Here is an annual that I'm growing this year. My seedlings are about three inches high. This image is from Parks Seed (http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItmId=3108&PrevMainPage=webspecials&scChannel=webspecials&OfferCode=S1H). I don't think they are as blue as the photograph. They must have done some photo manipulation.
dale a gardener - the lace cap hydrangea "Lemon Wave" has stunning blue flowers surrounding a white flowered center. I have one and I have seen it bloom. Sorry I don't have a photo. This thread is wonderful.
By the way, the photo above (from Park Seeds) is Heteropapus meyendorfii 'Blue Knoll' (and sometimes refered to as the Blue Crysanthemum). From what I understand this species was recently discovered by a plant-hunting expedition to Siberia and introduced by Thompson and Morgan. Here is another photo of the same selection but I'm guessing it is more true-to-form. It is similiar to the image that Thompson and Morgan posts on its site.
Hydrangeas purchased without identification.
Blooming now.
Thanks pirl. I can't believe the size of your New England Asters!!! They are the size of a very large shrub! Must be your super duper compost. It makes EVERYTHING reach for the sky!
My favorite Clematis nurseries are:
Silver Star Vinery http://www.silverstarvinery.com
Brushwood Nursery http://www.gardenvines.com/catalog/ and
Chalk Hill Clematis Nursery http://www.chalkhillclematis.com/
You can't go wrong with any of them.
The asters live on a pile of old sod and only appear huge. Thanks for the links.
The "old clump of sod" must have decomposed and turn into pure gold. All your plants are outstanding as always!
I forgot about hydrangeas. This is from a previous year with an old camera that makes them look all washed out. They are a very pretty blue for weeks and weeks.
Grape Hyacinths
Oh, boy. Lots of new pictures, and all of them gorgeous, especially the iris and clematis photos.
JD, if you have all of those flowers, you must be an Annie's Annuals addict too. By the way, what is "Heliophylla" and why was it enclosed in quotation marks?
Ecrane, I think my favorite flower on earth is Clerodendrum ugandense. I buy the plants at Target every year. They die in the frost, of course, but they always manage to come back. Unfortunately, they never get big enough to bloom before the next frost a year later, so I have to run out to Target and buy more. This year I kept them in containers and brought them into the solarium for the winter, but they died anyway. Now they're coming back, but who knows whether they'll bloom before the frost? I think I give up. I'll try them again when I get to Florida.
I buy my Clero. ugandense new every year too, it's funny because they're supposed to be hardy here, and I guess in a way they are because they don't totally die, but they take so long to come to come back that they never bloom for me either. A bit expensive for what ends up being an annual, but they're worth it!
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, a short groundcover.
Phlox divaricata, welcomes the spring with a sweet scent.
Zuzu...Heliophylla is a dark blue annual I get that comes from Annies. I don't know why I put it in quotation marks...there is a picture of it on Annies website.
Annie and I always spell it "Heliophila," you silly person.
Maybe JD had Gypsophylla on his mind?
Or Phyllodendron?
Here's this year's first Phacelia viscida bloom in my garden. I love this flower, although the plant itself is rather homely:
Good one, Zuzu.
Maybe Phyllo/Filo?
Pirl, that just made my stomach growl! Baklava?
Neal, that's what she does when it's too cold to go outside. She makes and eats baklava. I'd almost trade my good weather for her baklava.
Both of you are right.
LOL...looks really good!! YUMMY!
My lovely delphinium, wish I had a garden full of these.
Zuzu, that Phacelia Viscida is to die for.
I've continued to be one of your many lurkers - what a great thread and what outstanding photographs!!
I think I'll have more blue flowers later, but right now I pretty much only have a few Anemones, some Forget-me-nots, and a Jack Frost Brunnera.
I recently discovered Annie's Annuals and I'm already in deep trouble!! Wow - such outstanding choices and quality!
Did you sign up for Annie's catalog? It's a great way to order, because you don't have to pay the $2 handling charge for each plant. You just pay the price of the plant plus shipping.
Do you have a camera? We want to see your anemones, etc.
Here's a patriotic little Cineraria. Someone obviously let more than one seed grow in this pot.
Zuzu, I did indeed sign up for Annie's Catalog - and carry it with me everywhere I go!!
Thanks for asking to see my pics. Here's the Anemone.
And my Brunnera. I can't seem to get a very good pic of this plant - and it's really beautiful (in fact, I have two).
And a sweet pansy.
And my very blue bird bath!!! I also have 10 or 12 blue ceramic pots, but I won't include photos of all those!
I just got the latest catalog today, full of plants that won't be available until June or later. Heartbreaking!
I love your anemones and pansy, and if that's not a very good picture of the brunnera, I'd probably fall over if I saw a very good one.
If you're going to include your blue birdbath, I have to include my blue cat.
The cat is beautiful, as is the birdbath. It's such a stunning color.
If I come across one of those blue cats, it will be in my garden before my husband can roll his eyes at me.
I'm afraid to check my mailbox - if there's yet another catalog coming out, I'm in a heap of hurt!
I was at Longwood Gardens yesterday and the conservatory is chock full of Delphiniums!
Sue
And the lawns were covered in a tiny blue flowering spring bulb...
Puschkinia in the woods...
And this display of Hyacinths could be smelled before it could be seen...
And from last year, one of my favorite Salvias, Cobalt...
And the Delphinium Grandiflorum that I get ... and then kill ... each and every year. Like clockwork.
Sue
Gorgeous photos, Sue - and I guess sometimes we just have to consider a favorite flower an annual whether it's supposed to be or not!!!
This picture has a blue Caryopteris and the tall blue flower is Salvia Black & Blue - I also have Salvia Argentine Skies, but don't seem to have a picture of it.
