I have a bed in the front of our house that has some Texas Columbines in it. It's only about 2' wide but 12'-15' long. It faces north and about 3/4 of the bed gets lots of dappled shade. The one end closest to the west side gets lots of sun, but I have some stuff growing down there. What can I plant in the dappled shade in, around, under, behind the columbines to keep it colorful throughout the spring and summer? I'm also open to any ideas for those planters up by the window, too!
Begonia and/or impatiens were always my summer favorites when I lived in Austin.
Vinca will grow in shade as long as it is bright - they don't grow in deep shade.
At the bottom is the vinca>
Coleus?
Thanks for the ideas. I'd like to stay with native perennials if at all possible.
Check Josephines posts at the beginning of the Texas thread. I believe there are something like 3 or more stickies. All native.
Stephanie, you could use Coneflowers,and
Chile Pequin for the taller ones
http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CAAN4
and maybe Ruellia nudiflora
http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=RUNU
or Ruellia humilis for the shorter ones.
http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=RUHU
All of these can take the same situation as the Columbines.
Josephine.
I second the Chile Pequin recommendation. Very attractive and unusual plant.
Dennis
That is a very nice plant. I will keep my eyes open for it. Do you think it will be at the Native's plant sale this spring.
It reminds me a little of pigeon berry which also would do well I think in those conditions.
Anna, we won't have any at the wildscape sale, but the native plant society is having a sale on March 28th at the Fort Worth botanic gardens and there might be some at that sale.
I will be at that sale also.
Josephine.
Thanks for the suggestions, Josephine. Will the taller ruellias take over the place? I have some of the tall ruellias in a semi-shady spot and they're fairly well behaved, but give them full sun and they go wild! LOL
I grew up with chile pequins. We'd harvest the chiles for my uncle who made some kind of sauce from them. I haven't seen any up here, though. Will have to either steal some from my dad's or find some at the upcoming sale.
not sure on the Texas native part, but I think some of these perennials would do well in those conditions.
coral bells
ajuga reptans
ardisia japonica
some salvia do great even in lots of shade. I have some red salvia that do great in 20% sun.
encore azaleas
If you are referring to Ruellia brittoniana or Mexican petunia those are very pretty but they are not native. Maybe you could put in Penstemon tenuis instead;
http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PETE3
I cam give you a few of those.
Josephine.
That penstemon is pretty, Josephine! The description at the NPIN site even said it was great for growing with columbine. I'll be happy to take what you can spare. Once again, thank you.
Other natives that can tolerate dappled shade I can think of are Wood Fern (Theleypteris kunthii), Turk's Cap, Pigeonberry, Lyreleaf Sage and Golden Groundsel.
I have pigeonberry there and it's not doing much. I think I need more. Turk's Cap would get too big for this little space. Will check on the others.
Stephanie I will give you 6 Penstemon.
Oh wow, Josephine! Thank you so much! :)
I got this at the native plant sale last year. I had been searching for quite a while. (one of the reasons I joined DG)
White Avens
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/78483/
Josephine...would this work in part sun?
This message was edited Mar 3, 2009 6:02 PM
Absolutely, it grows in the woods around here, very pretty.
I have some white avens in a pot, but have been uncertain about what to do with it. I found it out back and dug it up because it looked interesting. What did you do with yours, Anna?
Dennis
We use it as a ground cover, the flowers are not much, but the leaves are lovely.
Josephine.
Stephanie, you can find Chile Pequin at Redenta's in Arlington. Planting them will make your local Mockingbirds *very* happy. :-)
Carla
I brought a bunch to the fall RU. I usually get a good batch of volunteers because I spread the peppers around. If any pop up in time for the spring RU then I can bring them, but they are usually late starters.
Thanks, Dennis! If I don't get them this spring, no biggie. Will just look for them in the fall!
My white avens is in my shade bed. I was planning on it becoming ground cover. Mixed with oakleaf hygrangea, mahonia and ginger. I would be interested in the Chile Pequin in the fall too. BTW, I got off early from Jury duty and stopped at Redenta's. Found Black Dalea!
Alright, that is a very pretty plant although very delicate, give it sun.
Josephine.
What do you mean delicate? Isn't good for xeriscape?
Stephanie....I have loads of Lyreleaf sage that I can share.
Also if you do go to Redenta's in Arlington; I would love to go along if you are by yourself, I haven't been there.
If you guys go, and it's convenient, maybe I can tag along. It's not far from me, and I love to go there.
Sarah
That will be a fun outing. They have some really different plants and have a flare for presentation.
Yes, it is good for xeriscape but the plant looks very delicate, that is what I meant.
Here is a picture of the one at the Fielder house.
O.K. girls, if I am free on that day I have to go with you as well.
Hire is a picture of the flower close up.
Black Dalea needs pretty good drainage. I lost a couple of them after a flood in 2002. Areas that normally drained well were hit by such huge amounts of rain in one day that everything was soggy and water everywhere. Then more rain during the week afterward.
We have it in a raised bed and it does very well.
have you thought about Stachys coccinea? the color contrast would be nice and they would cover the Columbines later (it completely goes dormant here by late July--the Columbines that is).
Debbie that would work well towards the end of the bed that gets more sun, but not sure how well it would do in the other end of the bed that only gets dappled sun. I've actually had this on my 'keep-my-eye-out-for-it" list for a couple of years now.
I was hoping that is what you meant. I got worried. It will go in a raised sunny bed.
OK Stephanie, you can have all of your thread back :)
I've enjoyed reading all the "rabbits" on this thread!! It's all been educational.
