Feathered Friends™ Noble Nightingale Ajuga

Its evergreen, or more precisely ever-deep purple, and grows in shade to cover the ground and suppress weeds. Feathered Friends Noble Nightingale is one of those plants every garden needs for those shady, bare areas in which nothing else seems to grow. This hybrid ajuga, or bugleweed, also is tough and hardy, handling frost in zones 4 and the heat of zone 8. Expect the low-growing plant to spread to up to 18 inches across and produce deep purple to nearly black leaves with little to no sun exposure. This Feathered Friends ajuga only grows to about 4 to 6 inches high, so it hugs the ground to complement other shade-loving plants, like Coral Bells or Hostas, or to border shaded entries and walkways. And its ability to spread can cover in a bare spot, suppressing weed growth as it fills out. Deer do not eat ajuga, and it keeps its color all winter. In spring, small cobalt blue blooms appear just to add to this plants nearly perfect profile. Feathered Friends Noble Nightingale Ajuga Care Be sure your new ajuga goes into a spot with soil that drains well and that receives at least 4 hours of shade a day. In warmer zones, be sure it gets afternoon shade for best performance. Once planted, add a few inches of organic mulch to help keep out weeds until the ajuga spreads fully and to keep the soil moist after watering. Fertilize the plant at least once in spring to give it a good start. Water your ajuga regularly, and feel free to cut back on watering some after its established. In all but the driest seasons, the plant can get by during a brief drought. Prune the plant only once a year for easy care. Wait until the spring flowers fade and trim the foliage and flower stalks to a few inches above the ground to rejuvenate the plant. If it becomes matted or crowded, divide the plant every few years. Feathered Friends Noble Nightingale Ajuga Spacing Spacing depends partly on the effect you want, but planting your ajuga too close together can cause it to get crowded and lack air circulation. So, space new plants at least 1 to 1.5 feet apart.