I've set asid a large bed on our patio for my daughters garden. She's three and has decided that she only wants "heart" plants in there, lol. I've made a few trades and bought some things for it and so far we have....
Elephant ears "colocasia gigantea"
Elephant ears with black stems
Purple shamrock
Caladiums
I have not tracked down a pink bleeding heart yet, which is on the top of her list. I would love to trade for any heart shaped plants that will do well in partial to full shade. Please look over my trading lists and let me know if you are interested. Or even just let me know of any other heart shaped plants because that's about all I can think of, lol. Or suggest some caladiums that are particularly red or pink colored?
Wanted: "Heart" Shaped Plants
Hi Lewbug, if you look at Walmart and Lowes, they may have some bleeding heart plants in a bag or box with their packaged bulbs. Sometimes they carry both the white and the pink ones. They probably have some pink or red caladiums too. Lowes usually has a bin of loose caladium bulbs and you just buy as many as you want. I haven't been there yet this year. But I have a hankering to!
OOOOH, some of the potato vines are heart shaped like Marguerite (the lime green one) and Ace of Spades (black). There's also one called Sweetheart (reddish purple) but it's rare to find.
Chameleon plant has heartshaped leaves but it would be best in a container because it's way tooooooooo vigorous.
Four oclocks have heart shaped leaves too but mine aren't up yet.
We'd love to see how the garden turns out.
I've gotten some caladium bulbs and I'm going to give her all the pink or red ones for her spot. I haven't seen any that weren't in a mixed bag though. I did see some bleeding hearts at our local walmart but they didn't lol so nice or healthy. I don't think four o'clocks will do well with so little sun. I'm going to look into the chameleon plant and sweet potato vines you mentioned though.
I'll try to take photos along the way. The bed looks pretty muddy and empty right now though, we've been waiting for a couple of nicer days to finish getting it ready to plant.
A lot of hostas are heart shaped. You might even find one with "Heart" in the name. There are several miniature hostas with heart shaped leaves. They might just be her size. LOL
Haha, I've been so busy looking for hostas for my new bed I didn't even think of them being heart shaped! I just ordered a "white feather hosta" for myself this last month but I think I'm going to get another one or two for her bed. She likes mine but it hasn't unfurled enough for her to see that it's heart shaped yet.
I did look at the sweet potato vines with her and she really liked one called "blackie". It looked like it had a lot of color change from greens to purples and she said "Mine heart garden needs that momma. You get that for me.". So I guess I'm gonna track down one of those, lol. She's started telling me I'm like a superhero when I do fun things for her and I'm getting addicted to it! Haha, I'm milking it for all it's worth before she figures out I'm not one!
Oops, "blackie" was a split leaf variety so now I have to research to figure out the name of the one she liked.
"Black Heart". That was it!
This message was edited Apr 3, 2011 7:48 AM
There's a Black Heart and an Ace of Spades (which may be the same, can't remember). And then there's Sweetheart too with redder leaves. You may have to go to a specialty nursery for the Sweetheart. But walmart usually carries the Ace of Spades. Marguerite has golden green heart shaped leaves.
An interesting vine she might like is called Love in a Puff vine. I don't remember the leaves. But the plant makes a puffy pod, kinda like a balloon. Inside is one black seed with a white heart on it. The vine, to me, is nothing special, but some people really like it. But the seeds are unique--clearly black with a white heart in the center. She might get a kick out of that.
I love themed gardens like this. They're so fun and creative! What a great project for y'all to do together.
red bud trees have heart shaped leaves
If you want heart shaped leaves on a vine for a backdrop, try the Giant Dutchmans Pipevine (Aristolochia gigantea). I have one and they grow fast, and the leaves look like hearts. Not to mention, the blooms are AWESOME!
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/56130/
Hehe, she loved the pictures of the Dutchman's Pipe. That is a weird looking flower for sure, I think we might be adding it to our list. I'd like to see what it looks like in person, I bet with blooms like that it's a heck of a conversation piece. It would work perfec as the back of the bed is the side of our house.
We have a rock house. Do you think it would need a trellis against the house or would it be able to climb on it's own?
I have 2 different pink bleeding hearts if you would like them! I also found that my local garden center will be carrying a bleeding heart that is red. It isn't ready to be out yet....still has a bit of growing to do. Haven't seen that one before but thought it was interesting!
Debbie
LewBug,
I found some fernleaf pink bleeding hearts in a bag at our Jonesboro Walmart a couple days ago. I think there are two plants in the bag for $5. They're inside the garden center, inside the store (not outside with the potted plants) on an aisle with the bulbs.
I did notice the aren't carrying many bulbs this year--like half an aisle.
Hi Lew, glad you like the Pipevine! I have one in my backyard and it is doing awesome. I bought it last year and it made it through the winter in the ground without protection (it got to 20F this past winter here). It will need a trellis as it is a wrapping type vine. Im really hoping mine blooms this year since it only took about a month for it to get from the ground to the top of the fence on a trellis!
I have old fashioned bleeding heart if you would like some for her. They flower pink.
D-Mail me your address and I will get them out to you next week. (It is supposed to snow this weekend) Unless I can get out there tonight depending on the weather.
I dug up my "parent" to divide and share so I have some divided that I replanted that would be easy to dig up.
Minnesippi, I'm pretty sure Irisluvr is sending her one already so that will save you some digging. We really appreciate the offer though! :)
We've finally started planting it and it still looks pretty bare but I'll post a picture as soon as a few more things come up. Right now it would just be a photo of dirt, lol.
Irisluvr - if you haven't dug yet, let me know and I will ship the bleeding heart. Mine have been dug and moved in the last week and would be easy to pull out of the ground. More than happy to send. LMK
LBC - I think I read that tweedia has heart shaped leaves ad well. It is a climber - light blue flowers. I have 7 seeds left that I need to plant so I can get more seeds - if all goes well, I can send some @ the end of the season.
Steph
I have an inside plant called a sweetheart hoya. I can give her some starts of that. They are large hearts and are a vine. I put mine out in the yard (potted) during the spring and summer and put it in the greenhouse for the winter. Let me know if you want some for her. Elaine
May I suggest Sweet Heart Rose?...it is a micro-mini, white, scented shrub rose that is hardy in your area. The little rosebuds unfold in a heart shape...it is an old hybrid likely from about 100 years ago, but an ideal plant for a young child because it blooms at their eye level...not ours! LOL