Ever have one of those moments in your garden when you think to yourself “why don’t I have more of that plant in my garden?”  I had one of those moments during an early stroll one morning.  The plant I was admiring was a pretty little Scaevola.  The variety I have in my garden is Scaevola aemula, a native of Australia.  Mine grows to about a foot and a half tall with about a three foot spread.  It is evergreen and blooms most of the year.  My blooms are light lavender though I have seen variations from purple to blue to white.  There are taller and shorter versions out there so you can find the right one for your spot.  All of them have a unique hand-like shape to their bloom having five petals on one side.  In fact, according to Sunset,  their shape is the basis for their name.  It comes from a Roman hero named Mutius Scaevola “who burned off one of his hands to prove his bravery.”  Maybe we have lost a little context over the years but it sounds like he proved something else to me!  But I digress, back to the plant!  At my home we have some Scaevola growing in full sun with companions such as Achillea, Echinacea and Salvia and being watered accordingly with minor to moderate amounts of water.  We also have some growing in a shade garden with equal success near some Woodruff (Galium odoratum) and Columbine where there is a bit more water.  So, a plant that grows in a variety of sizes, colors, light and water conditions, with a long bloom time, is a bee magnet, and no real pest or disease problems – what’s not to like?