Shade garden/was Aconitum..

Gene, it's so great to have your personal input in the midst of what
sounds like a back-breaking schedule. Shade gardening really has taught
me what you can do with foliage.  My main shade bed is on the left of a
long brick walk as you walk from the front gate - the path curves a bit
through a small, sunnier (slightly) bed with roses & perennials, then
through a small arbor, then there's a the 50 foot path past the shade
bed with a berm at the far end with rocks, etc.  I've noticed over the
years that the first view of the shady garden gives an impression of
lots of color!  Gold, green, & blue hostas,large & small, grey & green
ferns, gold striped hakonochloa, dark purple heucheras, spiky iris
leaves, wide leaves, ferny leaves, feathery, shiny, dull, etc. When I
started gardening, of course all I wanted was flowers, and the shade bed
was established out of necessity, not preference.  Now it's my favorite
- especially in this hot weather we're having. It never seems to have
any down time like other beds do - pretty from spring to fall, and
easiest to maintain.

Anne - Chicago

GeneBush wrote:
> 
> Hello Anne,
>     Now we are talking... shade gardening..... love my shade garden. Wonder how
> many others out there think foliage first, then blooms on their perennials?
> Whether sun or shade, I take that approach to gardening. Since ones sees foliage
> more and longer than blooms of perennials, foliage sure is important. Besides, I
> do not like strong hits to the eyes when walking through my garden. Like the
> concept of walking through a woods seeing blooms here and there and I travel along
> the paths. Quiet and serene,with little surprises as one moves.
>     I am working on the lower part of my garden that gets the most light. Almost a
> sun garden. This section is mostly late blooming perennials. Having trouble coming
> up with some new goodies to plant and fill out some of the bare sections. Have a
> nice selection of species clematis I am trying to work in. A couple new aconitum.
> Fall blooming anemone are already in place along with tall garden phlox,
> delphinium, martagon lily, gentiana.
>     Back to weeding this morning before the heat builds.
>     Gene Bush     Southern Indiana    Zone 6a     Munchkin Nursery
>           around the woods - around the world
> genebush@otherside.com     http://www.munchkinnursery.com
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Anne Dimopoulos <along@mpdr0.chicago.il.ameritech.net>
> Subject: Re: Aconitum/Phlox(wasMatrona..)
> 
> > Gene - well, if a Chicago trip is ever in your future, please let me
> > know!  Actually, most of my beds are in at least half-shade, and I have
> > a nice shade bed also against the north-facing wall of our neighbor's
> > house - mostly hostas, ferns, and self-seeded corydalis lutea, with
> > clumps of rodgersia, astilbe, hakonachloa, heuchera, Solomon's Seal
> > (variegated), bleeding heart (spectabilis), a big clump of kiringeshoma
> > palmata, & other odds & ends here & there.  Another bed that needs
> > revamping in a big way - I do love shade plants and love to combine all
> > the different shapes, sizes, textures, & colors of foliage -- the
> > flowers are just a plus.  I did add a few white regale lilies last fall,
> > and they added a pretty white note (and fragrance) amidst all the
> > foliage when they bloomed.  We were just in northern Indiana this
> > weekend visiting friends, in Shipshewana - lots of lovely gardens in
> > that Amish community.
> >
> > Anne - Chicago
> 
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