I have one in the front yard. Its in a mostly sunny spot, decent soil (not too sandy, not too rich) with some hardy cactus, russian sage and salvias. Mine doubled in size last year (first year) and I know it bloomed for a little bit at one point but I honestly can't say I remember the color. I remember reading, too, that it could be white or it could be a blue/lilac color. Having said that, I don't think its really grown for the flowers - I chose it because its low-growing habits and color (you're absolutely right - this with a dark purple ajuga would be beautiful! Like I said, mine is with the dark purples of salvia and light blues of russian sage but a deep, almost black purple would be beautiful with this!). I'm right on the border of zone 5 and 6 in Michigan. I'm sure I don't need to tell you what a crazy winter we had and, even though snow insulates, we still had a few weeks for -10ð and my creeping sunshine made it through. Never dragged a hose across mine, and its still quite small, but it seems to be very dense and matted so I would imagine, after a little maturing, it would be able to stand up against a hose. If you already have them give them a try and if they don't work out then I have some false lamium I can send you... talk about a resilient ground cover (JUST KIDDING lol)

I found a few sites listing it as zone 3. So, maybe they are not exactly sure if it is zone 3 or 4? http://www.sunnyborder.com/pages/genus.php?id=474 I don't have this veronica. Yet. Brenda

Fried, in this extreme heat? Mine do the same thing every year for the most part. Then they bounce back in spring and look fantastic (or even in winter here they look good). This year in particular due to high heat I've had many plants look terrible and and some have gone dormant.

I love my salvia nemorosa Caradonna. This year I'm trying I'm trying S. nemorosa New Dimension Blue. It really looks nice. The nemorosas are one of the few that seem to be able to handle winter wet. I also have incredible luck with veronica spicata varieties all except Border Blue. If dead headed they bloom all year. I mostly have the dark purple and blue varieties.