new blues

[gardenymph]

Did anyone in zone 5-6 try any new flowers in blue or purple last year that did really well in part sun? Planning for spring and looking for something new and exciting!!

Thanks,
Gardenymph
Northeast Massachusetts

[IntrepidMeredith]

My favorite blues are Blue Clips Campanula, Blue Butterflies Delphinium (a mounding type, not a spike type delphinium), salvia (annual and perennial), and the herb borage. Borage is an annual and will reseed like crazy, so be warned!

[IntrepidMeredith]

Also try Ultima Blue Morpho Pansies or the new Karner Blue Butterfly Pansies. Very beautiful, and very blue!

[Lark]

Hi Gardenymph, A favorite annual in my Wisconsin zone4-5 garden was Supertunia 'Royal Velvet'. No deadheading required and took some drying out. Bloomed until a hard frost.

[Guest]

most of my garden is in part shade and I grew Blue Butterfly delphinium. It was a beautiful blue! Unfortunately, it didn't come back and I haven't been able to find it locally again. But a gorgeous blue.

[IntrepidMeredith]

I planted my Blue Butterflies from seed a few years ago. They bloomed the first season from seed (although I did start them indoors, about 10 weeks before my last frost date), and not only have they been thriving, but I started seeing self-sown seedlings last year! They are an outstanding true blue, although I noticed some of the new seedlings were sporting slightly different shades (mostly paler blues). Jung's Seeds lists them as being hardy to Zone 3. I'm in central Zone 4 & have them about 6' out from a south facing wall. They usually get decent snow cover, and sometimes I actually remember to cover them with leaves from my maple tree in the Fall.

If you go to jungseed.com you can order both seeds and plants there, or you can request a catalog. I've both ordered from their catalog and gone to local (Wisconsin) Jung's stores. They've been in business for over 100 years, and are very nice folks!

[gardenymph]

Thank you for all of the wonderful ideas!! I am just chomping at the bit to get out in the dirt. I have lots of things already popping through the soil, looking for the warm March sun. Spring is just about here in Massachusetts!