Veronica MAGIC SHOW® 'Ever After' – MAGIC SHOW® 'Ever After' Spike Speedwell

Discover Veronica MAGIC SHOW® 'Ever After', a spectacular perennial that illuminates your garden with its exceptionally long blooming! Similar to 'White Wands' but with beautiful lavender blue flowers, 'Ever After' produces flower spikes reaching almost a foot in length that bloom for weeks. This self-cleaning beauty promises constant visual freshness and an elegant presence in your landscape designs, from early summer until fall.

Characteristics

• Foliage : The foliage is dark green, dense, and serves as a perfect backdrop for the vibrant flower spikes.
• Bloom : Produces large, showy spikes of lavender blue flowers that reach almost 30 cm (one foot) in length. It's one of the longest blooming Veronicas, serving as an excellent season extender. Flowers cover the top two-thirds of the plant at their peak. Blooming begins in early summer and continues throughout summer and into early fall. The flowers are self-cleaning. Vernalization (a cold period) is necessary for optimal performance.
• Light : Requires full sun (more than 6 hours of direct sun) but tolerates part shade (4 to 6 hours of direct sun).
• Habit : Its habit is upright and clumping with visible flower spikes above the foliage.
• Growth : Its growth is medium. It reaches a height of 36 to 41 cm (14 to 16 inches) and spreads 41 to 51 cm (16 to 20 inches).
• Humidity : Requires average to consistent water needs. It prefers moist, well-drained soil.
• Soil : Adapts to average to fertile soil. Tolerates acidic, neutral, and alkaline soils. The soil must be well-drained.
• Temperature : Extremely hardy. It is adapted to cold winters.
• Watering : Requires average to consistent watering to keep the soil moist. Although it is drought-tolerant, regular moisture is preferred for maximum blooming.
• Resistances : Deer and salt resistant.

Uses

• Types of Use : Ideal for sunny borders, in containers on the patio, in mass plantings for a striking visual impact, or as a cut flower. Its upright and slender habit contrasts excellently with more rounded flower shapes. Suitable for cottage and eclectic garden styles.
• Decorative Advantages : Its vibrant lavender blue flower spikes bring a touch of fresh colour and elegant verticality to the garden. Its long blooming period ensures consistent colour and its ability to attract bees and butterflies adds life to your outdoor space.

Care

• Fertilization : Light fertilization in spring with a balanced perennial fertilizer is generally sufficient.
• Pruning : 'Ever After' Veronica is self-cleaning, which means it naturally drops its spent flowers. However, light shearing after blooming to remove spent flower stalks can further prolong blooming and maintain a tidy appearance. You can prune the plant more severely in spring for a more compact habit.
• Planting :
  • Distance : Space plants about 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 inches) apart to allow for good development and air circulation.
  • Depth : Plant the root ball at the same level as the soil in the original container.
  • Period : Spring or early fall are the best times for planting. Vernalization is necessary for optimal performance.