VERONICA. Speedwell. Northern Hemisphere, temperate regions. Ours are erect to matting perennials with neatly paired, opposite leaves. They are notable for lavish displays of tiny four-petalled blossoms in dense, narrow spikes during spring and summer. Sun, well drained soil, moderate watering. Hardy to below 0^oF.

‘Crater Lake Blue’. This selection forms loose mats with dark green narrow leaves. It carries branched 6-10" spikes of electric blue flowers in late spring. Essentially evergreen.

incana. A striking evergreen species with short, mostly reclining stems and 2" ash-grey leaves. It is decorated in early summer by 6-12" spikes of lavender blue flowers.

oltensis. This is a particularly beautiful matting species, lying flat on the ground. It has very small, tightly packed, deep green leaves. Held just above them in summer are small, bright true-blue flowers. This is one of the most interesting veronicas to appear in many years.

peduncularis ‘Georgia Blue’. Caucasus, Asia. This is one of the best of the matting veronicas, recently brought from England by the University of British Columbia Botanical Garden. It has slender stems crowded with deep green pointed-oval leaves, often tinged with purple. Small clusters of round-faced, deep blue flowers with light centers decorate the plant, most heavily in spring, with a scattering at other times.

prostrata (rupestris) ‘Heavenly Blue’. A dense mat, up to 2' broad, with rich green leaves. It is blanketed in spring by 6" spikes of bright lavender blue flowers.

spicata. The name is both that of a legitimate species and a catch-all for several other species and their hybrids. They form compact clumps, with erect to prostrate stems lined by mostly lance-shaped dark green leaves, each up to 3" long. The seasonal blooming stems are also leafy but ascend from the clumps to 1-2’, branching above and carrying dense spikes of colorful blossoms. ‘Blue Fox’ is one of the taller cultivars with dark purple blue flowers. ‘Giles van Hees’ is quite dense and only 6-8" tall. It carries spikes of deep pink flowers most of the summer and fall. ‘Heidekind’ is similar in size and habit but combines greyer foliage with bright pink flowers.

 ‘Waterperry’ ( ‘Waterperry Blue’). This is a low mat, with closely branched, trailing stems which flow over rocks and drape nicely from walls. Closely set along them are nearly round, evergreen 1/2" leaves with a lustrous surface. Small lavender flowers are clustered along the younger stems much of the year, most heavily in summer. It thrives in both sun and part shade.