Catananche, one of my favourites and a long flowering season.
Catananche is on the paler, silvery-mauvey side of blue here (similar shade to "Blue" campanulas) so I suspect it would be similar for Nollie, particularly with her previous issue of blues/purples coming out more lilacy/pinky. It might be worth a try though.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Fab, thanks again for the additional suggestions everyone. I think I need to relax my height restrictions and I could do some pinching out/chelsea chopping to control the taller ones. So far, I think the following would suit...
For the front: Heliotrope Marine (35cm)
For interspersing, one or two of the following: Agapanthus (various options, from 70cm upwards) Gladiolus Flevo - Disco or Ocean (70cm or 90-110cm) Eryngium Big Blue (75cm) Cornflower Blue Ball (75cm) Verbascum Phoenicium Violetta (90cm) Aconitum Napellus (120cm)
Not all spires, but sufficiently striking enough to stand out. The Verbascum is my favourite, but I have a sneaking suspicion it will be pink here, some of the photos online look a bit purply pink rather than violet!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Take a look at Caryopteris x Clandonensis. This shrub is fast growing and should be treated like a perennial plant. Cut down in early spring and new growth is made to around a meter in height. In late summer into autumn, the shrub is clothed with blue flowers. Ideal in free draining soil in full sun.
Another mid to late summer plant I recommend, Hyssopus Officinalis. Will flower quite late into autumn with decent purple/blue spikes. Grows to around 50-60cms.
For the front: Heliotrope Marine (35cm) or Chatsworth, ideally.
For interspersing, one or two of the following: Agapanthus (various options, from 70cm upwards) Gladiolus Flevo - Disco or Ocean (70cm or 90-110cm) Eryngium Big Blue (75cm) Cornflower Blue Ball (75cm) Verbascum Phoenicium Violetta (90cm) Aconitum Napellus (120cm)
For upper terrace above hot border: Caryopteris x Clandonensis Black Knight
Thanks for the additional suggestions, I just caught up with Tatton coverage and saw both the Eryngium Big Blue and Heliotrope Chatsworth looking fabulous.
I should be able to grow Borage, @raisingirl but not a single one of my seeds germinated last year and it doesn’t grow wild here like chicory, bugloss etc, which is odd...
Thank you, love that Caryopteris @Borderline, not sure its quite right for the interspersing thing, but I have just the spot where it can be either a perennial or a grown-up shrub, next to my Uraguayan Firecracker.
Thanks again for all your brilliant suggestions your brilliant people
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Another Salvia, S forrskaoli. I only just bought this one so don't know how it'll perform long term but it's quite a good blue. I saw S. patens at the same nursery, but found that sort of sky blue colour unnatural and would clash with more purpley blues.
Penstemon heterophyllus is a good blue penstemon with very intense blues tempered with a sort of neon pink blush.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
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For the front:
Heliotrope Marine (35cm)
For interspersing, one or two of the following:
Agapanthus (various options, from 70cm upwards)
Gladiolus Flevo - Disco or Ocean (70cm or 90-110cm)
Eryngium Big Blue (75cm)
Cornflower Blue Ball (75cm)
Verbascum Phoenicium Violetta (90cm)
Aconitum Napellus (120cm)
Not all spires, but sufficiently striking enough to stand out. The Verbascum is my favourite, but I have a sneaking suspicion it will be pink here, some of the photos online look a bit purply pink rather than violet!
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Another mid to late summer plant I recommend, Hyssopus Officinalis. Will flower quite late into autumn with decent purple/blue spikes. Grows to around 50-60cms.
I should be able to grow Borage, @raisingirl but not a single one of my seeds germinated last year and it doesn’t grow wild here like chicory, bugloss etc, which is odd...
Thank you, love that Caryopteris @Borderline, not sure its quite right for the interspersing thing, but I have just the spot where it can be either a perennial or a grown-up shrub, next to my Uraguayan Firecracker.
Thanks again for all your brilliant suggestions your brilliant people
Penstemon heterophyllus is a good blue penstemon with very intense blues tempered with a sort of neon pink blush.