I got a bit over ambitious this spring and put in a large island bed in the shady area by the creek. I'm leaving a path between the creek and the bed to line with little shade loving gems. Most of the new hostas and some of the other goodies are from trades with wonderful, generous DG traders! I'm a clearance sale junkie to; here's Autumn fern I picked up at a local greenhouse in August, 1 gallon pot for $1!
This is East Indian Holly fern (Arachniodes simplicior 'Variegata') that I'm hoping will prove winter hardy. Any of you more experienced fern growers know? I'm in zone 6, not sure if a or b. The tag says hardy in zones 7-10, but the lady at the greenhouse said hers survives. It was another $1 bargain, so I was willing to experiement.
This is my first Japanese Painted fern from Kathy_Ann! It likes it's new home Kathy!
I lost track of some of my labling of new heucheras this spring, so I think this is 'Green Spice'. There was more color in the earlier growth. If any of you grow this and suspect I've mislabled, let me know. I've saved the pics from Forest Farm to compare, but some of mine are still too immature to know for sure yet.
gemini_sage
You got some great plants there, for some great prices! Would love to see pictures of the area too. Good luck with your East Indian Holly fern (Arachniodes simplicior 'Variegata') I would give it extra mulch.
So what else are you planting?
gemini-sage, sure looks like 'Green Spice' - its foliage is much more distinctive in early spring. Your East Indian Holly Fern should be okay. We grow it here in a cold Zone 6a - some winters it fares better than others. We do give it a little more protection than other Ferns we grow - i.e. have it a little closer to house and under the arching branches of a shrub.
Here's another I'm no longer sure about. I think it's Heucherella 'Quicksilver', but it does'nt have as much color as I expected. I sure like its compact, mounding habit though.
Here's a link to a combo from this garden I posted on the Color contrast thread in the perennials forum. The obedient plant came frome Kathy_Ann to.http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=1775738
Thanks shadyfolks and rcn48 for the fern info! Here's the view behind this garden.
Gemini - at first glance I thought it was a woodland path all the way down, but now I can see that its the creek you mentioned, and it veers off to the right of the picture. So behind you is the island bed? Wow, that's something I'd love to have is a creek running through my property! Just lovely.
gemini_sage
wow, gorgeous place you have, I love it!
Your other picture was great too!
Thanks! Living in the woods has certainly been a gift, and the creek is wonderful. The spot I took the pic from is where the path that runs through my cottage garden ends. It is also where 2 creeks join, 1 running from the right of the pic. The shade garden is to my left and behind.
Here is a mystery fern that grows like a ground cover and I love it. I moved pieces of it from a few yards away where it's growing wild this spring. Any ideas what it could be?
This is Hosta 'Minute Man' with mystery fern. That lacy background is so pretty with hostas! The hosta came from another great trade this spring.
Interesting to look at your shade garden progress, gemini...I planted a new East Indian Holly Fern, too, so I will be interested to see how it fares this winter...
Thanks tabasco. That new look with lots of empty space really gets on my nerves(and feeds my tendency to plant too close together!). I've managed to keep myself in check though with this garden, mostly because it's too big to totally lose control!
Some things still need to be moved around, but the design is starting to show. At first it always looks like I've just maniacly planted things everywhere, so it's nice when the method to the madness can be seen. After I've moved some things I'll get some shots that show more.
Gemini-sage: Glorious property! Have you tried cyclamens? I love them and
started a bunch from seed but planted them in dry shade instead of moist shade.
I'll have to try again. They might like it by your creek. (Pretty folliage and cute little
flowers). Hederafolia & Coum are two hardy varietys. Easy to start from seed.
(Relatively expensive to buy the corms).
Tam
Ooohh, good idea Tammy! I grew a few cyclamen several years ago and they bloomed a year after I planting them and never showed back up, but they were in dry shade to. Seed is a really good idea; I see how much the bulbs are and considering the number I'd need to make an impact, did'nt think any more about it. (well, that's a lie, but I just think about it when I think of winning the lottery!) Do you know how many years from seed to bloom?
Thanks, Neal.
I got mine to bloom after 2 years (started seed in the winter of '00-'01 and they bloomed
the spring of '03).
Tam
gemini-sage, the picture sure looks like my green spice heuchera. hostajim1
Beautiful setting - hope you keep us posted on how your garden develops.
Bleeding heart is pretty among ferns. In quite a bit of shade with no watering, Dicentra spectabilis 'Alba' makes a show in April and dies back around June/July, while its companion Christmas ferns stay evergreen year-round for us. The foliage persists longer if you water, but it naturalizes well without extra water.
Have you thought about primroses along the creek? They start pretty obligingly from seed, especially if you can "winter sow" them. I suspect they're not long lived in Kentucky, but such a magical plant might be worth a try. With so many different varieties, maybe there's one or a few suited for your particular spot. Off the top of my head, P. kisoana and P. nervosa might be relatively tolerant of summer heat/humidity. The creek might ameliorate those factors. Primula japonica lasted quite a while here on our hill. Heronswood nursery's print catalog - the one with the prose not pictures - goes into quite a bit of detail about which ones need which kind of cultivation with greater variety of plants discussed.
Thanks bluespiral! Great minds must think alike- I've moved 20 or so Christmas ferns to that garden and have massed primula vulgaris around the base of the largest tree in the bed. I have'nt tried any other primula species yet, but love them so much I have to try. The fortunate thing is in summer this hollow is cooler than in town or on the ridge tops with cold springs flowing out of the hills in many spots I may have a good chance.
I forgot to mention the woody plants I've put into this garden. I moved an American fringe tree from my mother's house into that bed. It is at least 12-15' tall and I dug it, tied rope around it, bent the top down, squeezed it into my car, and transplanted it early this past spring. Not only did it survive, but it bloomed to! I also moved a large 'Nikko Blue' hydrangea and 4 purple azaleas there from my old garden. I purchased Magnolia 'Galaxy' and Magnolia sieboldii, Hydrangea 'Shamrock', Oak leaf hydrangea 'Snowflake', and a Callicarpa (sp?) beauty berry in spring to. Now the emphasis has been on spring bulbs for the area, so daffodils, muscari, wood hyacinths, and pretty much anything colorful and mole/vole resistant I can get my hands on are going into that bed. This is also where I've planted a Bear's claw helebore and several Orientalis seedlings-all growing happily.
Hoping now for lots of great photo oppertunities in spring! Neal.
bluespiral - I'll have to try those Christmas ferns because the ostrich ferns I have die back in August and I'd sure like the laciness of ferns to be around a little longer. I couldn't find a reference to Primula nervosa at all in Google. Is it a rare plant, or maybe just unknown?
Neal - "cold springs flowing out of the hills"....you surely have a little piece of paradise there. I'll try and be patient for your springtime pics!
Sandy
The first thing I said when I saw this place was "I can really grow stuff here!". It seems an oxymoron to have sandy, moisture retentive soil, but there is a hill behind the house with all the springs and the lay of the land takes that water toward the creek, which is at the end of the front yard. This was a drought year for us, and my mulched squash never had to be watered and they sure let you know when they do!
Neal.
Lovely ferns and that is a Green Spice heuchera alright. I also would recommend cyclamen - I have many seedlings sprouting up all over my garden where they have fallen from the parent plant and they flower when very young.
I've been thinking cyclamen to! I sure wish they were less expensive as I would like 50 or more, but it's very good to know they self seed. I've been considering getting a few bulbs for some instant gratification and seed to sow (kind of a gift to my future self! LOL). Most plants self seed readily in my soil, so that sounds very promising. Thanks for the tip, Neal.
Galanthophile - what sort of environment do you have those cyclamen in to make
them so happy? I've started quite a few from seed and planted them in (obviously)
the wrong place - in a shadey spot under trees. I think they must need a lot of
moisture 'cause only a few came back this year. (Maybe 2-3 out of 15 planted).
And can I move them this late in the year? Its been very warm so far but we're bound
to start getting 30's at night very very soon. And then down to the 20's in Dec is possible.
Tam
