There is a kind of plainspoken toughness to 'Blue Lagoon' that makes it indispensable on difficult sites. A low-growing, mat-forming cultivar of Juniperus conferta, it spreads 8 to 10 inches per year into a tight, dense carpet that handles sandy coastal soils, high salt levels, drought, and poor drainage better than almost any other juniper in its class. The summer foliage is a medium bluish-green that transforms in winter to a genuinely beautiful plum, a seasonal shift that earns the plant a second look from gardeners who installed it purely for practicality.

Originally collected at the Aritaki Arboretum in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, 'Blue Lagoon' was propagated at the U.S. National Arboretum and entered commerce in 1992. It performs best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade, and its immunity to rodent damage is an unusual and welcome trait in a ground cover. Excess moisture and poorly drained soils are its main enemies. On coastal dunes, slopes, and over retaining walls where other plants struggle to hold ground, 'Blue Lagoon' spreads with quiet, reliable purpose.