In The Garden Now…. Creeping Forget-Me-Not

Blue-Eyed Mary

Text and photo by Victoria Gilleland

When Blue-Eyed Mary starts to bloom spring can’t be far off. The flowers are small but an intense blue that can’t be missed on a stroll through the late winter garden. The blossoms are larger and a brighter blue, but quite similar to those of its cousin Forget-Me-Not.

While Forget- Me-Not plants will typically last a year or two and freely reseed, Blue-Eyed Mary is a reliable well behaved perennial. We’ve enjoyed these easy to grow late winter bloomers in our dry shady garden for many years. However, they are very adaptable and will grow in a fair amount of sun as well.

Plants are 6 to 8 inches high and stay in a compact clump. They can be used to edge a garden bed and as a fine evergreen to semi-evergreen ground cover under taller perennials, grasses and shrubs. Ours are planted next to a garden path and meander among the ferns there.

Blue-Eyed Mary can be a colorful, long lasting, trouble free addition to just about any garden!

Botanical Name: Omphalodes verna

Victoria Gilleland is the owner of Cottage Garden Designs, a Garden Design company specializing in Redesign of Residential Gardens, Garden Consultation and Coaching. She has been designing gardens in the northwest for over 25 years. (vjgilleland@yahoo.com)