A big (10+ ft) viburnum, viburnum sargentii Onandaga.
Supposedly doesn't like humidity, but does fine here.
Just starting to bloom. A nice structural element for shady garden.
Your woodland shade favorites
This is an iris which tolerates the light shade of an open woodland.
This is iris cristata Abbey's Violet.
Finally, another shrub which gives structure to my open woodland.
Enkianthus campanulatus. Full bloom right now.
Oops, last one. Really, I promise.
This is a cute perennial called melittis melissophyllum Royal Velvet Distinction.
Very striking colors for shade. Again, full bloom right now.
Thanks for enduring my photo journey through my woodland garden!
No such thing as 'enduring'. They are all so beautiful. I just bought the Melittis through a nursery on Saturday! Same one.
That viburnum is stunning as is the Enkianthus. Any fragrance for either of them?
No scent that I could detect, but it's been so cold and drippy;
not the climate conducive to sumptuous fragrance.
Supposed to be in the 30's tonight again, for god sake.
It's May, at least by the calendar.
Of course, before you know it, we'll be in the humid 90's.
Great photos, Weerobin! I love the ladyslipper.
I've actually never seen Enkianthus campanulatus--it's beautiful!
Love them all, Weerobin, thanks for posting them!
I ditto everyone else. Beautiful!
That is one of the most beautiful azaleas I've ever seen. Thanks for sharing your wonderland with us! Janet
weerobin - what's your secret with the Enkianthus? I've had one for several years now - it's about 5 ft tall - but only one lonely group of flowers (raceme?) in all that time. I'm getting very tempted to move it, thinking it doesn't get enough sun. Have only fed it once or twice over the years. Would appreciate any tips.
Cindy, I'd hate to show all the failed attempts at growing enkianthus.
All I can tell you with confidence is they need sharp drainage.
And they can't stand our full summer sun. Mine are fairly shaded.
I have 3 that are doing well now; I'd be embarassed to say how many I've killed.
This is one of the other ones which is doing OK, a cultivar called Kisoji no haru.
It's supposed to be dark red, but to my eye, it's just slightly redder than the species.
Oh, well...
The two I'm really trying to get established are enkianthus perulatus (petite plant w/ pure white flowers) and enkianthus cernuus rubens w/ deep pure red flowers. I have one of each which are still 'alive' after 4-5 years, but that's about all I can say for them. Maybe one of these days they'll decide to start growing. I see no sign of it yet...
Since this is another gorgeous flower, I looked up Enkianthus on DG. The ones that had growing info all say they like very acid to acid soil. I've never seen a plant "liking" very acid soil! Mildly acid, yes. Anyway, maybe you could try acidifying the soil, if not done already. Here's a link I found with a bit of info on that: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1054644. Good luck and keep those pretty flower pics coming! Janet
Thanks for the advice! I do know that it has sharp drainage (maybe too dry?) and I might just have to get my soil tested but in the land of oak trees and acorns, I'm hoping that it's acid enough. I did check on it this morning (I have the species E. campanulatus - no named variety) and I'm seeing at least 15 groups of flower buds. Yippee! That'll be the most flowers I've ever seen on it and I've had it since '97. Weerobin, your varieties sound delightful! Even though I haven't killed this one (yet), I don't know if I'd be confident enough to try some of the other varieties.
my absolute favorite shade plants are my ligularias! By far. Ronna
of course I have all kinds of favorites! I always tols the kids oh, those are my favorites! they would always laugh.
This message was edited May 28, 2011 8:22 AM
huecheras, many.
goats beards and oakleaf hydrangea
This message was edited May 28, 2011 8:27 AM
honey belles
I love ligularias too. So do the sluggs but what a dramatic leaf.
Ligularias don't seem to like me. I thought it was because I'm lazy about watering...but the astilbes seem to do fine. *shrug* I agree, they are dramatic. I've seen them put in a great show in other people's gardens.
Great shots, gardenlady!
This album contains borders in shade. Woodpile is nearly all shaded annuals due to traffic all winter.
https://picasaweb.google.com/jgentle4/JustBordersMaybeAFewBlooms
beautiful ge1836! I love peeking into people gardens as I go for a walk. People do it here all the time! Love it. I just got back from a walk there are some beautiful gardens here in Plainwell! Love looking. Wish I could just walk right on in a take a closer look. I would not care if people did it here at all. Very foggy this morning. Have a great day.
Very nice scene
thanks it looks really full. But it is a low view. Should take one of the pathway it looks much nicer!
I never understood the fascination with hellebores. Now watch me fall for them and collection 20 next year.
Favorite shade overall: Hostas! (Wolverine, June, Bressingham blue, Blue mouse ears.... love them)
Runner up: Heucheras (Berry smoothie, Green spice, and Midnight rose being my favorites right now)
Favorite shade ground cover: Ajuga 'burgundy glow' -- you can walk on this stuff, it's purple, and it blooms with bright blue flowers in the spring.
Favorite shade fern: Japanese painted fern. Once established, this plant can take major abuse.
Nice selection.
Here's my Ligularia Othello, taken last summer.
It's not blooming yet for me this year.
I think it blooms late - August, if I'm remembering correctly.
Love ligularias. I have either Desdemona or Britt Marie,cant remember. Leaves are dark.
Frankly, I'm taking a stab at calling mine Othello. I think that's what it is, but not sure...
I have a couple others with more distinctly purple underleaves.
I have othello, fasinations (sp), lil rocket, roceet, britt marie, dark beauty and the one that has the long name that starts with a P. Does anyone else have that one? I really am struggling with where to place it in my yard. Am not to impressed with it so far. Comes back evey year but..... Looking pretty bad. How much shade can it take? Can not put it where I have all the rest of mu ligularias. I am confused!
I have a planting of dwarf hostas which are filling in nicely.
They are right outside our kitchen window,
so their small size doesn't get lost in the jungle of the rest of the yard.
I've given up on buying large hostas, since they're just deer food.
So I'm loading up on the dwarf guys and snuggle them up
right next to the house where the deer rarely tread.
I love the variety of foliage shape/coloration.
Here's a nice ligularia with huge bold dissected foliage, ligularia japonica.
I really like to choose plants with great foliage,
since period of actual bloom is often so short.
The hidden hostas are great. What is the spikie one?
The golden ones? Called 'Dragon Tails'. Spreads into a spreading clump quickly.
Very special.
I am waiting for Nana to open its blooms,maybe tomorrow.
I think the dwarf hostas are adorable.
Each one is cuter than the last, so I inevitably buy too many.
So I have found another way to keep them close enough to enjoy,
while protected from the deer. I just pot up the extras and put them on a cart.
It sits on a shady part of the driveway where the deer wouldn't think to brouse.
Did I say I have a hard time saying 'no' to a dwarf hosta?
Here are more of my 'overflow'.
Others may have flowers on their front porch; we have hostas!
I also love asarums in my shady yard.
Here is a chinese asarum (asarum splendens) in front of a hydrangea.
It's a fairly big clump, as you can see.
Here's a rather accidentally nice foliage combo: a dwarf hosta Pandora's Box,
next to asarum takaoi (one of my fave's) and a ferny dicentra.
Who needs flowers?
