Foliage appearance aside if you also want the same deep blue flower color 'Blue Mist' - which has been described as "powder-blue" - doesn't have it. Otherwise they all have some grayness, if the 'Blue Mist' haven't leafed out much maybe just wait a bit and then go back and look at them, see if they have the exact coloring you want. Of course, this could backfire if they all sell before then - although since they aren't really in season until they start blooming maybe this won't happen.

a bit off topic.. i got a couple variegated versions from arrowhead alpines quite a few years back ... real cool..

they both die back to the ground ... but are up 8 inches or so.. out my way ... so if you arent seeing anything by now .... you probably wont ...

ken

In my area they tend to be found in garden centers around the time they start blooming, so consider looking in August and early September when they may be in stock, or at least ask if anyone is expecting them in then.

^^Yea, that's kind of the problem -- from what I understand, it's better to plant them earlier to give them time to get established. Plus, I have a dead shrub to replace... I did pick up a few of them earlier in May for another spot in the border -- I grabbed them and ran, since I knew I wanted them for that particular area. At that time didn't know the other ones were toast, plus the nursery didn't have enough of them for the new area + replacements.

Hardy woody plants don't become well established during the first growing season. There is some root growth then, but there is a lot more in fall. Fall in this context being when the top stops growing, sets winter buds. With instead the main important feature about spring planting being that such plantings will have to be watered a lot that first summer - precisely because they did not fully establish their first spring.