I had what I think was Homestead Verbena. They were absolutely lovely but note the past tense because they are no more. They quit blooming and died after two years. I'm not sure if this was because the drainage wasn't great or whether they happened to be a kind that only lasted two years. I read somewhere that that is the case for some plants which we think of as perennial, they actually are "biennials" (or something like that).

Anyway, since the Blue Princes is on the Texas Superstar list, I would go with that. I'm thinking of giving it a try though I'm still worried about drainage. The bed I'm thinking of gets great sun. You said the bed you had gets East Sun. My concern would be whether that was enough for a verbena. What about a hardy rose such as Belinda's Dream or maybe knockout?

Anyway, good luck and please post your results, whatever you decide.

Here is a link that might be useful: Texas Superstar Blue Princess

I had this purple verbena in a east bed. Sorry, I don't remember the name. It did good for a couple of years, but finally started getting too much shade.
Jim
{{gwi:676019}}

Thanks for the info! Wow, Jim that verbena looks great. It doesn't look like blue princess, but it is exactly the look I am going for. I don't mind replacing after a couple of years....I just don't want to do semi-annual planting for spring/fall blooms. I have a couple of red ruellia elegans in that bed so the color combo should be really good.
molly

The problem with verbena is that you plant it in one spot, it does well there for a couple of years, but then it moves to another spot and you are left with bare ground in the place where it used to be.
Does that make sense? It doesn't stay full in one spot like the picture above shows. It creeps and roots and you can't really plan a garden around it.
I've had blue princess and homestead purple and pinwheel princess and homestead seems to live the longest.
Don't get me wrong, I really love verbenas, but it's hard to keep it where you want it.

Hi, verbena requires 8 to 10 hours of sun, otherwise it may get powdery mildew. If you are planting on the eastside, will it get enough sun?

I decided I don't have enough hours of sun for the verbena after all. I purchased some homestead purple in March and it has been a complete disappointment....poor growth and sparse blooms. With my many years of gardening, I should have known better. I think I will go back to planting annuals there in the fall and again in the spring.

What about planting some winecups? It is a purplish (wine color actually) Won't give full season color, but maybe plant with it a later bloomer like maybe threadleaf coreopsis (I have creme broulee and love it) or cranesbill. It kind of depends on how much sun you get. Easier than annuals twice a year.

I've never had any luck with verbena. It always looks real good in the store. Then when I get it home, it gets spider mites and fungus.

I also think it's short lived anyway.

I like debndals suggestion about the winecups. I've got some and love'em. They bloom in the spring.

I've decided to do a combination of perennials (calylophus and dianthus) and a few annuals to fill in when the perennials slack off.