Blue and Yellow garden in full sun?

15 years ago

I love the blue/yellow combinations and I'm planning to put a bed in the front yard with this combo, but it appears that many of the blue perennials favor partial shade, while this area is a good 8 hours full sun.

Anyone had any luck with blue perennials in a full sun location?

thanks,

Jay

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Comments (7)

jant
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Jay....have you visited nurseries or Googled yet? There are many blue perennials that thrive in (or require)full sun. All of the Salvias, Russian Sage, Scabiosa, nepetas, Butterfly bushes are some. The annual blue Salvia is wonderful too. As a benefit, all of these thrive in well drained, dryish soil....they don't need coddling and are long bloomers. Blue Hills Salvia is the most "true blue" of the salvias.
lschibley
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I love the Missouri botanical plantfinder site. It has a very extensive database and lets you search on all kinds of things. Here is what I got for full sun, zone 5, blue bloom perennials. Start googling!

Anchusa azurea 'Dropmore' blue bugloss 4-5 3-10
Anchusa azurea 'Loddon Royalist' blue bugloss 1-3 3-8
Aster amellus 'Veilchenkigin' VIOLET QUEEN Italian aster 1-2 5-8
Aster 'Celeste' michaelmas daisy 2-2.5 4-8
Aster ericoides 'Blue Star' heath aster 1-3 3-9
Aster laevis 'Bluebird' smooth aster 2.5-3 4-8
Aster linariifolius stiff aster 1-2 4-9
Aster 'Little Carlow' aster 1.5-2 4-8
Aster novi-belgii 'Blue Lagoon' michaelmas daisy 1-1.5 4-8
Aster oblongifolius aromatic aster 1-3 3-8
Aster oblongifolius 'October Skies' aromatic aster 1.5-2 3-8
Aster puniceus glossy-leaved aster 6-8 2-9
Aster sedifolius 'Nanus' aster 1-1.5 4-7
Aster tataricus tartarian aster 3-6 3-9
Aster 'Wood's Purple' aster 1-1.5 4-8
Calamintha nepeta subsp. nepeta calamint 1-1.5 5-7
Catananche caerulea cupid's dart 1-2 4-7
Centaurea montana mountain bluet 1-2 3-8
Centaurea montana 'Gold Bullion' perennial cornflower 1-2 3-8
Delphinium exaltatum tall larkspur 4-6 5-7
Delphinium grandiflorum Siberian larkspur 1-2 4-7
Delphinium grandiflorum 'Blue Butterfly' Siberian larkspur 1-1.5 3-7
Delphinium (Pacific hybrids) larkspur 4-6 3-7
Delphinium treleasei Trelease's larkspur 2-4 5-7
Dianthus superbus carnation 0.75-1.5 3-8
Echinops bannaticus globe thistle 4-6 4-9
Echinops bannaticus 'Blue Globe' globe thistle 2-3 3-8
Echinops bannaticus 'Blue Glow' blue globe thistle 2-4 3-8
Echinops gmelinii globe thistle 1.5-2 3-8
Echinops ritro small globe thistle 3-4 3-8
Echinops ritro subsp. ruthenicus small globe thistle 2-3 4-8
Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue' small globe thistle 3-3.5 3-8
Echium vulgare viper's bugloss 1-2.5 4-8
Erigeron 'Azurfee' AZURE FAIRY fleabane 1-2.5 5-8
Erigeron 'Dunkelste Aller' DARKEST OF ALL daisy fleabane 1.5-2 2-8
Eryngium alpinum 'Blue Star' eryngo 1-2.5 2-8
Eryngium bourgatii eryngo 1-2 5-8
Eryngium giganteum Miss Willmott's ghost 2-4 4-7
Eryngium planum sea holly 2-3 5-9
Eryngium planum 'Blue Glitter' sea holly 2-3 5-8
Eryngium 'Sapphire Blue' sea holly 2-2.5 5-9
Eryngium variifolium eryngo 1-1.5 5-9
Goniolimon incanum 'Blue Diamond' sea lavender 2-2.5 3-9
Goniolimon tataricum statice 1-1.5 4-10
Iris 'City Lights' tall bearded iris 2.5-3 3-10
Iris 'Clarence' tall bearded reblooming iris 2.5-3 3-10
Iris 'Midnight Fragrance' tall bearded iris 2.5-3 3-10
Iris 'Monty's Sweet Blue' bearded iris 2.5-3 3-10
Iris 'Rosalie Figge' tall bearded reblooming iris 2.5-3 3-10
Iris 'St. Petersburg' tall bearded reblooming iris 2.5-3 3-10
Iris virginica southern blue flag 1-3 5-9
Iris virginica 'Contraband Girl' southern blue flag 2-4 5-9
Iris virginica 'Purple Fan' southern blue flag 2-3 5-9
Lavandula angustifolia 'Buena Vista' English lavender 1.5-2 5-8
Lavandula angustifolia 'Munstead' English lavender 1-1.5 5-8
Lavandula angustifolia 'Potpourri Sky Blue' English lavender 0.75-1.5 5-8
Lavandula x intermedia (Dutch Group) lavandin 1.5-2.5 5-8
Limonium platyphyllum sea lavender 2-2.5 3-9
Lupinus x hybrida lupine 3-4 4-8
Malva sylvestris 'Dema' MARINA high mallow 1-1.5 5-7
Penstemon canescens beard tongue 1-3 5-8
Penstemon grandiflorus large beard tongue 2-4 3-9
Perovskia atriplicifolia Russian sage 3-5 5-9
Perovskia atriplicifolia 'Little Spire' Russian sage 1.5-2 5-9
Perovskia 'Blue Spire' perovskia 2-3 5-9
Perovskia 'Filigran' Russian sage 2-4 5-9
Pontederia cordata pickerel weed 2-4 3-10
Pulsatilla patens eastern pasque flower 0.25-1 3-7
Salvia azurea 'Nekan' blue sage 2-4 4-9
Salvia azurea var. grandiflora blue sage 3-5 5-9
Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' sage 1-2 4-8
Salvia nemorosa 'Marcus' sage 0.5-1 4-8
Salvia officinalis common sage 2-2.5 4-8
Salvia officinalis 'Berggarten' common sage 1.5-2 5-8
Salvia pratensis meadow sage 1-3 4-8
Salvia x superba 'Merleau' sage 1-1.5 5-8
Salvia x sylvestris 'BlauhÃ¼gel' BLUE HILL wood sage 1.5-2 4-8
Salvia x sylvestris 'Lye End' wood sage 3-5 4-7
Salvia x sylvestris 'Mainacht' MAY NIGHT wood sage 1.5-2 4-8
Salvia x sylvestris 'Rhapsody in Blue' wood sage 1.5-2 4-8
Salvia x sylvestris 'Viola Klose' wood sage 1-1.5 4-8
Salvia verticillata lilac sage 1.5-2.5 5-8
Scabiosa 'Butterfly Blue' pincushion flower 1-1.5 5-9
Scabiosa caucasica pincushion flower 1.5-2 3-7
Scabiosa caucasica 'Kompliment' pincushion flower 1.5-2 3-7
Scabiosa caucasica (Perfecta Series) pincushion flower 1.5-2 3-7
Scabiosa 'Giant Blue' pincushion flower 1.5-2 3-7
Scabiosa 'Grand Stone' pincushion flower 1-2 4-7
Scabiosa 'Ultra Violet' pincushion flower 1.5-2 3-7
Scabiosa 'Vivid Violet' pincushion flower 1-1.5 3-7
Scutellaria resinosa 'Smoky Hills' skullcap 0.5-1 4-8
Sisyrinchium angustifolium blue-eyed grass 1.5-2 4-9
Sisyrinchium angustifolium 'Lucerne' blue-eyed grass 0.5-1 4-8
Sisyrinchium campestre prairie blue-eyed grass 0.5-1 2-8
Stokesia laevis 'Blue Danube' Stokes' aster 1-1.5 5-9
Stokesia laevis 'Klaus Jelitto' Stokes' aster 1-1.5 5-9
Stokesia laevis 'Omega Skyrocket' Stokes' aster 3-4 5-9
Stokesia laevis 'Peachie's Pick' Stokes' aster 1-1.5 5-9
Stokesia laevis 'Wyoming' Stokes' aster 1-1.5 5-9
Verbena hastata American blue vervain 2-6 3-8
Verbena stricta hoary vervain 2-4 4-7
Veronica 'Blue Reflection' speedwell 0.25-0.5 4-7
Veronica 'Darwin's Blue' speedwell 1-1.5 4-8
Veronica 'Goodness Grows' speedwell 0.75-1 3-8
Veronica liwanensis speedwell -0.25 4-9
Veronica longifolia 'Blauriesin' BLUE GIANTESS long leaf speedwell 3-4 4-8
Veronica longifolia 'Blue John' long leaf speedwell 1-1.5 4-8
Veronica longifolia 'Joseph's Coat' long leaf speedwell 3-4 5-8
Veronica 'Mann's Variety' speedwell 0.5-0.75 5-8
Veronica 'Midnight' speedwell 1-1.5 4-9
Veronica spicata 'Blue Charm' spiked speedwell 1-1.5 3-8
Veronica spicata 'Glory' ROYAL CANDLES spiked speedwell 0.75-1 3-8
Veronica spicata 'High Five' speedwell 1-3 4-8
Veronica spicata 'Nana' spiked speedwell 0.5-0.75 3-8
Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue' speedwell 1.5-2 4-9
Veronica 'Waterperry Blue' speedwell 0.25-0.5 4-8
Viola pedata bird's foot violet 0.25-0.5 4-8

Lisa

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asarum
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
It is in the list above, but I wanted to single out Veronica Sunny Blue Border as a long-bloomer with a vibrant blue color.
diggingthedirt
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Balloon flower is my favorite, although I also love the salvias. Something about those slightly glossy "balloon" leaves opening is really wonderful. It's not the most gracefully-shaped perennial, but I would not garden without one or 2 )or 6) of them.
jant
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Oh...Rozanne Geranium is wonderful. Wonder why Kemper doesn't have that on the list?
ego45
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Cariopteris incana 'Sunshine Blue' will serve you perfectly: yellow foliage + blue flowers.
Actualy, agastache 'Golden jubilee' will have the same yellow/blue properties.
hunt4carl
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Jay -

Looks like Lisa did your homework for you! Here's another
positive vote for the Missouri Botantical Garden site - their "Plantfinder" is one of my most invaluable online
resources. (Hint: from my computer, at least, MBG materials
load much faster week-ends and evenings). . .

And, yes, you can have a blue/yellow garden in full sun -
I've actually had one for about 10 years now - and I'm still fiddling with it! My experience has been that the
softer, more muted yellows (and creams) set up the blues
more effectively, although someone else might enjoy the
competition between more saturated yellows/vibrant blues.

For a "true blue" geranium, I've found that G.'Johnson's Blue' works better for me than G.'Rozanne'. . .and the way
it sprawls everywhere is delightful - of course, you DO
have to cut it back hard in aerly July, but other blues
have come forward by then. For reliable, almost all-season
"blue", most years I'll mix in some annual Salvia farinacea
and the tender Salvia guaranitica; there's a soft yellow (annual) cosmos that also blends beautifully. My two largest blue specimens, anchoring the bed, are Buddleia
davidii 'Adonis Blue' and a Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nikko Blue', that I swear is on steriods - it's huge! Oh, and the
earliest BIG burst of blue, of course, is Baptisia australis. . .these last three plants, by the way, are all
hardy to Zone 5. . .

Good luck! And could we have pictures next year?

Carl

Blue and Yellow garden in full sun?

Comments (7)

jant

lschibley

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