Home of the Practically Perfect Pink Phlox and other native plants for pollinators

Monday, May 4, 2015

It's National Wildflower Week~Get Your Wildflower On


Bluestar~Amsonia tabernaemontana is a late Spring bloomer in my garden*  and a wonderful flower to share for  the National Wildflower Week!
There was a time when the pale blue flowers seemed underwhelming; that all changed, when I noticed their marvelous fall color. (Amsonia, After the Fall) Needing more fall color in the garden,  I bought all the different species/cultivars that were available locally, planting at least three of them together for a great fall color effect.
The following spring I saw the blue flowers in a new light.

I am no longer underwhelmed! In fact,  the garden could use a few more stars!

xoxogail

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

14 comments:

  1. I just planted 'Blue Ice' recently and it's thriving. Such a beauty!

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  2. I have 'Montana' but find the fall colors underwhelming myself. Maybe I'm too far south for that. Love the flowers though. I'd like to try hubrichtii

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  3. I love my amsonia! I have two or three types. I find that 'Blue Ice' is easiest for me to grow, but I keep trying with the other more delicate-leafed one. It isn't a show stopper in spring, but wow, that fall color goes so well with panicums.

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    1. You're right Dee, it isn't a show stopper in the spring! But, it's lovely in the fall.

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  4. That is lovely. I will be on the lookout for it. I don't remember who said it but I believe it's true. "You can never be to rich or have too much blue in your garden."

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  5. So pretty. I love blues in the garden.

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  6. Enjoyed my visit once again. I have some form of Bluestar that I found along one of the country paths - but I don't know exactly what it is.

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  7. I didn't care for A. hubrichtii (overrated IMHO), but I too am loving Blue Ice. Very very impressive so far growing in *awful* hardpacked clay soil.

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  8. I'm another one who has Blue Ice. Just planted it last year and it is stunner this spring.

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  9. I have wildflowers in my current garden, and my favorite right now (though not in bloom) is a native red columbine. As I plan my upcoming NEW garden, I will be putting in many native plants. Lucky me - I live right near Nasami Farm - a propagating wing of the New England Wildflower Society.

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  10. I am just catching up with reading Gail and didn't want to miss your wildflowers. I agree the Bluestar is fabulous...sadly mine isn't looking well as Obedient has swallowed him i think. I will be rescuing him soon and I hope to add more as well...they are fabulous.

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  11. I have both of these amsonias, and love them for different reasons. The golden color of hubrichtii is fab, and the blue ice has the most beautiful flowers this spring that have lasted for several weeks, with hummers and bumbles all over them. Win win!

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