I’ve been trying different plants for using along and in between the stones of a flagstone walkway. Thyme would be ideal, but I find it very temperamental, often dying back in winter or in the heat of summer. Creeping Speedwell, however, has been working out wonderfully. Veronica ‘Whitewater’ (shown above), and its cousin, ‘Waterperry Blue’ (shown below) are robust plants that can grow even in the small spaces between the stones.
They do grow wide and can cover space quickly, which I like, but they are easily kept in bounds by pruning. They easily handle the heat of summer, and the foliage looks great throughout the growing season, just dying back a little in winter. Best of all, the mass of blooms is just lovely. I particularly like when there are both open flowers and buds simultaneously on the plant, as it gives a nice lacy texture.
Last year, Veronica ‘Whitewater’ bloomed from May 5 to June 4, and ‘Waterperry Blue’ bloomed from May 5 to May 26.
Another great Creeping Speedwell is Veronica ‘Tidal Pool’ (shown below). Whereas ‘Whitewater’ and ‘Waterperry Blue’ grow 4-6 inches tall, ‘Tidal Pool’ is a true ground-hugger at only 2 inches. It grows fast and is dense and evergreen, making a great groundcover. I’m using it at the entrance of the garden, where I needed something low growing to provide clearance for the swinging garden gate.
Last year, ‘Tidal Pool’ bloomed from May 5 to May 24. The foliage unfortunately got completely fried this winter. We’ll see how it recovers.
And finally, here’s a Creeping Speedwell of a different species, peduncularis. Veronica peduncularis ‘Georgia Blue’ forms a tidy mound about 6 inches tall, and creeps in a nice uniform habit, making a great edging plant along my flagstone walkway. The winter foliage is the best of my Veronicas, staying evergreen with no die-back and attaining a very nice burgundy tone. My plant is currently about 15 inches wide. It bloomed last year from April 30 to May 15.
Update (May 6, 2019): Here’s a photo of ‘Georgia Blue’ from this year. It’s now a 2 ft. wide mound!
