Veronica

VERONICA- "She who brings Victory!  Also a great song by Elvis Costello- great line is the song- "you can call me anything you like but my name is Veronica"

You Tube- Veronica- By Elvis Costello

Here is a plant that will make you feel Victory as a gardener- Veronica.  With as many as 500 species of the plant, you surely can't go wrong.  Veronica comes in a variety of colors, I went with purple as I am a Viking Fan- okay I grew up in Stanton, Iowa and we were the home of the Vikings/Viqueens, school colors Purple and White!! The picture shows a lighter purple as the summer sun bleaches the vibrant spring color.

Colors
1. Pink
2. Purple
3. White
4. Yellow

Veronica is very easy going perennial to care for:
1.  It will grow from 1-3 feet tall, give it space.
2. Sun lover (will also do well in partial sun)
3. Well draining soil.
4.  Magic potion (Fertilizer)- about every 2 weeks

When planting:
1. I would suggest in the high mountains of Utah to purchase from a nursery, you may not see the beauty of the plant if you sow seeds directly in the ground.
2. If you have a green house or a place to plant the seeds inside during the winter, it would be ready for the spring planting.
3. Do not plant the roots too deep, I would have the base of the plant level with the soil.

Care:
1. Good soil.
2. Sun.
3. Magic Potion
4. Dead Head- cutting the old flowers back will help the plant generate more flowers.
5. After a harsh frost- which we are getting close to in the Mountains of Utah, cut the plant back to about an inch from the ground. 
6. I put grass clippings around the plant for the winter- gives a little insulation.