A summer border featuring salvia, delphinium, Russian sage, wishbone flower, aster, and Browallia all in shades of blue to violet is cool and refreshing. The foliage, of course, adds the color green and sometimes gray, white, or yellow. But what plants are blooming in early spring before these beauties come into flower? Bulbs are a great way to provide color for a blue/violet themed garden from early spring into summer.
Here are five easy-to-grow spring bulbs that will provide blue color:
Crocus vernus Twilight
This large flowered heirloom crocus introduced in 1910 has dark midnight blue-violet petals. It is deer resistant and naturalizes well.
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Height: 5”
Bloom Time: Early spring
Hardiness: Zones 4-8
Hyacinth Delf Blue
This very popular hyacinth introduced in 1944 and named for Delf china has soft lilac-blue flowers and a heavy fragrance. One of the most reliable hyacinths it requires excellent drainage.
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Height: 8-12”
Bloom Time: Early to mid-spring
Hardiness: Zones 4-8
Grape Hyacinth, Muscari aucheri Blue Magic
A native of Turkey, this heirloom grape hyacinth introduced in 1871 has dense stems of sky-blue flowers, lighter on top becoming darker on the bottom. Deer resistant and a good forcer, it naturalizes readily.
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Height: 4-8”
Bloom Time: Mid spring
Hardiness: Zones 4-8
Tulip Cummins
Cummins in not your usual tulip; it has deep lavender-blue petals with white lacy edges and is sure to give your garden an exotic look.
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Height: 18-20
Bloom Time: Mid to late spring
Hardiness: Zones 3-7
Allium azureum (aka A. caeruleum)
This heirloom allium introduced in 1830 has true blue flower heads 1.2” across made up of cornflower-blue florets. The foliage grows low with the flowers towering above. With garlic flavored leaves they are not attractive to deer or rodents.
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Height: 24”
Bloom Time: June
Hardiness: Zones 4-7
Start the growing season with Twilight crocuses and enjoy hyacinths and grape hyacinths in mid spring until the tulip Cummins blooms. Allium azureum will then take over and start into summer when the perennials and annuals will be ready to strut their stuff. Choose the bulbs with both their bloom time and height in mind so that you can have plenty of color throughout the garden all spring. Notice that none of the bulbs mentioned above are suitable for very warm climates. Order bulbs in summer and plant in the fall.
