Great Design Plant: Thunder and Lightning for Midsummer Garden Color
Take me to a nursery and I'm a kid in a candy store. My eyes are naturally drawn to the tall spires of sapphire-blue delphiniums and mounding velvety red roses, but I know that without a strong backbone of foliage, my garden design will just fall apart by midsummer.
With that in mind, as I went plant shopping last year, I was determined to look for a multi-interest perennial. I wanted eye-catching foliage as well as bold-colored flowers. But to make the challenge harder, I also needed my selection to be drought tolerant and deer resistant. I was therefore delighted to find Thunder and Lightning field scabious, as it fulfilled all my criteria with style.
The jagged mint-green leaves are edged with creamy white, giving a fresh look to the garden even on the hottest of summer days. Deep magenta pincushion-type flowers add to the display throughout the season, and unlike the species, this cultivar is nicely compact — so it will grace your garden rather than sprawl across it.
I experimented using it in a foliage-focused container design as well as planted a group along a path in one of the toughest parts of my garden. In both situations it thrived despite minimal watering and deer endlessly passing through.
Botanical name: Knautia macedonica 'Thunder and Lightning'
Common name: Field scabious
USDA zones: 4 to 7 (find your zone)
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 18 inches tall and wide
Benefits and tolerances: Deer resistant; drought tolerant; attracts butterflies; good cut flower
Seasonal interest: Spring through fall
When to plant: Spring or fall
Distinguishing traits. The dramatic foliage of this compact perennial is a standout. Deeply cut, soft green leaves are edged with creamy white, adding sparkle to the garden from spring through fall.
Magenta pincushion-like flowers decorate the plant for many months; the deep jewel color is highlighted beautifully against the cooler foliage.
How to use it. Even if this perennial never bloomed, its foliage would make it worthy of inclusion in any garden. Mass plants at the front of a border, perhaps adjacent to a dark plum stonecrop such as Sedum 'Purple Emperor' or at the base of a purple smoke bush (Cotinus sp) for three-season drama.
This compact field scabious also makes a first-rate container plant.
The tapestry of foliage shown here showcases Thunder and Lightning field scabious against black lace elderberry (Sambucus nigra 'Eva'), lime glow barberry (Berberis thunbergii 'Lime Glow') and silver mound wormwood (Artemisia schmidtiana 'Nana'). With the pale ginger foliage of 'Pinot Gris' coral bells (Heuchera hybrid) added, this combination could easily be planted into the garden itself.
Planting notes. Field scabious needs well-drained soil and plenty of sun to thrive. Do not add additional fertilizer — drought-tolerant plants often do better in leaner soils.
An herbaceous perennial, field scabious will become dormant in late fall but will be one of the first to grow again in spring.
