Veronica, Creeping Speedwell 'Blue Reflection'

In their 2010 veronica performance evalutions, the Chicago Botanic Garden gave this cultivar 4 stars out of 5. [...Read Moreagobotanic.org/downloads/planteval_notes/no33_veronica.pdf" target="_dgnew"rel="nofollow">[email protected]]

This tough ground plant requires no maintenance, minimal supplemental water (when established). Beautiful, sky-blue small flowers cover ...Read Morethe plant for several weeks in late Spring.

I planted five or six different groundcovers (mostly thyme and speedwell) and out of the different varieties I chose, this one has done t...Read Morehe best.

I gave it regular deep waterings to get it established the first season, so the second season was the real test - it did amazing! I only watered it about three times all summer, and now I wonder if I even needed to do that. We have very fast draining soil, which I understand is what this plant needs (I haven't tried it in clay), and I also added about 1/2 inch of bark to the top layer of the soil.

It is on a hot, dry, west facing slope and our summer temperatures usually average in the high 80s and 90s, with little to no rainfall. It forms a dense mat of leaves about 18 inches wide, and has a very showy flowering in the spring. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that it has stayed green all winter (so far, and it is already February), even though we have had a few nights in the single digits.

I love speedwell groundcovers, and this one is easily my favorite. Hard to find (I got it through High Country Gardens), but worth it.

A hybrid between the heat/drought/beating tolerant Veronica pectinata and the vigorous and showy V. liwanensis.
Plant Select earne...Read Morer 2003- meaning it is a tough son-of-a-gun for the arid west.
Forms a dense carpet and cozies the feet of neighbor plants, suppressing weeds as a grand living mulch.

Flowering is best with limited water and unlimited sun.