Shade Gardening: Shade Garden Inspiration - Show off your garden!, 1 by rcn48

rcn48 wrote:
KaylyRed, I was successful keeping my "plain ol' Dicentra spectabilis' going strong through late summer in my Maine gardens by cutting them back but no luck here in the warmer climate of VA. It took me several years to find a good match to mask the bare spot left when 'Gold Heart' goes dormant. It might not work for you, although there is one report of success growing it in Z5a in PF, Hardy Begonia (Begonia grandis) http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/722/. It's a perfect solution because it comes up late and by the time Dicentra is beginning to go dormant, the foliage of the Begonia quickly fills in the bare spot and is a gorgeous late summer bloomer! Still in bloom in early September...