Summertime Blues

Salvia ‘Victoria Blue’ 

We do end up singing the blues during summer in Cincinnati, when it’s hot, dry, and parched—and all our lovely ornamentals are biting the dust. Luckily at Diefenbacher we have a continuous supply of fresh color during the summer months to replenish displays that are starting to fade.

Petunia ‘Surfinia Heavenly Blue’

Cool colors like blue, along with violet and green, have a tranquil, calming effect—and, because they appear to recede in the landscape, can make small spaces feel bigger. If you notice that a design is mostly warm in tone you may want to lower the intensity of yellows, reds, and oranges by adding some cooler flower and foliage shades to the mix. 

Blue flowers differ in intensity and tone, so take that into consideration when choosing a bloom to use in a design. If you’re looking to add drama, choose a dark blue over a light blue—dark blue provides intensity. Also keep in mind that a flower can be red-blue—aka lavender or purple—as opposed to hitting the clear, true blue mark on the color wheel. 

True blue: ‘Victoria Blue’

Salvia ‘Victoria Blue’ is our standard go-to for a dark, true blue flower. Here, the gray-green foliage makes the flower spikes pop and the deep blue, in turn, highlights other vivid colors placed next to it. Pair this salvia with chartreuse foliage, or combine it with ‘SunPatiens Compact Orange’ down front for eye-catching contrast. 

Mid blue: Ageratum ‘Hawaii Blue’

Ageratum ‘Hawaii Blue’ is actually a mid blue—we call it a royal blue. It tends to look a bit lighter due to the fluffy, feathery texture of the flowers. Versatile is another way of describing these powder puffs that mix so easily with other bright ornamentals for sun—‘Hawaii Blue’ can even tolerate light shade, unlike most ageratum varieties. 

Red-blue: Scaevola ‘Bombay Dark Blue’

‘Bombay Dark Blue’ scaevola would be considered a red-blue since it’s actually a deep purple. We like these unusual fan-shaped flowers for infusing combinations and landscape beds with an exotic dash of indigo. Since the blooms are fragrant in the evening, they add an extra dimension to elegant white gardens that already glow in the moonlight. Notice how the lush, bright green foliage enhances the dark blooms—it mounds and trails, so we use this selection in hanging baskets, too. 

These three takes on blue are available in the 8-inch pot. ‘Hawaii Blue’ comes in the 1203 flat as well.