Blue is making a statement in the garden in 2025 – from flowers, to foliage, even trees to groundcovers, this cool hue is hot this year.
What’s behind the blue wave? Blue is a calming color, associated with serenity and peace, evoking the vastness of the sky or tranquility of a still body of water. It is the most popular color in almost every country on earth, yet very rare in plants. It’s little wonder that plants that possess the qualities of being calming, unique and beautiful would find their way into our hearts and gardens.
Rare Beauty of Blue Plants
- Only 10% of plants fall under the category of the color blue, because there is no true blue pigment in nature, and what we actually see is a phenomenon of light.
- All color that we perceive is a function of light. An object absorbs certain wavelengths of light and reflects others. This reflected light is what we see as color. Most plants contain chlorophyll, needed for photosynthesis, so plants absorb blue and red light wavelengths because these are best utilized by green-pigmented chlorophyll. The green we see in the plant is the reflected green light wavelength.
- Anthocyanins are pigments that produce blue and purple flowers, but they are not as stable as other pigments and need metal ions like magnesium and calcium, plus an acidic soil (below 6.5pH) to showcase blue toned blooms.
- Delphiniums contain an anthocyanin pigment called delphinidin, and while this is technically more violet, it’s the closest thing to an actual blue pigment. Because of its pH sensitivity, however, it can color shift based on soil acidity.
- Blue flowers are less likely to appear in plants that are pollinated by environmental factors like wind and rain, but more likely to be present in harsh environments (think Himalayan mountains) since they need pollinators like bees, who are especially attracted to blue flowers.
- Blue foliage is particularly rare and often falls into color categories like blue-grey and silver, or aqua and teal, leaning more towards the green spectrum. Again, color perception, not pigment comes into play here.
- A blue spruce appears blue due to the wax on its needles (called epicuticular wax). The more wax on the needle, the bluer the appearance, but this varies across the species. Needles tend to have more wax at lower temperatures, and less in warmer climates. The blue hue is most visible on new growth and can wane over time. Pesticides can also affect the needles’ blue color.
Moody Blues in Your Landscape
How do you want your garden to look and feel? Calm and oasis-like? Pair soft and silvery blues with whites, pale lavenders, whispery blush pinks or go for greens that have blue undertones for a soothing monochromatic or analogous look. If you’re looking for more visual energy, select bolder, violet-based blues and pair them with strong yellows and reds for a pop of primary colors. Classic red, white and blue is always appealing as the white brightens and balances deeper, bolder, red and blue hues. Don’t hesitate to experiment with color and texture when inviting blue into your landscape design.
Plant Picks We Think are Blue-tiful
Ready to venture into the blue? Here are some of our favorite choices for New Jersey gardens:
Gorgeous Blue Flowers
Delphinium – Come in a range of blues, from the soft pale blue of Magic Fountains Sky Blue to the vibrant, almost iridescent Dasante Blue. Consider growing a variety of different shades in a group, including a white like Guardian White, for a lush, nostalgic-looking garden.
Cornflower (Bachelor Button) – This small wildflower is delightful in a meadow garden, and varieties like Tall Blue can make more of a statement when planted in clusters in the home landscape or in containers. The periwinkle blue flowers bloom in spring and make wonderful dried flowers, keeping their brilliant color.
“Blue Mink” Ageratum – This heirloom variety showcases a velvety swath of soft, fuzzy blue-violet flowers that bloom from summer until frost.
“Blue My Mind” Dwarf Morning Glory (Annual) – This drought-tolerant, heat loving plant is best used as an annual here in New Jersey, providing stunning blue color to containers, or even as a seasonal ground cover.
“Great Blue” Lobelia (Blue Cardinal Flower) – This hardy native is a favorite to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, yet rabbit and deer resistant. Easy to grow, lobelia has a spreading habit that makes it a great addition to a meadow garden with its pretty lavender-blue blooms.
“Sunny Border Blue” Speedwell (Veronica) – Vivid blue-violet bottle-brush shaped flower spikes grace the garden from midsummer to fall. This easy to grow perennial works well as a border or edging plant as well as in containers.
“Big Blue” Sea Holly – As the name implies, this is a great choice for coastal gardens, due to its ability to withstand, salt air and high winds. Silver green foliage beautifully complements the brilliant blue stems and flowers that appear in June. The more sun, the bluer the flowers.
Blue Foliage for Dramatic Landscape
“Huntington” Artichoke Agave – Perennial, evergreen succulent has striking, pale, silvery blue leaves that add architectural interest to the landscape and can withstand our cold winters.
“Blue Biscuit” Hosta – Small (6” tall x 15” wide) this gorgeous blue Hosta is heat tolerant, vigorous and maintains its beautiful color well into the summer months.
“Sapphire Skies” Yucca Rostrata – A standout in the landscape with its bold sunburst shape and stunning blue leaves, Sapphire Skies is particularly hardy, cultivated for zones 5b to 10b. The plant matures at a height of 4’, and its spikey leaves are flexible, yet deer resistant.
Beautifully Blue Trees
Blue Chinese Wisteria Tree – Wisteria is typically a vine, but cultivars like the Blue Chinese Wisteria have been developed into single stem, stunning accent trees, perfect for smaller landscapes. Dark purple buds open into abundant cool lavender and purple blooms that fade to brilliant blue over time. Fragrant, fast-growing, disease and drought resistant.
“Blue Ice” Cypress – With its soft, glacial blue foliage, smooth, reddish flaking bark and aromatic fragrance, this conifer is a standout in any landscape. Fast-growing, trouble-free, able to handle hot, dry summer conditions.
“Hoopsii” Colorado Blue Spruce – Considered one of the bluest varieties, with particularly bright blue new growth, this is a majestic specimen for larger spaces, as the evergreen can grow up to 50’ high with a 20’ width.
Weeping Blue Spruce – Silvery blue cascading branches add graceful drama to the landscape as a specimen focal point. Reaches 10’-15’ feet high at maturity with a 6’-8’ spread.
Blue Shrubs/Shrub-Like Perennials
“Longwood Blue” Bluebeard Shrub – Perk up your late summer garden with this stunning shrub that produces clouds of gorgeous blue flowers on upright stems when other blooms are starting to fade.
Rose of Sharon “Blue Chiffon” – Create a stunning flowering hedge or garden backdrop with this showstopper. Extra petals in the flowers’ center add a lush beauty to the blue-violet blooms that start appearing in summer and last until fall.
Baptisia (Blue False Indigo) – This bush-like perennial produces clusters of deep blue flowers on long upright stems that are beautifully offset by fresh blue-green foliage. Pollinator-friendly and drought tolerant.
“Electric Blue” Penstemon – Small evergreen shrub that produces intensely blue flowers from late spring to summer. A favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies. Drought resistant.
“President Lincoln” Lilac – First introduced in 1916, this is considered to be the best blue common lilac. Richly fragrant, rose-hued buds open to lush, blue-lavender blooms in late May.
Hydrangea – A classic in New Jersey gardens, there are many varieties of blue Hydrangea available (just keep your soil acidic) ranging from palest hint of blue to evening sky. Blue Enchantress is a gorgeous pale, icy blue, Endless Summer a perfect baby blue that blooms on both new and old wood, Pop Star offers vibrant blue blooms that last all summer, and Nikko Blue is a shrub that can grow 6’ tall and wide with massive, twilight blue flowers.
Perennial Grasses with Blue Hues
“Cool as Ice” Blue Fescue – Stunning in mass plantings, this ornamental grass keeps its cool in the heat and looks refreshing in the garden with its thin bladed airy structure. It produces plumes of blue-green flowers that pale to a soft wheat color over the season.
“The Blues” Little Bluestem – Island-water blue color in summer turns to brilliant coppery orange in the fall. The graceful appearance of this lovely native American grass can hide its tough, durable nature, able to withstand poor soils, drought, even neighboring Black Walnut trees.
Strikingly Blue Groundcovers
“Blue Star” Juniper – This ice blue evergreen has a graceful mounding form that grows up to 3’ high with a 4’ wide spread. Perfect for slopes to prevent soil erosion, as a groundcover and near pool sides.
“Blue Spruce” Sedum – This hardy succulent withstands drought, heat and humidity while providing your landscape with a refreshingly cool blue groundcover. Cheery, butter-yellow flowers attract pollinators throughout the season.
Blue Star Creeper – Picture a carpet of tiny blue stars winding through your landscape, spilling over rock gardens, and filling in between steppingstones. This versatile, fast-spreading ground cover has soft blue, star-shaped flowers that add texture and charm anywhere.
“Blue Chip” Juniper – A shrub that can also work as a ground cover, this low growing (12” high) creeping Juniper is as easy-care as it is lovely. Its steel blue color transitions to a more violet blue in the winter.
*All images contained in this blog are credited to PixaBay.
