. Blue flowers in any season have an air of rarity to them, but a blue flower against fall color is a truly special sight! I love gentians, aconitum, and my favorite clear shade of light blue, blue sage (salvia azurea). I didn’t whack my salvia back this summer to make a more compact bloomer, so it’s a bit of a floppy octopus, but I can’t get enough of the crisp blue, regardless. Do you have blue fall flowers or foliage you can recommend?

Replies

  1. user-1148803354 | | #1

    I am loving my Blue Bottle Gentian which I planted in my rain garden for late summer/fall color. Its dark blue flowers contrast nicely with shiny green foliage.

    1. User avater Moderator
      Chloe_Moderator | | #2

      Oh yes! Such a beauty. Between the late bloom and the unusual color and flower shape, bottle gentian always looks extra special. Your rain garden must be getting quite the influx lately!

  2. User avater Moderator
    DrPulte_Moderator | | #3

    my cranesbill geraniums always perk up in the fall and put on a great show!

    1. User avater Moderator
      Chloe_Moderator | | #4

      I love that color. I mean to add those to my garden.

  3. gardendevas | | #5

    Must have blue! I weave it through the garden with perennials and annuals. Currently have reseeded Blue Horizon ageratum, perennial platycodon, and annual lobelia.

    1. User avater Moderator
      Chloe_Moderator | | #6

      Thank you for the pictures! I love the annual lobelia. It's my favorite filler and seems to look good with everything. I moved fairly recently and haven't started the re-seeding ageratum train going in my garden yet. Next year!

  4. user-1148803354 | | #7

    I'm revisiting this board with a question about blue poppies. Has anyone ever grown them from seed successfully???

    1. User avater Moderator
      Chloe_Moderator | | #8

      I have not tried that holy grail of blue flowers myself, but am tempted to. I'm not sure I have an appropriate spot for them, as they are reputed to need the exact right levels of temperature, moisture and fertility. I would think our northeast summers would be too hot. If I do try to grow from seed, (which now you have me wanting to!), I'd winter sow them in a milk jug or other protected but open container out of direct sun, I'm thinking in a high porosity soil-less mix amended with compost. To be clear, I have NOT tried meconopsis, but that would be my starting point. Hoping someone else will respond with their experience!

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