Tag: Seattle

My Gentian likes it in its new home. It’s a bit frisky, considering this is early February … “blooms April/May”.

Gentians have trumpet-shaped flowers of the most stunning blue. They are alpine flowers, and will form a dense and ever-growing mat. They dislike fertilizer, and enjoy full sun.

I had not actually seen a Gentian in a garden until 2 years ago, when I picked up a slightly scrawny plant at Swanson Nursery – for $11. I went back a few times before I decided to give it a try … I adore the color blue, and there are almost no real blue flowers. But $11 for a tiny pot of a struggling plant …?!

That first year, the scrawny plant had one flower that did not actually open fully. I had planted it into a large planter, along with some other things, notably an Allium.

Last Spring I moved the Allium and Gentian – both well intermingled and still scrawny – into a new bed in the front yard. Then, one day in Spring, I had a full-frontal Gentian flower experience that took me by surprise, and took my breath away! I then finally realized, what plant that was – Enzian!!! “Blau, blau, blau blüht der Enzian … “ – the German Volkslied stayed in my head longer than is advisable.