Shade Perennials

Cheryl,
	Hard to second guess your garden and just how dry is your shade
garden soil, and when is it dry? Having said that... there is the old
standby of epimedium. Certainly a world of those to choose from.  Christmas
fern works well once established. Corydalis ochroleuca is a favorite in my
garden. Hardy cyclamen can work, possibly digitalis, Skullcap for sure with
its blue flowers, Gillenia or Bowman's root is really nice and underused.
Hellebore foetidus works for me. 
	When choosing heuchera I go for the ones with local native
parentage. One or more parents have to be H.americana, or H. vilosa and both
of those come from rocky or dry shade areas in nature.
	
Gene E. Bush
Munchkin Nursery & Gardens,LLC
www.munchkinnursery.com
Garden Writer - Photographer -  Lecturer

  

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-perennials@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On Behalf
Of Cheryl Isaak
Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2009 5:06 PM
To: perennials@hort.net
Subject: RE: glad to see folks are still around

>Ah! More Shade
>	What more could one ask?? You are, indeed, blessed.


well, yes and no, because the soil that is now in shade was well 
amended in the beginning, adding/moving is quite easy. But I now have 
lots more dry shade and will welcome all advice on what would do well.

>This year I have been trying to use the plants I have in my holding areas
>before purchasing anything. Notice I said trying.... mostly I have been
>succeeding. With all the rain and nursery business, about all I have been
>able to somewhat keep up with is weeding in the gardens. They are not in
too
>bad of shape for this time of the year.

part of the effort to move things was to empty out the holding bed. 
Like that really happened. But many things in the holding bed went 
into planters placed around the house. I'll bury the plastic ones in 
the holding bed for the winter and put the entire soil mass from the 
terra cotta ones under the spruce....

>	I am glad to see my results of planting fall blooming perennials
>over the years. Nice to walk through the garden see so much in bloom and
>know that much is still to come.
>	Speaking of Heuchera.... I have Southern Comfort with geranium
>Rozane.... soft, large leaves of peaches and cinnamon with blue flowers
over
>and around.
>
owwwwww, pretty.
How hardy is Southern Comfort? I have such mixed luck with the newer 
hybrids being hardy enough for  my Arctic blasts.

I found H Ginger Ale this spring and HAD to have it. What a great color?
-- 
Cheryl Isaak
another day, another rink
growing, stitching and reading in NH

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