Spring Blues

August and September in my garden are about the subtle plants - small pockets of interest - bulbs, primulas, polyanthus, and fresh foliage growth. I noticed on the weekend that blues are my feature colour, especially in miniature.

The Grape Hyacinth (Muscari) is a particularly nostalgic plant for me - childhood memories of picking little posies for my bedside table. The fascination of their miniature flowers is still with me, as is their subtle fragrance. I have split some clumps, and now have them in little pockets amongst white primulas, and fresh green foliage. They look fabulous. They also last for ages in a vase, and that way you get to enjoy the intricacies of their form up close.

Other blues at the moment are the polyanthus and Omphalodes. I can't get enough of the Omphalodes, and have divided it and poked in all the different gardens this spring. The bold foliage is useful amongst smaller leaves, but the colour of the flowers is fabulous. Like a very intensely deep forget-me-not, but without the pain-in-the-butt maintenance issues!

Omphalodes cappadocia.
This is a small division taken off the parent plant about 2 months ago. 

 Polyanthus are wonderful for a burst of colour, too. Any colour! I have mostly blues and purples, but also dark reds, but I definitely keep them within their colour groups in any one area. They stoically flower on for months through the wet and wild winter conditions. For only a few dollars, they give years and years of pleasure. It is these little details that make gardens more interesting for 12 months of the year.