Discover Tranquility in Your Garden: A Gallery of 11 Stunning Annual Flowers with a Captivating Blue Hue
In the world of horticulture, blue is a captivating colour that adds a touch of tranquility and elegance to any garden setting. Whether you're cultivating a cottage garden, a formal border, or a container garden, there's a blue bloom to suit every style. Here's a selection of beautiful blue annual and perennial flowers that will brighten up your outdoor space.
Among the annuals, some standouts include Bachelor's buttons (Centaurea cyanus), known for their bright blue, daisy-like flowers. Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) offers delicate, feathery foliage and sky-blue blossoms, while Salvia (Salvia spp.) boasts striking cobalt-blue flowers, especially in cultivars like ‘Black and Blue’. Dwarf Morning Glory (Evolvulus glomeratus) provides small but vivid blue blooms, and Lobelia (Lobelia erinus) covers the ground with a carpet of deep blue flowers. The Swan River Daisy (Brachyscome iberidifolia) is a charming annual with abundant blue flowers.
For perennials, consider options like Baptisia (False Indigo), a tough perennial with blue pea-like flowers attractive to bumblebees. Muscari (Grape Hyacinth) springs up with clusters that multiply and scent the garden sweetly, while Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) offer fragrant bell-shaped flowers ideal for moist woodland gardens. Balloon Flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) is known for balloon-shaped buds opening to bright blue blooms, and Amsonia displays masses of star-shaped blue flowers in late spring to early summer. Catmint (Nepeta spp.) blooms profusely with blue flowers and requires low maintenance, making it a garden favourite. Hydrangeas, notably blue varieties such as ‘Nikko Blue’ and ‘Endless Summer®’, add soft to deep blue hues in shady garden spots.
These choices cater to a variety of garden styles and growing conditions. For example, Cineraria blooms from winter to spring and is often grown as house plants as well as outdoor annuals. Amazon blue prefers full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained soil, while the floss flower thrives in full sun with rich, moist soil and good drainage. Deadheading encourages a second, late-season flush of blooms in larkspur, a plant that produces spikes of white to blue flowers from midspring to midsummer.
Bush violet, a delightful addition to any garden, grows in a bushy mound and attracts hummingbirds with flowers in shades of blue and white. Larkspur leaves are palmately divided or lobed and may be fine and feathery, depending on the species or cultivar. Though somewhat drought tolerant, floss flower appreciates rich, moist soil with good drainage in full sun, while bush violet prefers full sun with afternoon shade and rich, moist, well-drained soil.
These blue blooms, each with their unique characteristics, provide a wide range of options for gardeners seeking to add a splash of colour to their outdoor spaces. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a novice just starting out, there's a blue flower to suit your style and needs. Happy gardening!
[1] Gardening Know How. (n.d.). Swan River Daisy. Retrieved from https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-medicine/herbs/swan-river-daisy.htm [2] Hydrangeas. (n.d.). Hydrangeas: The Ultimate Guide. Retrieved from https://www.hydrangeas.com/ [3] Proven Winners. (n.d.). Amsonia. Retrieved from https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/amsonia-blue-star/15401 [4] Balloon Flower. (n.d.). Balloon Flower: Platycodon grandiflorus. Retrieved from https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/balloonflower/balloon-flower-platycodon-grandiflorus.htm
- The Swan River Daisy, an charming annual, offers abundant blue flowers, making it a perfect addition to any garden setting.
- Catmint, a low maintenance perennial, blooms profusely with blue flowers, providing a delightful touch to cottage gardens or formal borders.
- Deadheading encourages a second, late-season flush of blooms in larkspur, an annual that produces spikes of white to blue flowers, suitable for both novice and seasoned gardeners.
- Cineraria, which blooms from winter to spring, can be grown as both house plants and outdoor annuals, adding a touch of elegance to your home-and-garden lifestyle.
- For a touch of tranquility and sophistication in fashion-and-beauty decor, consider incorporating Bush violet, a attractive bushy plant with flowers in shades of blue and white.
- Amsonia, a perennial, displays masses of star-shaped blue flowers in late spring to early summer, thriving in organic gardens with rich, moist, well-drained soil and attracting pollinators like bees.
