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June 3, 2008 · 2 Comments

‘Stairway to Heaven’

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blue flower on plant

The blooms on ‘Stairway to Heaven’ are periwinkle and pretty in mid-spring.

variegated bush like plant

‘Stairway to Heaven’ has a neat form and doesn’t spread too much.

Debbie Lonnee, the production manager at Bailey Nurseries in Newport, recommends a plant to try in each issue of Northern Gardener. Many of her picks have made it into my garden, but my favorite by far is this variegated Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium reptans ‘Stairway to Heaven’). It’s in bloom now, and the blue flowers are delicate and pretty. While it blooms only a few weeks a year, it looks great all summer because of the bright, variegated foliage. It does well in a part shade environment. Mine is planted almost underneath some lilacs and sumac in a back border. It gets some light when the sun is setting (that’s when I took these pictures) and also some at midday. It’s a hardy plant, too; I divided mine last year and now have two clumps of it doing well.

‘Stairway to Heaven’ was selected by William Cullina of the New England Wildflower Society, who noticed it growing in one of the society’s plant nurseries. He potted up the little plant with the creamy white border and the rest is plant history.

Related posts:

  1. My Love-Hate Relationship with Sumac For the last week or so, in between sleet storms,...
« Installing a Front Yard Garden: The Finished Product
Allium and Plant Architecture »

Comments

  1. Joy says

    June 6, 2008 at 11:29 am

    I think I am going to have to try this one out .. my garden is becoming more of a shade garden every year .. so it is good to have a list of plants I don’t already have . A real plus is the variegation .. brightens up the shade area a treat ! Thanks !
    Joy

Trackbacks

  1. The Micro-View, Part 2 « My Northern Garden says:
    June 3, 2009 at 2:49 pm

    […] his hand, “call on me, call on me.” Or, consider the lovely bell-shaped flowers of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ Jacob’s ladder. This plant makes its delicate statement in the spring, then fades away. The flowers are a soft […]

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New podcast episode and giveaway! Dill is one of t New podcast episode and giveaway! Dill is one of those plants that brings in all sorts of beneficial insects, creating a productive, healthy vegetable 🍅 garden. On this week’s Grow it, Minnesota podcast, I talked companion planting with local food advocate and gardener Michelle Bruhn from @forksinthedirt. 

We’re both fans of a new book by @jessicawalliser called Plant Partners that looks at the science behind companion planting. A lot of it boils down to creating healthy soil and a welcoming environment for bugs, bees and pollinators. My review of the book is over on the My Northern Garden blog (link in bio) and I’m giving away a copy of the book. To be eligible for the giveaway, just comment below — do you use companion planting methods? What combinations work in your garden? What flowers do you plant near your veg garden? The winner will be chosen March 10 (US and Canada only)
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