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Colorful Combinations
Blue Fescue top tips. Blue fescue is a versatile plant that works well in many settings. The classic blue color of the foliage is eye-catching and makes a statement in a mass planting. Blue fescue’s uniform habit adds texture and color when used in mixed containers.
It stays in bounds, not spreading very quickly, so it also works well as an edging plant. If you plan on using these plants in masses, select the same variety to ensure same-color foliage.
Blue Fescue Care Must-Knows
Blue fescue is a great choice for landscaping in areas that are prone to drought. These plants are known for their beautiful blue color, and they thrive in well-drained, evenly moist soils.
If you’re looking to add some blue fescue to your garden, be sure to plant them in an area where they will have access to consistent watering. They also appreciate supplemental watering while they’re getting established.
Blue fescue will reach its optimal, bright blue color when planted in full sun. If it’s in partial sun, the blue tint will be more subdued and the leaves will be more green. Remember that blue fescue is a cool-season grass; in warmer climates, it’s possible for the plant to die back and go dormant in the summer due to the heat. If this does happen, you can cut the foliage back until the cooler weather comes around again and new growth appears. Blue fescue grows best in the spring and fall seasons.
Keeping these plants happy is a reasonably easy job. You don’t need to cut them back in the spring if they’re evergreen in your climate, but everywhere else, the plants should be sheared back to a few inches from the ground to allow plenty of room for fresh new foliage to grow.
Unfortunately, blue fescue can be a fairly short-lived perennial, but you can alleviate this by regularly dividing plants. Dig them up and cut them into smaller pieces, ensuring they have a good amount of foliage and roots. Dividing prevents plants from dying out in the middle and looking unsightly.
New Innovations
Even though blue fescue is grown from seed, the quality of the blue foliage is often not consistent. In the past, researchers have created seedling selections with a bolder, more robust blue color. These seed selections are what you see in commercial blue fescue varieties today. Along with developing different colors, researchers are also working to create varieties of blue fescue that can tolerate more heat.
Blue Fescue Companion Plants
Dianthus
The Dianthus, also known as pinks, is a cottage flower that is treasured for its grasslike blue-green foliage and abundant starry flowers. The flowers are often spicily fragrant, and they can appear in shades of pink, red, white, rose, or lavender.
Some types of pinks have flowers that bloom in spring or summer, while others bloom in other seasons. The plants range in size from tiny creeping groundcovers to 30-inch-tall cut flowers. The Dianthus is a favorite flower of florists because of its beauty and versatility.
Blanket Flower
Blanket flowers are beautiful, cheerful plants that bloom for a long time and are perfect for hot, sunny gardens. They produce single or double daisy flowers from summer until fall. The light brick red flowers have yellow tips. Blanket flowers can tolerate light frost and deer usually don’t eat them. Deadhead the flowers to keep them blooming through the summer and fall. Some species tend to be short-lived, especially if the soil is not well-drained.
Shrub Rose
Shrub roses are a type of rose that combines the best traits of the hardiest rose species with modern repeat blooming and diverse flower forms, colors, and fragrances. Some shrub roses may grow tall with vigorous, far-reaching canes; others stay compact. Recent rose breeding has focused on developing hardier shrub roses for landscaping that needs little to no maintenance.
Garden Plans for Blue Fescue
Design for a Moon Garden
There’s something special about a garden at night. The air is thick with the scent of blooms, and the soft light of the moon casts a romantic glow over everything. If you’re looking for a place to relax and enjoy the quiet beauty of nature, a nighttime garden is the perfect spot.
Butterfly Garden Plan
Create an island butterfly garden bed by planting flowers that will attract beautiful fluttering insects to your garden.
Soften a Fence with This Lush Border Garden Plan
The exciting plants in this design will provide long-lasting color, fragrance, and texture that will leave you asking, “What fence?”
Drought-Tolerant Garden Plan
This mixed garden bed is perfect for those who want a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant garden that will still provide color and interest all year long. Evergreen shrubs, perennials, and annuals are planted in a casual, informal style, making it easy to care for.
