Caryopteris, Bluebeard, Blue Mist Spirea 'Blue Mist'

I love this plant! It’s an absolute showpiece from mid-August through late September for us. At about a meter tall and a meter wide, it...Read More’s a great centrepiece for a garden bed in our small yard, but if I had a huge space, I’d put them in groups the way other people have late-season hydrangeas.

Because it’s late to emerge, it’s perfect for planting tulips and other larger, later bulbs around, as with hardy hibiscus. The foliage is lovely all summer, and then the flower show starts and just keeps going. The bees ADORE this plant.

Perhaps my favourite thing about it is the seedlings it produces. While seedlings of many plants are an annoyance, the Bluebeard seedlings are one tidy stalk; they’re easy to pull; and what makes them special is that the earlier and more vigorous ones will bloom the first year! The resulting scattered violet flowers in the garden during Bluebeard season are a delight, even if I can’t let them all grow up to be full sized. (I just pull them once the flowers finish.)

Can’t recommend this plant enough. It’s a joy to have in the garden.

Had a row of these plants put in along our walkway almost two years ago. They filled in and bloomed heavily last summer and are just comi...Read Moreng into bloom this year. The bees are more interested in the flowers than anyone walking by. This spring I noticed hundreds, if not thousands, of little plants which I thought were weeds. As I pulled them out I noticed the slight scent and soon realized they were blue mist shrub seedlings. Many of them are now about 4-10" high and starting to bush out. I have been transplanting to other areas and giving some away. I have found that after it rains they can just be pulled out with all the roots and transplant very well.

I do like this plant overall. One of the biggest problems with it however is that it is VERY brittle. It tends to break with the slightes...Read Moret bit of contact. Just make sure it is planted where things such as dogs, garden hoses or high winds will not break it. The problem is that branches rarely break off, but rather it breaks off right at the roots and then tends to die.

This shrub grew FAST here and bloomed like crazy all summer until the first frost.. and this was our first year with it!

B...Read MoreUT.. if you don't like bees, don't plant near the front door as we did.. the bumblebees went nuts over it and would get agressive as we walked by. Needless to say, the shrub is being moved this spring!