Iris reticulata is one of the earliest blue flowers in the garden, another is Muscari armeniacum, the grape hyacinth. If you live in the eastern Mediterranean, you may find it in the woods and meadows, especially in Armenia from which it gets its name. Both are lovely for pots and as part of an early summer garden with hellebores, primroses and narcissi.

Blue is a lovely calming colour to tone down more flashy colour schemes. There’s a vast choice of plants in all shades of blue and for most seasons. Iris Siberica is plentiful in our garden with its free-draining, sandy soil. I plant them in great clumps and they virtually look after themselves.

Our beloved Ceanothus x veitchianus finally gave up the ghost after 20 years – pretty good for a ceanothus – but we have another on the way close by.

An early summer hero is Geranium x magnificum and the clue is in the name – it makes a magnificent show. Later in the season is the delphinium. I like the Blue Bird Group for its wonderful airy habit.

The best salvia I think, are Salvia nemorosa and Salvia x sylvestris of which ‘Mainacht’ (May Night) and ‘Blauhugel’ (Blue Hill) are a beautiful clear blue, firm favourites here after seeing them at Scampston, my favourite garden, soon to feature here.

Clematis ‘Perle d’Azu’ with its large, pale blue blooms is a rampant and floriferous climber to enjoy from late summer to autumn but needs plenty of compost here in coastal Suffolk. Stars of the later season here are agapanthus, asters and the amazing hardy Chinese plumbago Ceratostigma willmottianum which already has healthy buds on its elegantly shaped branches.