Veronica spicata Ulster Blue Dwarf, also known as (Royal Candles)

Veronica spicata Ulster Blue Dwarf is a very tidy perennial plant, ideal for the front of the border.

We have been fond of this plant for many years. First spotted it in Aberdeen garden centers back in the early nineties.

 Described as a hardy perennial, this Veronica was just the sort of plant we were after.

The three plants which we purchased performed really well, flowering from late June until early September.

Veronica Ulster Blue in our Cheshire garden

Dying back in Winter, as perennials do. I looked forward to the time in Spring when I would see the emerging shoots. Unfortunately, in Aberdeen this never happened, the Winter saw to that.

Reluctant to give up on this Veronica, we tried it again unfortunately with the same disappointing results Have you had more success with Ulster blue in the Aberdeen area?

What you see today is what Ulster blue was looking like in our Cheshire garden. Coming through three Winters with no deterioration I think this plant looks fantastic.

See more pictures of our Cheshire garden

I will introduce this Veronica to our Fife garden next Spring, fingers crossed.

Details

Veronica Spicata Ulster Blue Dwarf really is an ideal perennial for the front of the border. Described as fully hardy?

Deep blue flowers are held erect above the dark lance-shaped green leaves.

• Position – prefers full sun but will tolerate light shade

• Propagation – lift and divide in the Autumn. (retain good size clumps for planting)

• Soil – any decent free draining garden soil enriched with garden compost

• Flowering – long flowering period from June until September dead head regularly.

• Height – 30/40cm/12/16in, clump can spread to a width of 50cm/20in in second year

• Hardiness – described as fully hardy in the UK? 

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The Grapes of Wrath, (John Steinbeck)

I have two major hobbies – gardening and reading novels.

Books which I read are generally murder, mystery, and suspense. Feeling it was time I broadened my horizons I decided to check out the classics. Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck appealed to me.

First published in 1939, at the time the book was seen as being highly controversial. However, it was given the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize in 1940, then in  1962 the Nobel Prize for Literature.

The story revolves around a farming family in Oklahoma (The Joads) Forced by the hardship of the depression, to head west for California in the search of a better life.

Often when people read a really good book they will say, I couldn’t put it down. Doesn’t work that way for me, in fact, as with this book, I didn’t want it to end, so I slow down the reading process and treasure the story for as long as possible.

The Joad family suffered so much on their journey west that I started to look forward to the end of the book in the hope of finding them settled in and happy in their new life.

Shock and horror, the ending of the book is abrupt, totally shocking, bizarre, disappointing (or is it genius)

the academy award winning John Ford movie was released in 1940 starring Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell and Dorris Bowdon. (picture above)

Do you have a book recommendation which sticks in your mind as being unforgettable?