Did you know that blue is a fantastic colour to use in the garden because it's so versatile? It has a recessive quality to it which some people may find ambiguous but it is that exact quality that makes it such a useful colour to use in a garden design. Simply by receding, it can be used to blend other colours together in planting; or to create an illusion of depth be that in planting or within the landscaping materials; it also has an ability to pick up the mood of its neighbouring plants too.
Blue can add depth and space to a garden so it’s a great colour to use at the back of a border to make it seem like the vista is extending even further. There are so many different hues and tones of colours but pale blue for example, can add lightness through intense saturated hues – think of cornflowers on a hot-summers day!
It also works really well in shady areas as it picks up the light and this colour is well known for creating calm, restful and contemplative spaces. So with that in mind it’s really important to use the right colour in your garden to obtain the right feel and ambience that you are trying to create.
Some well known blue plants you might think of straight away are Ceanothus, Muscari, Iris and Geraniums but here are a few others that we use in our planting schemes:
Echinops ritro ‘Veitch’s Blue’ is popular for its globes of blue flowers (see main pic) which contrast so well with other plant forms, they stand around 1m in height and 45cm in width so is ideally suited to the middle or back of a sunny border. It will also attract lots of pollinating insects to your gardens which can only be an added bonus!
Salvia x sylvestris ‘Mainacht’ has indigo blue flowers on spikes that liven up a border in early to mid summer; it stands around 80cm in height and 50cm in width. It looks great in an herbaceous border and is a reliable perennial which will keep coming back year after year making it a good investment. It prefers well drained but moist soil, plant this and you’ll notice pollinating insects visiting your garden!
Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’ this is also known as Russian sage, it has aromatic leaves and upright silvery grey spires with blue tubular shaped flowers. Often mistaken as a perennial but it is in fact a shrub and will typically flower in August and September. It can get to around 1.2m in height and 1m width and is happiest in full sun. Plant it near a pathway where you can enjoy its fragrance.
Don’t forget you don’t have to just have blue flowers in the garden to create that blue theme you can match your gates, doors or even paint obelisks in this colour too which will create dynamism, cohesion and flow right through your garden.
We’ve created a Pinterest board for ‘Blue’ in the garden, take a peek here www.pinterest.com/bluedaisyuk/colour-wheel-blue/