Fothergilla Blue Shadow would work if it were young. The blue leaved canna, Erebus, and rudbeckia hirta are the right color but neither have the mass I want. Has anyone ever seen a glaucous colocasia/alocasia? That would seem perfect. Can't be a phormium (can't overwinter them) and I would stay away from thorny desert plants....... Anyone have ideas? I appreciate your time!

The only colocasia I can think of (but I don't know these very well) is 'Blue Hawaii”. The veins are a very pronounced purplish, but not really blue.

Kevin

so I go googling and I find that forest farm has it but they say zone 7 and I'm 5. another, british, site says z.5
would I bring it in over the winter? looks like growing from seed is an option and I haven't told you this, but (shhhh) I am not a seed person. mothering ain't in this girl's dna unfortunately. brilliant suggestion but I'm going to search for it further.

helichtotrichon- good thought. I've lost it a few times (?; I have no idea) but potted might work. Th you much.

Keep 'em comin' everyone!

IME most bluish and silvery plants for sun are finer in texture or have narrow leaves. There are bluish yuccas and grasses. Agastache rupestrus has fine-textured blue-silver foliage as do several forms of lavender, but, both can be fairly dense and so create a mass. Caryopteris such as Longwood Blue is another one with similar effect Nepeta creates a very dense mound of bluish foliage. Perhaps one of the larger, more silvery Pulmonarias would work in a narrow container so the leaves could spill over the side, especially if it sits below eye level.

Have you thought about a cobalt-blue *pot*? This would give a great shot of bright blue, and you could plant anything you wanted that looks good in it. I have a biggie on my front porch that is potted with hot pink geraniums - a knockout! Cobalt blue is fairly easy to work with in terms of color schemes, while other shades of blue are not; I have a muted aqua-colored pot that I have trouble finding plants for, so many plants just look blah in it - yellow is passable, and flamin' hot pink looks great in it, but that's about it. Sigh.

I MADE my daughter return a very large cobalt blue pot to me this year. I'm loving it. Only annuals in it though - brilliant blue angelonia, a pink petunia thing - small flowers and one chartreuse sweel potato that has to be cut back weekly.

http://fine-foliage.com/2014/09/02/elevated-edibles/

now...do i have to grow this from seed of will my large local nursery sell it? must find out! (anyone have in mind what varieties i should be seeking, for blue?)