Jack Frost is a fabulous variegated plant for the shade; it will take some sun. It has lovely blue flowers in the spring when the leaves are small, then once the flowers are finished it will put on new growth with larger leaves. The leaves really brighten up the shade garden. There are other nice Brunnera cultivars but this is my favourite. It prefers a moist, humousy soil. I don't believe they are a long lived perennial, at least in the colder zones, but it is one I would be happy to replace when it dies out.

A lovely and easy to grow perennial, great for shade.

I really like the looks of Brunnera plants, both bloom and foliage is lovely. However I have killed a few and I'm pretty sure 'Jack Frost' was one of them . I believe my soil is much too dry for them. However I have now grown the similar 'Sea Heart' for three years and also divided it into three nice plants this very autumn, so this one seems much tougher for my conditions and hopefully it will be long lived as well. Still does need some watering. I had the deer eat the flowers once, but they have never touched the more mature foliage, so good in this regard as well.

I all so love Brunnera Jack Frost. Besides the gorgeous foliage which is outstanding it gives beautiful blossoms in the garden in a wonderful blue color. Trimming off the bloom when it declines and the plant will reward you with a flush of large new leaves. Here is some bloom....






With Corydalis lutea.....

I have tried Jack frost 3 times and it apparently does not like my garden, I even purchased one for my sisters garden and again no take. I love the look so I may look for the 'Sea Heart ' one maybe it is less picky.

Cinda, if the problems you had were related to high summer temperatures and/or the soil being a bit on the dry side (I have 25 feet of pure sand down to ground water and live in a pine forest, so often very dry in summer) I suspect you will have much better success growing 'Sea Heart'. If you feel the leaves of it you will notice the difference immediately. I think these are sometimes described as feeling like cardboard and that is perhaps a bit exaggerated, but the leaves really are very, very thick.

I grew Jack Frost for a few years and I did love the foliage and the very striking blue blooms, but then it started sending up plain green leaves that were not as attractive, eventually I got tired of trying to keep them pulled out and got rid of the plant.

Oh that's too bad Margaret; I've not heard that they were unstable like that.

It doesn't seem to like sharing space with my hostas, but I must try again.

Emerald Mist is my favorite brunnera. It has not reverted at all in several years of growing it. But they are all very nice.

I like Brunnera macrophylla too! I have the one with just solid green leaves. I love the cute blue flowers which shows up around mid Spring. Last fall, I repotted it and I thought I have killed it, so sad seeing the leaves flopping. But with the recent cool rains, it is coming back nicely. Fingers crossed that it continues on We have very hot and dry summers here so I really have to grow this in the shadiest side of my garden. I only grow plants in containers, so this one, a shade loving, blooming plant that adapts well to container gardening is a favorite for me.