Accents of blue

Did you know that most people consider blue to be their favorite color? And did you also know that the color blue is used more in corporate identity than any other color? In garden design we can think about the color blue in terms of advancing or receding. On the color wheel blue is considered to be a receding color — it is calming, and settles into the background nicely. Blue doesn’t jump out at you like reds, oranges and yellows. True blue is opposite orange on the color wheel, so those colors pair very nicely together.  Think California poppy and Lupine. Orange-yellow and orange-red pair well with blue, also.

Below I’ve listed four of my favorite garden-worthy plants with blue flowers. All are drought tolerant.

Ceanothus sp. – Blue Blossom or California Lilac. I love all Ceanothus! This rapidly growing, sun-loving California native shrub is known for its dark green leaves and indigo blue sweet scented flowers that burst forth in late winter or early spring.  Ceanothus comes in all sizes and shapes. The cultivar “Ray Hartman” grows 15-20’ tall and can be pruned into tree form.  “Yankee Point” has lighter blue flowers and grows 3’ tall and 7- 10’ wide. “Centennial” tops out at 6” high and makes a great low ground cover.  Ceanothus is a great habitat plant for bees and birds. Bambi loves Ceanothus, too.  Consider “Dark Star” and “Julie Phelps” if you live in a deer corridor.

Rosmarinus officianlis – Rosemary. Rosemary is a very tough, sun-loving plant with needle-like leaves and tiny blue flowers typically on full display February-April. It can survive in the shade but doesn’t bloom so well there. Cultivars range from the 5-6’x5-6’ “Tuscan Blue” to ground-hugging 1-2’ tall “Prostratus” and “Huntington Carpet” cultivars.  Rosemary is deer resistant, aromatic and virtually pest-free.  Like Ceanothus, make sure it has good drainage.

Salvia chamaedryoides – Germander Sage. Germander Sage is a little sub-shrub about 2’ tall and 3’-4’ wide. Its bright blue flowers are especially attractive as they contrast with the grey-green-silvery foliage of this plant. This plant grows in full sun or part shade. It can sometimes get ratty in the winter so annual maintenance with a bit of tip pruning serves it well.

Penstemon heterophyllus. – Foothill Penstemon. Penstemons are perennials but typically stay green all winter long in northern California. Foothill penstemon is a California native plant that does best in the sun. The cultivar “Blue Springs” grows about 18” high and wide. It has vibrant blue flowers that perform best if you deadhead regularly.  Cut foothill penstemon back in the winter so it doesn’t get too rangy. All penstemons are loved by hummingbirds.

This article is the third in a series dedicated to drought tolerant plants organized by flower color. Previous articles covered yellow and red flowering plants.

Karen Boness is a Sonoma based landscape designer, certified arborist ISA WE-9654A, and licensed landscape contractor #974035. Her business is Wild Willow Landscape Design. 707.481.8561. Wildwillowdesign.com.