SINGIN’ THE BLUES during late-spring garden transition

Chorus of easy-care plants sure to make your late spring garden sing its way into summer

Late May sees the garden in a state of transition.

Waves of early spring crocus, daffodils and tulips are settling back for a well deserved rest. A little patience on the part of the gardener is required if the bulbs are to flower again next spring. The foliage of the flowering bulbs plays an important role by feeding the bulb. It is best to leave the foliage in place until it begins to brown and can be easily pulled away, usually sometime in June.

In the meantime, early flowering perennials such as amsonia and catmint can help to disguise the foliage of spring bulbs as it fades, while showy clematis, allium and bachelor’s button offer a fresh splashes of colour.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the pretty blues that help the garden transition into early summer. With a backdrop of fresh green — that is the very essence of spring — the various shades of blue are shown to best effect. Centaurea montana features large, showy violet-blue flowers with spidery, deeply fringed petals surrounding a disc of fluffy reddish/purple centres. The flowers appear on tall (somewhat tangled) stems. The foliage is grey-green and coarse with a fuzzy texture. The distinctive flowers are attractive to pollinators, and are followed by seed heads that are magnets for the local goldfinch. Cutting back the stems after blooming keeps the plant tidy; new blooms will usually follow in the early fall. Commonly known as mountain bluet, perennial cornflower or perennial bachelor’s button, they work well in mixed borders, cottage-style gardens and naturalized areas. The genus name centaurea comes from the Greek Kentauros, meaning centaur.

In my home garden, the perennial bachelor’s button has made itself comfortable along the dry, westfacing brick wall in the front garden — they do best in full sun and don’t mind poor soil. Because they are at the back of the garden, I don’t mind cutting them back hard after they flower. I wouldn’t recommend planting them at the front of a border where they will leave a hole after they are cut back.

Amsonia “Blue Ice” is easily grown in well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. The best fall foliage occurs in full sun. Clusters of light blue, starry flowers appear in late spring atop erect, leafy stems that reach about 30 to 45 centimetres tall with narrow, willow-like dark green leaves that turn bright yellow in the fall. Amsonia look best when planted in drifts and allowed to naturalize and form a generous, easy-care patch.

Amsonia is native to light woodlands or grasslands of North America and is resistant to both deer and rabbits. Disease and insects do not pose any serious problems with this plant. No need to stake or cut back after flowering.

Allium “Purple Sensation” is a bulb that blooms just after the late tulips and works as a bridge between late spring and early summer perennials. Perfectly round 10cm globes are violet/purple with sparkles of lavender are perched atop tall, slender stems that reach 60cm tall and are surprisingly sturdy. The flower heads retain some appeal even as they turn brown in the summer. The flowers make long lasting cut flowers. Alliums are planted in autumn, and are available where spring bulbs are sold. They are not attractive to deer and rabbits.

The one caveat with this plant is the foliage begins to fade as the flowers come into bloom. I recommend planting allium toward the middle of the border where their yellowing leaves will be out of sight. Alliums prefer a sunny border with well drained soil. They will selfseed; cut back the seed heads after blooming if this is a problem.

Another hard-working staple plant in my front border is catmint ( Nepeta subsessilis “Dropmore Hybrid”). Just as the tulips come into flower, catmint forms globes of handsome, blue/grey foliage that make a nice backdrop for the tulips. As the tulips begin to fade, the catmint sends up spikes of violet/purple flowers that persist into late June, when I cut the plant back hard. Within a few short weeks, new foliage appears and the plants begin to flower again. The blooms last well into the fall and are magnets for bees and butterflies. Deer and rabbits do not munch on this plant, but the odd local cat does enjoy sitting in my patch of catmint. It is not a true catmint, which is known as Nepeta cataria.

Catmint prefers a garden with well drained soil and plenty of sun. The flowers make long-lasting, fragrant cut flowers, and look beautiful in a bouquet with old-English style roses. This chorus of easycare, violet/blue flowered plants are sure to make your late spring garden sing its way into summer.