2018 garden in a box: Garden Info Sheet Purple Reign Designed by Cassey Anderson, Horticulture Agent for CSU Extension 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 - Alpine Columbine 5 - Jacob’s Ladder 8 - Plumbago 2 - Corsican Violet 6 - Miniature Hollyhock 9 - Serbian Bellflower 3 - Crystal River Speedwell 7 - Palace Purple Coral Bells 10 - Zing Rose Maiden Pinks 4 - European Pasque Flower Alpine Columbine Corsican Violet 1 Latin Name: Aquilegia alpina 2 Latin Name: Viola corsica Mature Height: 1-2’ Mature Height: 6-8” Mature Spread: 12-18” Mature Spread: 6-8” Hardy To: 9,000’ Hardy To: 9,000’ Water: Medium Water: Medium Exposure: Filtered Shade to Shade Exposure: Adaptable Flower Color: Rich Blue Flower Color: Purplish-Blue Flower Season: Early Summer Flower Season: Early Spring to Late Summer Attracts: Hummingbirds Description: Prolific purplish-blue flowers hang over a low Description: Columbines reward gardeners with a month or more growing tuft of rich green foliage. A hardier, lesser-known version of brightly colored flowers that sway and dance with each new of pansy similar to the popular winter pansy, Viola corsica flower breeze. The Aquilegia alpina is native to Europe’s high meadows throughout the spring and can self-seed over time to create a river and mountain slopes. It is noted for its elegant, deep blue flowers of flowing purple blooms. These plants are drought and shade and short spurs mounted on slender stems over a full mound of tolerant and an attractive addition to rock gardens or pots. They rounded rich green foliage. Often attracting hummingbirds that sip can adapt to clayey and gravelly soils, and they are more reliably from the blossoms, these plants appreciate moist but well-drained perennial than most other pansies. Their flowers are edible. soils, and they make excellent cut flowers. Care: Remove faded blooms regularly to encourage more buds to Care: Avoid letting the soil get too soggy. In the fall, cut plants form, but be sure to leave a few deadheads if you want the plant to down to the basal foliage. Columbines are relatively short lived, so self-sow. This plant will self-sow when the site suits it well. allow some to go to seed and self-sow. In spring, remove only the dead leaves. Division is not recommended; the deep taproot sys- tem of mature plants does not like to be disturbed. If deadheaded, some Columbines may repeat bloom. Crystal River Speedwell European Pasque Flower 3 Latin Name: Veronica ‘Crystal River’ 4 Latin Name: Pulsatilla vulgaris Mature Height: 2-3” Mature Height: 6-12” Mature Spread: 20-30” Mature Spread: 8-12” Hardy To: 8,000’ Hardy To: 9,000’ Water: Low Water: Low Exposure: Sun to Filtered Shade Exposure: Adaptable Flower Color: Blue-Purple Flower Color: Purple Flower Season: Spring Flower Season: Early Spring Attracts: Butterflies Description: Covered in hairy foliage that protects this flower from Resistant To: Deer the early spring chill, Pasque Flowers are the harbingers of spring. Description: A hybrid of Turkish Veronica and Woolly Veronica. It is These starry, five petaled, purple flowers with a fuzzy orange-yel- an evergreen groundcover with small, rounded leaves. Masses of low stamen start blooming in early spring and continue for several tiny, bright blue flowers bloom in spring, almost completely cover- weeks as they grow larger. Its fuzzy seedheads will last into the ing the plant, and later recur, lightly sprinkled amongst the foliage summer. A native of the alpine meadows and open slopes of West- throughout the summer. ern Europe, the Pulsatilla vulgaris is adapted to chalky and sandy Care: This plant is low maintenance and should only be pruned soils at high elevations, and it will not tolerate soggy soils. after flowering. Grows best in full sun to partial shade. Care: Overall, this plant likes to be left alone! Due to its long tap root system, the Pulsatilla vulgaris resents transplanting, and we do not recommend dividing it unless absolutely necessary. No prun- ing is required for this plant; however, if you simply must, dead foliage can be removed in spring or winter before new growth emerges. Your Pasque Flower will go dormant in mid-summer, so you may want to mark its spot with a stake so that you don’t acci- dentally dig it up. Jacob's Ladder Miniature Hollyhock 5 Latin Name: Polemonium caeruleum 6 Latin Name: Malva alcea ‘Fastigiata’ Mature Height: 18-24” Mature Height: 3-4’ Mature Spread: 12-18” Mature Spread: 2-3’ Hardy To: 8,000’ Hardy To: 7,000’ Water: Medium Water: Medium Exposure: Filtered Shade to Shade Exposure: Adaptable Flower Color: Blue Flower Color: Pink Flower Season: Late Spring to Early Summer Flower Season: Summer Attracts: Bees, Hummingbirds Attracts: Butterflies Resistant To: Deer Description: Enjoy the long blooming appeal and profuse soft Description: Named after its ladder-like leaf growth, Jacob’s pink flowers Malva alcea ‘Fastigiata’ displays from June through Ladder adds the perfect ornamental feel to any garden space. This September. Blooms are generously arranged along branching deer resistant plant stands with its pale blue flowers in upright stems accompanied by soft green, rounded foliage with wavy to clumps. These flowers are bell-shaped, and most often appear in serrated edges. This handsome clump-forming perennial grows big shades of purple and lavender, which contrast well against the and bushy, but in a more narrow and upright form than the spe- long yellow stamens. The grayish pinnate leaves of this plant are cies, making it one of the most popular cultivars. With its abundant composed of narrow rows, and delicate branches often grow from blooms, you’ll enjoy visiting butterflies all summer long! a basal rosette that tends to arch as the plant grows taller, making Care: Remove spent flower to encourage rebloom. Cut back to it fern-like in appearance. These flowers also have a wonderful basal foliage in fall, or earlier if plant appearance declines. Appre- fragrance that brings plenty of pollenating bees to your garden. ciates a site protected from strong winds. Stems may be cut back Care: Polemonium caeruleum needs very little sunlight and me- in spring if shorter plants are desired. Malva alcea ‘Fastigiata’ is dium amounts of water to keep it happy. After blooming, foliage relatively short lived in the garden, so allow some to go to seed can become leggy and tattered, it should be occasionally trimmed and self-sow. back to allow for new growth. You can cut these down to the base, and the flowers will still stem back out and rebloom. This plant seeds naturally every year, making it easy to propagate. Palace Purple Coral Bells Plumbago 7 Latin Name: Heuchera micrantha ‘Palace Purple’ 8 Latin Name: Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Mature Height: 12-18” Mature Height: 8-12” Mature Spread: 12-18” Mature Spread: 18-24” Hardy To: 8,000’ Hardy To: 7,000’ Water: Medium Water: Low Exposure: Filtered Shade to Shade Exposure: Adaptable Flower Color: White Flower Color: Blue Flower Season: Early Summer Flower Season: Mid to Late Summer Attracts: Hummingbirds Description: Ceratostigma plumbaginoides is late to make an ap- Description: A dome-like mound of rounded, mahogany-red pearance in spring, but its striking blue flowers intermingled with leaves give way to slender stalks that boast loose spikes of small, shiny, green ovate leaves that form an attractive spreading mound white bell-shaped flowers. Heuchera micrantha ‘Palace Purple’ is are worth the wait. Adding color to a withering landscape, it admired for its dramatic foliage and delicate blooms. It is a beauti- blooms late in the summer as many other flowers are fading away. ful addition to any landscape, but looks especially striking along a Its foliage turns scarlet with the coolness of fall, making its electric perennial border, adding color and contrast just where you need it. blue flowers atop crimson foliage a unique spectacle. A native of It is also worth noting that the more sun it receives the deeper the China and Africa, Plumbago is a very adaptable, hardy perennial foliage color will be. Two to three hours of sun will help it create a with tough, fibrous roots. It is a good choice for poor, stony soils rich color. and difficult sites, and it likes the soil moist but not soggy. Care: This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut Care: Prune out winter-killed stems before new growth emerges. back in late fall in preparation for winter. Divide clumps every 3-4 Older plants tend to die out in the center. If this happens, dig out years. Deadhead to extend the flowering season. the dead area and fill with fresh soil. Ceratostigma plumbaginoides appreciates a winter mulch. During the winter, Ceratostigma plum- baginoides goes completely dormant, often vanishing from sight, and is late to emerge in the spring. You may want to mark its spot in the garden to avoid accidental damage to the plant. Serbian Bellflower Zing Rose Maiden Pinks 9 Latin Name: Campanula poscharskyana 10 Latin Name: Dianthus deltoides ‘Zing Rose’ Mature Height: 6-8” Mature Height: 6-8” Mature Spread: 18-24” Mature Spread: 8-12” Hardy To: 6,500’ Hardy To: 8,500’ Water: Medium Water: Medium Exposure: Sun to Filtered Shade Exposure: Adaptable Flower Color: Lilac-Blue Flower Color: Magenta-Red Flower Season: Late Spring to Early Summer Flower Season: Early to Mid-Summer Description: Campanula poscharskyana is a charming and vigor- Attracts: Butterflies ous ground cover native to the mountains of Bosnia and Croatia. Resistant To: Deer It is valued for its star-shaped, lilac-blue blooms that adorn its lush Description: The gorgeous spreading nature of the Dianthus green foliage throughout late spring and early summer.