This small, low-growing shrub makes an excellent container plant, as its star-like bright blue flowers keep on coming for weeks and weeks from late spring right through the summer months. Lithodora diffusa 'Heavenly Blue' is also a fine performer in the rockery with evergreen leaves providing ground cover all year. Also known as Purple Gromwell, it holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit and is easy to grow in sun or shade. Height: 15cm (6). Spread: 60cm (24).
Already creating a sensation in the USA, Blueberry 'Pink Sapphire'? is a remarkable new variety of blueberry that produces abundant clusters of bright pink berries from late July to August. The berries have a lovely sweet flavour and firm texture; delicious added to pies, muffins or other desserts for something a bit different! The beautiful spring displays of pale white-pink, bell-shaped flowers are followed by fiery orange foliage in the autumn, making this hardy shrub an attractive addition to patio containers or acidic borders.
Buddleja davidii 'Nanho Blue' is a vigorous and fast-growing Butterfly Bush, perfect for the back of a large border. Its silvery-green foliage is accompanied by a profusion of rich plumes of lavender-blue flowers from June to September, attracting both butterflies and pollinating insects in abundance to these fragrant and nectar-rich blooms. Easy to grow, this deciduous shrub is tough and reliable in almost any situation and soil type. Height and spread: 150cm (59).
Agapanthus 'Bluestorm' is a new variety of Agapanthus, which has been bred specifically for its flowers. In June, this African Blue Lily grows an abundance of blue blooms on stiff stems, perfect for cut flower displays. It also boasts a long season, ensuring that your cottage garden remains colourful and interesting until the late summer. However, Agapanthus 'Atiblu' is by no means a one-trick pony; its strap-shaped, semi-evergreen foliage can be used to add structure to sunny borders. You won't even have to worry about its wellbeing when you go on holiday, for this hardy perennial tolerates drought exceptionally well, making it a good all-round plant. Height: 75cm (2'6). Spread: 50cm (1'8).
A sweet pea that changes colour! 'Blue Shift' is a highly unusual new introduction from renowned New Zealand sweet pea breeder, Dr. Keith Hammett. Flowers change colour as they age - both on the stem and in a vase - turning shades of purple, pink and blue, creating a truly spectacular display. A real 'must' for the sweet pea enthusiast
A rare treat for any garden enthusiast, Acnistus australis 'Blue Angel's Trumpet' will give you a magnificent display of true blue trumpet shaped flowers during the summer. This tender, semi evergreen shrub is best suited to a conservatory or sunny patio as it will need to be brought in over the winter to protect it from frosts, but whilst it is in season it is certainly an impressive impact plant. The 2 - 3 inch (5 - 8 cm) blooms are produced in abundance and hang along the entire length of the branches, standing out beautifully against the dark green foliage. Stand a pot at the back of a flower border too and let it become the backdrop for your summer display.
Now here?s something a little different for your garden! Sollya heterophylla is better known as the Bluebell Creeper. Its twining stems are cloaked in evergreen foliage that makes a splendid backdrop for its nodding sky blue flowers throughout summer.
A compact, perennial scabious producing masses of lilac-blue blooms throughout the summer, above neat cushions of green foliage. These charming pincushion flowers are highly attractive to bees and butterflies and their slender wiry stems can also be cut for a posy or small vase indoors. Scabious 'Blue Jeans' makes a fabulous addition to the front of cottage garden borders, where it blends well with any colour scheme.
A rather unique lobelia that is non-seeding, so it'll flower much longer in your summer displays. Masses of royal blue flowers are enhanced with a central white flash making them appear to sparkle on summer days. Perfect for adding to patio containers and hanging baskets. Trailing to 45cm. Supplied as plug plants.
Clematis 'Blue Ravine' blooms in late spring/early summer, bearing huge 20cm lavender blue flowers with contrasting purple/red anthers, then again in late summer with slightly smaller flowers. This stunning compact climber will make the biggest impact in your garden from a partially shaded position, as bright sunlight tends to fade the vivid petals. This Old Man's Beard variety is the perfect choice for containers, pergolas, trellises and even peering through garden shrubs. Height: 2.5m (8'). Spread: 1m (3'). Pruning group: 2.