Has everyone forgot about the shade garden????????

I keep checking this section to see whats going on in the shade, but it seems everyone has moved out in to the sun. I must admit that I was out amongst the daylillies and now the grasses, but I still enjoy the shade gardens. Had a party this past Saturday eve and put Tiki lights down the paths that run through the lower shade gardens and it was a real treat to watch everyone walking over and over through the gardens. All the plants and trees take on such a different look at night and even I was in awe of how everything looked at night. If you haven't done this, try it and I'm sure you'll be thrilled.

I watch the shade garden forum regularly, but I've been too busy lately to do much posting, Dan D. Do not be discouraged. There are a bunch of us out here, just takes time. I have nothing BUT shade to work with, so anything interesting about it interests me. I've gone over and over the shade lists on the web hoping to find something else big and colorful and gorgeous that got in there, but so far it's the same plants on everyone's lists. Oh well....Right now I'm pulling up a bunch of plants that grow more horizontal than vertical. That's because I always experiment with plants that need more sun than I can give them. Well, I keep trying....
Ruth

How about ligularlia? Have any of you tried it? Does it have along bloom time.

Dan

I too like the garden at twilight...we don't have outside lighting.

One of the most underused styles of gardening is the moonlight garden. Some of the flower and foliage combinations which look like nothing during the day are stunning at night.

Dan, I, too, check this forum often as I am building a woodland shade garden. Not much going on in my shade garden this time of the year, but I expect to be active maybe in fall, and surely next spring.

I loved the idea of your party with lights along the pathways... I'd just be lighting up ther mosquitoes, LOL!

This message was edited Thursday, Aug 16th 9:22 PM

Woodspirit1, I tried ligularia Othello this year. The slugs had it for lunch and dinner. Poor thing looks like a lace curtain. Some flowers appeared a few days ago, looking moth-eaten. Petals missing, I mean. Not very promising, but I'll see if it survives the winter and protect it better next summer.
Ruth

Good to know all of you shade lovers are out there. I have recently put in a new garden of miniatures under a canopy of oak trees and they are all doing great. I must agree with Runew that the critters get to the ligularia (although it is a beautiful plant), but I have plants like turtlehead, all kinds of ferns and hosta's, jack in the pulpit, baneberry, veriagated solomon's seal(which looks great at night) and even some gingseng that I started from seed about 15 years ago. The gingseng in the right place is an outstanding plant and as we speak the seeds are turning a brilliant red which make the plant even better. Rhododendrum do well in the dappled shade here along with several dogwood trees that I have planted along the paths. I hope to get my scanner hooked up so I can share some pics with you. I'm still very new at this computer thing. Have a great day!

I've got a perennial forget-me-not - myositis palustris - which is flourishing and spreading. I bought a 3" pot full and it now covers almost a square foot after only a bit more than a month! It's a sprawling plant and the shoots reroot where they touch the ground, so next year I should be able to edge a good part of that bed with it. :o)

Hi Dan, I moved to this house last summer, I have been putting in the flower bed in the front yard (mostly sun except one corner). This spring I will be working on the back yard which is almost all shade. I keep checking this forum for ideas & have gotten quite a few! So I will be more active this winter as well. Julie

This message was edited Thursday, Aug 16th 9:23 PM

Woodspirit, i have ligularia, the rocket, that is left alone by the slugs and snails, grows to about 6', it flowers for about three weeks, it has loads of golden flower spikes, that really do shine against a dark background, but it needs a lot of water, boggy area would suit it best.

Shade in summer, sunny in winter - my neighbor & I cut a path through the woods between out houses. Last spring we found a field that had thousands of Daffodils left over from an old homestead no doubt. Anyway we were given permission to dig as many as we wanted - we took bushels and didn't make a dent. We then lined our woodsy path with them, what a beautiful show we had. Looking forward to the view again next year when they have multiplied.

Try wild Ginger and Bloodroot to brighted things up too.

wow, azalea, that should be so pretty, how long do daffs take to naturalize and multiply? i put some in last year and was hoping for a better show this year.

I got some helleborus which blooms in winter and some ornamental rhubarb that has large leaves, but haven't seen the flower yet.

Dan, I haven't forgotten the shade garden. I check in here every day hoping for new posts and information. My gardens are in the shade -- the sun's only for grass, right? I keep forgetting to get our Tiki lights out of the garage and into the yard. Your thread is a reminder. We put out several solar lights, but the ones in the shade gardens don't get enough light in the daytime to come on at night.

Just curious.....anyone else out there into hostas?

Hi Blonde elf, I've tried Hostas. I planted three this spring and they didn't bloom. The leaves are in tatters. I also tried Astilbes, which also didn't bloom, and look pretty bad. I sprinkled white,blue and pink forget-me-nots around them about a week ago, to see what they would do. Won't know til spring. I have violets that do very well in the same area. Maybe that's what I'll stick with. Even our shade is HOT. I have white violets, Yellow, Australian violets and plain purple. A fushia does fairly well, but nothing to write home about.

I'm planting differents types of ferns,with the leaf variety they provide, it doesn't look too bad; I have lots of shady areas and it's difficult to find other plants/seed around here, just the same I'm always keeping an eye in this corner, to see if there is anything new to try or seeds to ask a trade for.
cristina

Forgetmenot, a lot of my hostas didn't blooms this year that have in the past.

I'm also growing ferns, astilbe, coral bells, tiarellas, pulmonaria, brunerra, various groundcovers that don't cover much yet and some ornamental grasses.

This message was edited Saturday, Nov 10th 10:38 PM

This message was edited Sunday, Apr 7th 12:23 PM

well, I'm going to get some ligularia then, because my pond leaks, and I'll plant it right below the leak

Come on folks, give me some more ideas. I have a shady area that gets a little dappled sun late in the day (very little). I have hostas, coleus, astilbe, caladiums, impatiens so far. And two large ferns hanging on the swing posts.

I just bought Pulmonaria 'Majeste' today at Lowes. Has very nice silver leaves can't wait to see it in with some darker hostas. The tag says it can take part sun. Lamium maculatum/Spotted Dead Nettle is one of my fav ground covers in the shade, I have 'Pink Pewter' and 'White Nancy'. I've just had them in since last year so they are just getting started but I really do love those colors. I have 3 different types of Coral Bells/Heuchera and want a bunch more, love that foliage!

Lana

Try some corydalis maybe. Not sure if it will take the heat there, but most varieties aren't hardy north of zone 5. What about lilies? Some don't mind shade. Experiment. If something says part shade, sometimes they do well in deeper shade. And don't forget about natives. Sometimes they are the best performers.

I know it sounds common, but I have just thrown seeds of impatiens and columbine thoughout my shady garden. They do really brighten things up - also I have small Gumpo Azaleas which are late bloomers and just blooming now, and don't forget the Rhodis!! And Lungwort in the early spring.

Don't forget voodoo lilies, colocasia,stawberry begonias and Ligularia tussilaginea aureomaculata aka Spotted Leopard Plant. I have all these planted in my shade bed under two pine trees here in zone 8.

Daisy

I don't mind common. I happen to love the cherriness of impatiens. I'm not familiar with the things you mentioned flowerjunkie, except the begonia. Have to look up some of these things you and the others mentioned.

I'm really struck by the idea of a moonlight garden. However, I'd have to wait until after midnight to enjoy it up here. I suppose one would have to accentuate the textures and add some bold white blossoms... and fragrant plants. The ultimate shady garden!

We grow mostly shade plants here in Seward. Even our sunny areas are fine for shade loving plants. Columbine do very well in my yard. I have several different varieties. We have a native plant up here we call "Goat's Beard", and it resembles astilbe. I believe it is the Plant Database. It grows to an impressive height and is zoned from 3-9. We have ferns and small bracken that live quite happily in the shadier areas.