First up is Terri Steffes from Our Good Life with her tips on how to keep your hydrangea flowers blue. "When we picked blue for our color in #ColorOurWorld last year, I thought my hydrangeas would be up and blooming, but due to a wild and wet week, the hydrangeas are still in the bud stage. I still want to share with you about getting a nice blue in your hydrangeas. First, you have to have the right hydrangea plants. I have a pair of oakleaf hydrangeas that will not have blue blossoms, no matter what I do to them. You have to have what are known as mopheads or lacecaps in order to get the blue blooms. These plants can change their bloom color based on soil chemistry. Acidic soil gives you blue blossoms, while a more alkaline soil gives you pink. First you will need to know the acidity level of your soil. Use a pH kit to find out. You can purchase them in most garden stores. This will give you the natural pH of your soil. Then you will determine what you need to do to get blue blooms. The pH range for blue blossoms is 5.2-5.5 If your pH is higher, then you will want to LOWER the pH by adding soil acidifer (follow the directions on the package.) If the soil pH is lower than that, you will want to RAISE the pH by adding powdered garden lime, also available at your garden store"...more here.
Next is Lynee Cherot from Sensible Gardening with her post Gardening with Blue. "It is often the use of colour that gives a garden its particular appeal, whether that be calming or startling. Colour is also that aspect of gardening the allows the gardener to unleash their personality and expression to create a living work of art. Of all the colors available blue flowers are often the most coveted. This may be because fewer flowers bloom in the blue tones than say reds, oranges or yellows. Blue is rather unassuming in the garden left to itself and is often benefited by pairing it with other colors. If you want your blue flowers to stand out, grow them alongside yellow blooms. If you prefer a dreamier look, plant them amongst pastel pinks and mauves. Blue in the garden emits a cool, restful scheme. I’ve gathered up some photos of the blue plants that I use and enjoy in my garden along with a few that I dream of having someday"...read more here.
Susan Brandt from Blooming Secrets shares her post The Year in Color-Oh! Darkly, Deeply, Beautifully Blue. "Nothing is more unique in the garden or in nature for that matter than the color blue. Plants with “true blue” flowers and leaves are hard to come by and as a result are coveted by gardeners around the globe. I make this bold statement based upon a YouGov Poll that found that blue was the most popular color in the world! It’s not hard to see why when you look at the blue skies and deep blue oceans that surround us. If you don’t think the color blue has anything to do with the month of May than maybe this fact will change your mind." Read more here.
Next, Renee Cumberworth from The Garden Frog, discusses Blue Lobelia with her informative post, In my garden with the Blue Cardinal flower (Lobelia siphilitica). "I love the color of the Blue Cardinal Flower (Lobelia siphilitica) in my garden where it receives morning sun and a bit of dappled afternoon sun. I have to keep it regularly watered because it does not like to dry out. It has reached about 32″ tall in the clay soil under the Oak tree and it started blooming about 2 weeks ago (Mid July) and will continue until early fall. Lobelias need moist soil and will tolerate partial sun but prefer full sun in your garden or native areas. You can find Lobelia (or Cardinal flowers) along streams and swampy areas. This native beauty is seen in the eastern part of the United States and received its name ‘siphilitica’ because it was once used to treat the venereal disease syphilis." Read more interesting facts about Lobelia siphilitica here.
Finally, here is my post, This Month's Color in the Garden Color Your Garden Blue-Blue Blooms for Your Landscape! "Welcome to This Month's Color in the Garden! The use of the color blue in the landscape symbolizes optimism and stability and often relays a feeling of calm. According to the language of flowers, "The pale blue hues of a hydrangea or the deep blues of an iris can calm worries and preoccupation." The blue hue of flowers represent peace, openness, and serenity, and are believed to be an antidote for anxiousness. There are few species that naturally occur as true blue in the garden. For the month of May I am going to focus on some of the varieties of blue blooming plants that you can add to your outdoor space. The first is Muscari, also known as Grape Hyacinth. Hardy in USDA zones 2-5, Grape Hyacinth creates a carpet of blue grape-like blooms which are gorgeous when bulbs are planted in clumps. These bulbs are available in a variety of colors, but blue seems to be the all-time favorite! Muscari is a breathtaking site when planted in mass in a woodland or naturalized setting and is a welcoming sign of spring. Plant in full sun to partial shade for best results." Read more about blue blooms for your garden here.
Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoyed #PB Color Our World Round-Up for the month of May. If you are enjoying these monthly Round-Ups, please leave a comment, and do share your thoughts about the color BLUE! Also, be sure to visit these wonderful bloggers regularly for their inspiring articles on gardening, home remedies, DIY projects, decorating, culinary delights and more! I am also linking to Floral Friday Fotos. Be sure to check out their weekly meme!
NEXT UP is This Month's Color in the Garden on the 7th, where it's all about the color purple. Then, join me for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and Foliage Follow-Up each month on the 15th, and Round Up posts at the end of the month! Also, be sure to check out my two books with lots of design and gardening tips! Makes a great Father's Day gift!
As Always...Happy Gardening!
