From Newman's Nursery in summer 2019
Veronica spicata 'Icicle'
From Bluestone Perennials in fall 2019
Veronica pectinata
From High Country Gardens in summer 2019, more in spring 2020.
Photos
Expectations:
Keep moist. They want water in summer but good drainage over winter. The spike speedwells start blooming in June and go all summer with deadheading. Cut these back early, in mid June, for re-bloom, don't let them go lanky after flowering.
They'll take some shade but too much shade creates open, lax plants and fewer flowers.
Here is an evaluation report on Veronica types.
I planted four 'Royal Candles' spike speedwells in the kitchen courtyard garden in summer 2019.
The little spreading groundcover Veronica pectinata blooms prettily, and they drape over the ugly metal edging just as I wanted.
The 'Royal Candles' blue spike speedwells are
very upright and sturdy looking and bloom a long time. White 'Icicle' veronicas have elegant flowers, about 2 feet tall, more frilly than the stiff Royal Candles spikes.
How gorgeous is this tumbling mat of blue Veronica pectinata, also called blue woolly speedwell? →
It is more xeric than the spike speedwells and not fussy about conditions. I wanted it to soften the hard edges of the metal edging along the driveway strip and to carpet the bit of rocks there.
It is more xeric than the spike speedwells and not fussy about conditions. I wanted it to soften the hard edges of the metal edging along the driveway strip and to carpet the bit of rocks there.
Experiences:
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| 2021 |
I had stayed away from the tall speedwells because they did not do anything at all in my old garden -- I had a couple failures. Here they do well.
Royal Candles is great and blooms forever, almost all summer long, even looking interesting after the flowers go by and the spent stems remain tall and lanky.
They have become the backbone of this cottage garden and their deep royal blue goes with everything.
I added six white spike speedwells, Veronica 'Icicle' to the dining room garden and they did okay but got leggy and then in 2021 they got powdery mildew. They were in too much shade.
I moved one to the kitchen courtyard in 2020, and in 2021 that did better, getting enough sun to fill out and bloom nicely.
It's a more delicate plant, smaller, and it blooms only briefly, unlike 'Royal Candles'. The 'Icicle' in the kitchen courtyard was not much to look at in 2024. The one in the dining room window garden bloomed and looked nice briefly.
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| 2024 |
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| April 21, 2022 |
I added 3 in 2020 and one more in 2021 to make sure I get a carpet along this small strip.
They took a couple seasons to get going in this tough site. They do get irrigation from emitters there.
They bloom starting the first week of April and going til May, and are nice at ground level, especially in sunshine.
By 2022 they were finally draping over the edging well.
In 2024 they continued to drape over the metal edging and hide it pretty well.