Re: veronica Sunny Border Blue

In a message dated 2/4/03 8:40:29 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
bethperennial@hotmail.com writes:


> Giles van Hees looks interesting. And I'll try Sunny Border Blue too - and
> over time I'll end up digging out all my self-seeded misc. veronicas. (they
> even sprout in the middle of the crowns of various other plants!

Veronica "Crater Lake Blue"  seed was sold for years as a selection of V. 
teucrium.  Possibly that is what you bought and grew from seed.  I have some 
of those plants and they are not the vegetatively produced "Crater Lake Blue" 
 The original was a pretty plant though of fleeting bloom. The blue was 
admired and sold the plant.  Maybe the taller plants with spiky flowers are 
all mislabeled or they will produce a very variable lot of plants.  The 
plants produced from the tall Veronica seed are what you see is what you get.

There are a huge number of low mat forming Veronicas that are more reliable 
from seed.  All are long lived, my old tall plants exist around here 
somewhere under the shrubs, very tenacious of life.

What you buy as Veronica seed may or may not be what is described.  There is 
an in-between size plant, V. incana, that is easy from seed.  It has grey 
foliage and spiky blue flowers that last forever, a good investment.  Incana 
from seed should be culled removing the taller and greener plants leaving the 
compact grey leafed foliage.  This give the pleasant grey/blue combination.

All of the taller spicata or teucrium or wherever they are placed hybrids are 
very good plants if you buy a named variety.  White icicles is a superb 
plant.  Not showy, it is a compliment to those grown next to it, lives 
forever and needs water only until the buds appear.  Afterward, it is cut to 
the ground reappearing as good bushy green foliage.
I like most of them

I don't like Sunny Border Blue.  It has a lot of leaf for short flower spikes 
and is a variable success here.  All Veronica need full sun and sharp 
drainage.  Lean soil is better than rich soil for compact long blooming 
plant, non flopping plants.

Sunny was the Perennial Plant of the Year some time ago after an expensive 
introduction by a wholesale nursery in CT. which now calls itself the home of 
Sunny Border Blue and circulates a tale of how it was found by the owner's 
father and on and on.  This year's plant is 'Becky', a shasta daisy around 
for years.  What is selected is what sells in garden centers, lots of 
publicity.  I think what is looked for in these selections is a plant that 
does well over a large selling area of the country.  You get mediocrity 
sometimes.

I agree with Paul, a very fine observation, growing perennials in crowds.  
Sometime ago it was referred to as integrated drifts.  Whatever it is a great 
idea.  Large patches of one plant anchor a garden and give it a permanent 
look. I do try to do this when the space is not interrupted for plants that 
come here on their own and need homes. 

Claire Peplowski
NYS z4

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