Show us how your shade garden is doing

I think the purples are deeper with more sun. These are at the north west corner of the house.

Here's a spot under my pergola. Things are winding down but still looking nice

Very nice I like the combinations

Thanks ge1836....I'm a clutterbug both in the house and in my gardens :)

Seedsower - That's a beautiful area. Must be wonderful sitting in that setting. I immediately thought of George Schenk when I saw your photo.

I took a stroll through my September woodland.
Here's some japanese mountain grass trying hard to look lush.
This must be 5th or 6th year. Painfully slow to fill in.
Not quite there yet, but year by year getting closer.

Cyclamen coming up.

Michael Dodge viburnum berries.

And now a few peculiarities. I'm a sucker for the weird.
This is a hardy coleus, plectranthus kameba.
Overwintered fine here.

Leucosceptrum japonicum.

Rabdosia longituba.

And I lost the tag on this one, but I think it's keiskeia japonica.
If anyone can confirm it's identity, I'd be grateful.

Weerobin - Be patient with the "Hak" grass - it will fill in but it is slower than other grasses. I'm liking the Keiskeia. And a real Rabdosia. I've only seen pictures in a seed catalog.

What beautiful Plants werobin

I hardly know where to begin! I have an acre and 3/4 and most of it is shaded. Only a triangle about 50' by 50' by 100' is sunny and I've allowed my wildflowers to have it, so I'm forced to plant in shade. I've had pretty good luck, but I'm getting tired of ferns. And, lots of the shade is dry, so hydrangeas, dicentra, columbine, etc., struggle to make it. I do have mahonia, caladiums, spider lily near the house (and the waterhose). Here's a photo out my diningroom window.

Oh, I nearly forgot. Rainlilies do very well here in the spring. My front beds are dappled shade and show woodland phlox around March, followed by the rainlilies in May and in fall I have some luck with a wildflower called mistflower (wild ageratum), but I think it wants more sun. Anyway, here's a photo of the rainlilies, tough as nails and they spread quickly, unlike their cousin, zephyr lilies.

Those are so pretty!!

Beautiful gardens

The view out of your diningroom window is beautiful. Lovely setting for your house.

What a beautiful view. And the stand of ferns with your rain lilies is really lovely too.

ge, your collage is great! I haven't had Agastache in my gardens for a long time but after seeing your pic I'm going to add it to my list for the new sun garden. It's really a lovely plant but it turned into a thug and popped up everywhere. However, I think I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and try it again and deal with the seedlings :)

Seedsower, love the spot under your pergola - the potted Caladiums add a nice splash of color!

Weerobin, there you go again - enticing me with your "weird" plants! LOL Planted Leucosceptrum and Rabdosia this summer but I really like the looks of that Keiskeia :) I LOVE any and all Plectranthus but that's not one I'm familiar with - where did you find it?

GardnGator, your shady area is lovely!

Not much going on here in the shade but the Hardy Begonias are putting on quite a show right now. I thought I might get some pictures over the weekend but rainy weather prevented me from digging out the camera. I'll try to find something to share soon :)

rcn48
Try Agastache Blue Fortune its steril and wont re seed.
This was atken in late july

This message was edited Sep 29, 2009 5:17 AM

Sterile? My plant must have been confused or didn't read its own label! LOL It "was" Blue Fortune and seedlings were everywhere!

mine never spread by any means.
that's odd.
Here it is with asters and the Hydrangea I have to move

rcn and ge
Thought I'd chime in re: Blue Fortune Agastache. Although my climate is closer to rcn in VA, I have not had it reseed either. I planted 3 the first time in 2007, one died over the winter, so I added a replacement. So they have had 2008 and 2009 to seed around and I have not seen any. Isn't that strange to have such different experiences?

NATURE go figure

ge - a variegated Hydrangea? I'm jealous.

es and a lacecap no less
Lemon Wave

Another one that wouldn't like my winters. What color does yours bloom?

Kinda pink not particularly special because blooms compete visually with the verigated leaves.
I am Z6 and the bush looked dead tis spring but came up from the roots and is going gangbusters

Luvly weerobin and gardngater!

nice goin

ge - You mentioned that your 'Lemon Wave' died back to the ground. Did it bloom this year after coming back?

Yes. This is the second season I have had it.
The blooms arent really very dramatic,they hardly get noticed with the leaves.I'll see if I have a pic

I'm impressed that a macrophylla bloomed after dying back. My 'Blue Billow' doesn't have those big mophead flowers but the flower colors are so pretty. Must be the H. serrata genes in it.

Here ya go
Blosson at the left
Purple dome asters at the bottom right and full bush lemonwave at top right

The latin names are like learning brain surgery to me.
I'm not quite ready for the neuances of each variety.

That's a cool looking cluster. I like the way the sterile flowers are held further out - looks like little revolving satellites or butterflies. Can you control the flower color (acid/alkaline) on that one?

Very nice I have two hydranges with that kind of flower. My Lady in Red was stunning this summer!!! I do have a annabelle and love that also. Full or flowers. Do I cut off the flower heads now? Or wait until spring when ever that is ! LOL. Only first season for that one. Of course MY personnal fave is my Oakleaf hydrangea. Love how the flowers change colors along with the seasons. Does any one ever do anything with the dried flowers. They are so pretty. They grow pretty fast also. I have had mine for about four years and it has doubled the size. Ronna

I have seen a Hydrangea wreath.Flowers were cut just befor they lost all color.