One of my very favorite plants in the garden is Caryopteris divaricata 'Snow Fairy'. As mentioned above, it is very different than most other Caryopteris and is technically considered an herbaceous perennial. It's a beautifully variegated form and in my garden the old branches do not resprout in spring, but instead new growth sprouts from the base of the plant; very similar to the way a Phlox Paniculata would grow. Hence, herbaceous perennial as opposed to shrub. It tends to wake up a bit late in Spring so I like to plant something like a Dicentra spectabilis behind it so that as the foliage of the Dicentra begins its summer demise, the beautiful 'Snow Fairy' grows up and takes its place. Oh, I LOVE gardening! My 'Snow Fairy' only grows about 3x3 feet and although she does flower, the flowers are not entirely significant, but they do provide an added touch and the bees love it. The little flowers create a blue/purple wispy glow above the foliage, which is the real star. The variegation in the foliage is so unusual and the unusual shape of the foliage only adds to its beauty imho. Oh, she takes my breath away! I'm kindof nuts about variegated foliage. As far as golden-leaved forms of Caryopteris, I also prefer Caryopteris incana ÂSunshine Blue  JasonÂ. The foliage color is more stable and the flowering is more profuse. I think the form is a bit more refined, too. I love talking/typing plants. Happy Gardening, Everyone! ;)

White Flowers Sweet Woodruff White Bleeding Heart White tulips (not in place yet) Oak leaf Hydrangea on the edge of the space Black Flowers Black Bart Columbine (not in place yet) Black Tulips (not in place yet) Helleborus orientalis w/ black flower (not in place yet) White Foliage Cornus alternifolia 'Argentea' defining the front corner (not in place yet) 'Brise d'Anjou' Polemonium Fire and Ice Hosta (not in place yet) Black Foliage Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' - Black Mondo grass Cimicifuga Hillside Black Beauty (white flowers) Brass Buttons 'Platt's Black' Trifolium repens 'Dark Dancer' I've only started the garden this spring, and I have no idea how it will work, but it's been fun putting together. It's a small space just to the left of the front door. The space transitions from mostly shade to half sun/half shade as I get away from the house, so I am trying to site plants accordingly. I know it's going to be a hodgepodge to plants at first, but as I see what works (some items are just on order and not in place yet) and what doesn't I am hoping to really shape it into something cool. Lisa

I recently bought that Phlomis; it's struggling a bit right now. The seeds for Hedeoma and that Stachys [great picture!) are on my current want list from Southwestern Native Seeds. I do have Stachys a. Hidalgo, which is a nice plant with coral colored flowers. Currently what I wish there were more of in the trade are Cupheas. The only resemblance to Salvias is that they are loved by hummingbirds. Strybing told me that they will soon be offering many varieties; they didn't put them out for the winter sale, but I saw them blooming in the park.

Well I'm NOT a blue person. Indoors I have NO blue. My husband doesn't understand this. I have no idea why I feel this way. Outdoors things are different! I have a blue/yellow/white garden bed which I love. Yes, delphineums, catananche, campanulas, baptisia and more, are mixed with trollius, coreopsis moonbeam, peony Claire de Lune and low growing white clematis and aquilegia. It is a big mix and wouldn't be any fun at all without the blue! There are loads of clematis that are purple or blue/purple, but also some very nice blues I think. You do get into the question of "what is blue?" My husband and I think this could well be a male/female issue! Also, by saying a flower is blue, perhaps a catalogue gains more sales? * Posted by: coolbeans (My Page) on Sat, Feb 2, 02 at 13:12 This is my VERY favorite thread, and I totally agree with all those who feel that there is just "something" about blue flowers; they ARE magical, they ARE very special; and they make me happier than any other color flower. Don't know why...I just started a flat full of Bluebird delphinium seeds I saved from my one lonely plant last year. A bunch of them germinated, so now I can't wait to have a huge stand of them! Maybe they won't bloom this year, but maybe they will. And also "true blue" penstemons, I'm trying for the first time. I can't get enough of this precious color. * Posted by: Anne_Marie_Alb (My Page) on Tue, Feb 5, 02 at 17:47 WOW....... Did anyone realize that this thread started almost 5 years ago... on Feb. 15, 1997!!!!! I am amazed it has survived that long. Probably, the oldest thread still on the top page! I wonder if "Clare B" (who started the thread) is still an active member of the Garden Web!!! I personally love blue flowers (I mean blue, and not purple, which I also like). I can't believe how many blue flowers I am starting from seeds this year... and that was just a pure coincidence! I also love RED flowers.. Maybe, I should start a "red flower" thread! I will first check the archives! * Posted by: Clare (My Page) on Thu, Feb 7, 02 at 20:34 Yes, Ann_Marie, I am still here! I will be a bit sad to see this thread fade away when it hits the 100 posts mark. After that, the threads are closed. I don't think I have any true blue flowers still. "Victoria Blue" Salvia is the closest thing. I use it a lot. It is such a heavy, long bloomer, and about one in twenty of them will survive winter here. Just wish I could predict which would survive so that I could save seed from those alone and perhaps work up a more hardy strain. By the way, the Hydrangeas in Memphis, Tennessee are incredible. Some are so saturated blue that I'd have to call them navy. * Posted by: Dswan (My Page) on Sat, Feb 9, 02 at 22:37 I'm going to add to this extremely long thread only because there really is something to true blue. I grow from seed a very difficult plant to propagate called Penstemon cyananthus or Wasatch Penstemon. I cold stratify and plant these every year in hopes of gettting one or two in my garden every year. Absolutely gorgeous. * Posted by: Rosa (My Page) on Mon, Mar 11, 02 at 10:24 Did no one mention Gentians-now those are blue! (along with my favorite penstemson of course-some are indeed blue). * Posted by: pineshade7b ) on Mon, Apr 15, 02 at 11:02 i agree with gloria mc coy. i love blue and green , they are my favorite colors in anything. just look in my house and closets. blue..ocean, blue jeans, my own eyes are blue and my husband's are green. many reasons to answer -why blue. although i do not "hyperventilate" , if i should go into a nursery and ask for a blue -flowering plant and the staff looks down their nose at me, i'll know now that they are only doing it because they think I'M a snob. until i adopted gardening as a serious hobby i had no idea that blue was a "snob" color. i just naturally began to look into flowers in the colors i liked personally. you learn something new everyday. i would have been hurt and confused to walk into a nursery and be looked at like a pariah, what did i say? now i know, thanks clare. * Posted by: DesertGardner (My Page) on Fri, Apr 19, 02 at 12:38 Wow - I never knew there was such a controversy over the color blue in the garden. After reading all the posts, I now understand why some gardeners prefer the color. And I have to say that I've never met any gardeners whom I would consider snobbish. Most of them are really quite down to earth! (if you pardon the expression...) I recently tried planting a red, white and blue flower bed, with 'Victoria Blue' Salvia being my blue color. It's a little too purple and doesn't look right as a "patriotic" design. I will probably tear out the red and white and keep the "blue" (purple) since it seems to like this desert heat. Someone mentioned black flowers, and I remembered seeing black pansies in the most recent Burpee catalog. They're a beautiful velvety black with a spot of yellow in the center. I think I'll plant some this winter, and start an obsession with black flowers! (just kidding Clare...) -Kara [* Posted by: yeona_sky (My Page) on Mon, Jun 24, 02 at 0:37 I just bought a blue poppy and am nervously watching its progress. My success with blues has been an up hill battle, but that hasn't changed my desire to spotlight it in my garden. Why blue?, again it's a passion with me. Clare, I hope you get the last word on this thread, and I hope you understand Why blue, a little better. * Posted by: Duster (My Page) on Wed, Jun 26, 02 at 23:56 I agree with the many others about getting annoyed when purple is referred to as blue. Maybe that's why I take up the cause of truly blue flowers! 99% of my Delphiniums are the true electric blue ones. I'd love one of the Himalayan Poppies but just not right for my little yard. I like the blue flowers, rather than the blue foliage plants. And no, blue is NOT my favorite color - I have nothing blue in my home decor. I just like the uniqueness of the TRUE blue and my stubbornness to get people to stop calling it purple!!!!