Embrace the January blues

Christmas is over, a new year has begun. January awaits and with it comes the excesses of festive indulgence and the thought of dreary days. It could be easy to let it get us down. But instead of getting the January Blues, why not embrace them and use Pantone’s colour of the year ‘Classic Blue’ as inspiration for your garden.

Blue is the colour of the sky and the oceans, it is a colour which represents serenity and is a symbol of hope, so why not introduce it into your garden this year. Take a look at eight of our favourite blue-flowering plants and use January as a time to plan a calming space in your garden:

1. Ceanothus (Californian Lilac) An easy to grow evergreen shrub which gives an impressive flowering display from either late spring to early summer or later summer to autumn, depending on the species. They can be planted in spring or autumn and will thrive in a sunny, sheltered spot with free draining soil. With its beautiful cloud like blooms it is a garden favourite which requires very little maintenance.

2. Hydrangea Hydrangeas are an interesting plant as they can change the colour of their flowers depending on the chemistry of the soil. A blue flowering plant likes a low alkaline soil so to keep your blooms this beautiful shade it’s worth checking it’s Ph before you plant. You can lower using a soil acidifier (ask one of our garden care experts) or by applying acidic organic mulch such as pine needles and bark.

3. Forget-me-not The pretty blue flowers of the Forget-me-not explode into bloom from March through until June and provide a carpet of colour in the garden. These annual plants prefer shady, woody areas where they will benefit from high humidity and moisture. They also self-seed and spread easily so a little maintenance may be required.

4. Lupin This hardy perennial is a firm favourite on our Plant Area with its stunning candle like flowers standing tall and confident. Lupins prefer a moisture retentive soil and like a position in full sun or partial shade. They add height to a border and will provide a beautiful shades of blue throughout May and June. Their new shoots are also loved by slugs and snails so be on guard to protect as they appear!

5. Agapanthus Another hardy perennial that provides a bolt of blue for the garden. Stunning spherical flowerheads balance on tall slender stems with a base of green foliage. They love a position in full sunshine so are a great choice for pots and containers where they will display their beautiful blooms from midsummer through to September.

6. Delphinium A popular choice for a cottage style garden, adding height to the border with their showy spikes of summer flowers, which stand proud on their study stems. Plant in a rich, fertile and well-drained soil in a sunny position and you will be rewarded with flowers of intense colour in June and July. Like the lupin their new shoots are attractive to slugs and snails so take steps to protect.

7. Felicia Blue Daisy A compact shrub which is usually grown as an annual and is a favourite for pots and containers, the Felicia is perfect for the patio. It is low maintenance and thrives in a sunny position yet will tolerate windy conditions making it an easy addition for the garden. Pretty blue, daisy like flowers pop out from neat green foliage providing colour throughout the summer and into the autumn.

8. Iris reticulata Grown from bulb these hardy flowers provide a welcome splash of colour during the colder months, flowering from February to early spring. Due to their smaller size they make an excellent addition to the front of the flowerbed and in amongst other plants, where their bold blue flowers and streak of yellow will stand out. They enjoy a well drained soil and sunny position.