Speedwell

     Veronica makes a wonderful ground cover, forming a solid blue flower carpet flowering early to mid-April, zone 6 to 9, height to 6”, rapid spreader with rooting at leaf nodes. Full sun. Begins in the spring with reddish green attractive leaves, turning to deep green in the summer and bronze in the fall. Deer and rabbit avoid it. Propagate vegetatively or by division.

Family: Plantaginaceae   Best known as the red buckeye, this bush will grow to 10 to 15 feet high in zones 4 to 8. 

Hummingbirds appreciate the very showy bright red flowers which blossom in April in our area. Foliage declines in late summer as is true of other members of the Aesculus family (leaf blotch), but some afternoon shade can reduce this problem as long as sufficient water.