Wonderful. That is my favorite color also. As soon as the 2 salvias I planted bloom I will take pics, they are a blue and a deep purple blue. Then the plumbago and some others too. I can hardly wait to see everyones pics. Caroline

I work in a nursary where my boss and I argue over the "blue, no it's purple" issue. it's annoying when something deep purple is tagged blue vein or famous blue.
deep purple million bells are called dark blue. then the magenta pink ones are called purple. grrr.... can you tell this is a pet peeve of mine. I am also waiting for my salvia blue angel. that is a true blue. but, since it hasnt germinated yet it will be awhile. lithadora is a true blue as are some delphs. I would really like to try blue himilayen (sp?) poppies but I dont think we have the right climate. can't find seeds aroumd here either.
Tanya

flowerchild5, check Annie's Annuals as I think she occasionally carries the blue himalayan poppy.

Steven, I love blues also and you're right, they're pretty rare! I treasure the very few I have because of that. I'll go through my photos and sort some out for your thread!

I've been having trouble germinating the Blue Himalayan Poppy. It's suppposed to grow wonderfully here in the Pac NW. Any tips?

Ahhh! Blue! As a die-hard Auburn University fan, I have this project I want to tackle...just a blue and orange (school colors) little garden tucked away somewhere. :) I already have my eagle (War Eagle!) statue that will placed there. :) Hey trailrunner...I picked up that eagle at the garden center you mentioned in an earlier post--Out in the Garden.

pacnwgrdngirl

You know it'll be difficult when the seed package says "Germination Challenging". I found that buying the plant and saving your own seed to be helpful. The plants now are no more expensive than regular perennials.
You might try prechilling your seeds in the fridge for 3 weeks first.
They need light to germinate. Mine sometimes self sow.

Good luck.
Libby

We had a talk on the Blue Himalayan Poppy at one of our garden club meetings, we were told they were very difficult, you'd be lucky if you got 10% germination. Also we were told if you buy the plant do not let them bloom the first year, if you do they will most likely die. Unless you have ideal conditions for this beauty, a short lived perennial at best. I would think the success rate will be better from seed you have collected yourself.

A......

Centaurea montana, perennial bachelor buttons, seem to have a purplish center but the petals are very blue.

{{gwi:650189}}

Blue-- Violet-- Purple-- ?-- Red is how I see colors... and have constant discussions with others over Violet and Purple. Blue is blue- Forget me nots--blue right now under the ''blue'' Rhodo augustinii-- really violet.

I can't seem to find a good name for the ''?'' between red and purple Red violet is how I usually describe it... after all, Violets themselves come blue violet and red violet (and yellow and white.. and peach!)

I find making a ''Blue'' garden is difficult not because there are so few blues, but because they often don't work with violet and purple- the blue is too vibrant.

But they are all beautiful, so whatever grows together is gonna have to work-- anyone who comes to my garden and criticizes or complains is told, sometimes subtly, sometimes(usually) not, to shut up or they won't be invited back

... Don

I spent the day planting the "blues...with yellow". I am using the yellow as a background to the blues to help them show up better.

I have a sunny slope with a rain garden at the bottom. On the slope, I've got Saliva Black & Blue, Echinops Ritro, Adonis Blue Buddleia (navy), Cape Fuschia in pale yellow, Echinacea Big Sky 'Sunrise' in pale yellow, Coreopsis 'Creme Brulee' in pale yellow, Penstemon 'Electric Blue' (still to be planted, may go somewhere else).

At the bottom of the slope, I planted Salvia Ulignosa (bog sage), Amsonia Hubrichtii, Nepeta Subsessillis, EUPATORIUM coelestinum Wayside, Macbridea Caroliniana, variegated Japanese iris (purple family), iris pseudacoras yellow flag.

I also planted GERANIUM Brookside along a path in a different location.

Since it's all new, it will be awhile before I have any blooms to photograph.

Cameron

Oh yes...blues can be so beautiful and also a little therapeutic, too. So many shades that as a lot of you have stated--sometimes plants are listed as a shade of blue when in reality they are a purple shade of some sort. I love Blue Irises (have a few different shades) and Johnson's Blue geranium, and the blue shades of clematis, and a lavender blue.

I have a riot of blues with blue salvia and blue daze. I could show them if I were not tech-challenged!

Plumbago and Dayflower. Absolutely true blue, carefree, and in the case of the Dayflower, an ambitious colonizer (from seed) that is none the less easily removed from unwanted areas.

Plumbago

Dayflower

That dayflower bellflower was unusual and beautiful! Never saw that before.

Last year I grew a miniature delphinium that was a vibrant sky blue - totally gorgeous with delicate fernlike foliage - grew to about 1 - 1 1/2 ft tall.

Fern

In early spring, I tend to let the following weeds, uh, wildflowers, grow:

Blue Toadflax (linaria canadensis)

Blue Curls (trichostema dichotomum)

Venus's Looking Glass (specularia perfoliata)[bluebell family]

Bluets (houstonia caerulea)

Blue-eyed Grass (sisyrinchium augustifolium) [Iris family]

All except the Blue-eyed Grass are reseeding annuals and easily kept in bounds. I cultivate the Blue-eyed Grass, which is perennial.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sisyrinchium

Fernsk,
Was it like Larkspur?

Here is a link that might be useful: Larkspur

I have a Ceanothus Concha in my back yard that has deep true blue flowers in Spring. Also Perennial Morning Glory (Ipomea Acuminata) has true blue flowers when they first open. They get purply-pink as the day wears on.

One of my favorites is blue flax - I justlove the airy look of it.

I can't wait for my larkspur to bloom, love 'em with my poppies.
{{gwi:650190}}

I grow the Dwarf Chinese Delphinium "Blue Butterfly" (delphinium chinese/grandiforum) hardy perennial. A true blue. 1 foot tall.

That is probably what fernsk is referring too.

dem_pa

Here is one of my favorite blues for its delicacy, although the photo doesn't do it justice.
{{gwi:650191}}