Fine Gardening - October 2008

I love this magazine. In this issue they've listed 10 underused perennials for shade:

Indian Pink Spigelia marilandica
Tall Larkspur Delphinium exaltatum
'Beni Kaze' Japanese Forest Grass Hakonechloa macro 'Beni Kaze'
'Jack Frost' Japanese Cobra Lily Arisaema kishidae 'Jack Frost'
Deinanthe Deinanthe caerulea (I'm excited about this one - have to find it. It's related to hydrangea and is from eastern Asia. How Dan Hinkley-esque)
Ivy Leaf Cyclamen Cyclamen hederifolium
Trumpet Spurflower rabdosia longituba (syn. Plectranthus longitubus)
'Ivory Prince' Hellebore Helleborus 'Ivory Prince' (syn. H. 'Wallhelivor')

Oh, Katie, you're timing is perfect. I've been sitting down in the wild garden and mulching the bed above, and looking at the area under the big oaks and thinking - there is just sooooo much shade (pleasant to work in, but running out of new ideas). And then your list - thank you thank you. I needed some new input. The only one I know out of the 10 is cyclamen hederifolium, mainly because my lovely neighbour grows them commercially. I'm off to look up the rest -

I think we should discover some more unusual woodland things - great need of them with this set of gardens.

Here's my first offering, stylophorum diphyllia (spelling on that last part?) - woodland poppy - I've grown these for the first time this year and they blossomed first year! How good is that - but they just light up the area under the big cotoneaster - here's a photo from the Plant file

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/193622/

This message was edited Aug 9, 2008 6:31 AM

Gorgeous!!!

Laurie - I'm so glad this helped. I always think of you when I think of cyclamen hederifolium. When I first saw you post you were telling of having started a whole horde of seedlings and the image it created for me was just magical. I love the little faery blossom of cyclamen.

I love another shrub that is part shade or shade - Salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki'. It truly brightens up a dark corner.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/18255/

Ohh, very nice Katie - and shrub - good. I don't want any more trees right now, but could do with a new variegated shrub. Tick, on my list for looking out for.

Hi Katie I hope to have the deinanthe next year, It is very nice. Heidi

Oh, Heidi, you know the way to my heart!!