Plant profile: Scabiosa

Non stop flower action - that's what Scabiosas bring to the garden. Deadhead away and they'll keep flowering, and all without much water at all. And for a busy gardener that's a winner.

Latin name: Scabiosa ("scab-ee-OH-sah")
Common name: Pincushion Flower
Originally from: Europe and Asia
Blooms: Light blue, lavender, white and pink flowers adorn various species, but my favorite is the deep burgundy S. atropurpurea "Ace of Spades"
Light: Full sun, part sun.
Water: Rain is plenty. Little summer water is needed.
Where to find in P. Garden: S. atropurpurea "Ace of Spades" lives in the left bed, while a few light blue Scabiosa anthemifolias live in the middle back bed.

You can buy Scabiosa seed but the plants are readily available so unless you enjoy coddling tiny plants, just grab a few 4" sized pots at Annie's Annuals or somewhere and have at it.

UPDATE June 2016:
Treat these as a fun annual - we don't have any left as they tend not to make it longer than a year for us, but fun times when they are around!