Veronica longifolia Pink Damask

Veronica longifolia'Pink Damask' is a charming variety of long-leaved Veronica that produces long spikes densely filled with tiny light pink flowers, above beautiful bright green foliage. This superb perennial with abundant summer flowering is an excellent plant for structure and contrast, in borders or along water features. It forms a very upright mass with a generous combination of foliage and coloured spikes. It is very hardy and grows well in, moist good garden soil, in full sun or partial shade.

Veronica longifolia is a herbaceous plant of the plantain family, found in northern and central Europe as well as Asia. It can grow quite tall, forming clumps with erect stems, sometimes exceeding 1 m (3ft) and naturally and easily hybridizing with Veronica spicata.

'Pink Damask' is a very floriferous pink variety that reaches 50 to 65 cm (20 to 26in) high and about 40 cm (16in) wide. Its leaves can be opposite, but are often whorled in groups of three or four. They are fairly narrow and lanceolate, 6 to 12 cm (2 to 5in) long, with a short petiole, deeply toothed and bright green. Flowering takes place in June-July with dense, long narrow spikes tightly packed with tiny, tubular, very bright pink flowers consisting of four petals and two remarkably clear prominent stamens. The nectar-rich flowers give way to heart-shaped fruits.

This hardy veronica is easy to grow in ordinary but moist soil and pairs well with a multitude of plants creating beautiful summer compositions, especially along the edges of a pond. Plant it alongside eupatoriums, pyrethrums, Lythrum salicaria, Filipendula rubra 'Venusta', and Euphorbia palustris. This elegant perennial forms a very successful association with tall grasses: Miscanthus, Panicum, Deschampsia in the back of a border for a wilder style. The combination with repeat old-fashioned roses, such as Fée des Neiges, Felicia, or Cornelia can be very elegant.