Grown on alkaline soil? That is a great photograph. (There is a bit of pink in Daniel’s photograph as well. www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/potd/2005/05/mecon...) “Flowers gently nod in a breeze and are borne on strong stems that arise from the rosette of leaves. These are coated with soft rusty bristles. Sometimes when grown upon alkaline soil the flower colour is more lavender than blue.” http://www.devonian.ualberta.ca/getgro5.html.
You have to expect a littany of disappointments if you venture to grow this one in the Lower Mainland, especially over the past several years. The hot summer months really take their toil on what is, in any case, a short lived perennial. It occupies a prime position in the coolest part of the garden. Hence, when it flowers, you can bet that there will be a large catalogue of pictures taken of the blooms. And here is an ant's eye view of it.
