Garden Blues

My garden is singing the blues.

From these tiny blooms on Brunnera macrophylla, False Forget-me-not, to the comparately large iris flower which was labeled simply Iris 'Variegated', I have blue flowers throughout my garden.

But these aren't depressing, mournful, sad blues, as in "woe is me and the weeds in my garden".

These are happy, sky-reflecting blues, as in "take a minute and reflect on the flowers".

When I see them, they make me smile.


I'm reminded of the blues song, "Royal Garden Blues"...

Here's why I'm ravin',
here's why I'm ravin'
If it's blues you are cravin' just come on down.
You'll hear 'em playin',
you'll hear 'em playin'
Soon you'll be sayin',
"Hon jazz me 'round"
Because your feet they can't refuse.

Change playin' to growin' and you've got a nice little bit of jazz blues to hum to yourself as you check out even more blue flowers like...

...these flowers. Even if I hold my breath until I turn blue, I can't remember the name of them.

It's kind of embarrasing to not know their name or have a tag for them, since I planted them. Fortunately, there are some nomenclature rules we can apply to come up with the temporary botanical name Forgetia azure to use until I figure out the real one.

I remember the name of this blue flower! This is the lovely Blue Dogbane, Amsonia tabernaemontana. Each litte flower looks like it was cut out of the perfectly blue skies of a spring day in May, just for me to enjoy.

Other bluesy flowers in my garden this week include Aquilegia vulgaris 'Tower Blue', the first spiderworts, Tradescantia sp., and False Indigo, Baptisia sp. And, I'm on the lookout for more as a visit garden centers when I'm out and about.

The blues don't seem to last long in my garden, so I'll enjoy them while I can, humming along to this old blues tune.



"No other blues I'd care to choose, but Royal Garden Blues."

What color is your garden singing these days?