Re: Anemone Sylvestris ( and Helleborus foetidus)


Hello Marge

You wrote: > In your climate, I should think H. foetidus would want a good
deal of
> sun.  This one, like H. argutifolius, likes some sun...actually, I've
> read where just about all Helleborus do well in sun.  In my climate,
> H. foetidus does well in a fair amount of shade, but it really wants
> a few rays to hit it.  They don't seem affected by our summer dry
> seasons - and this with temps in the 90sF.  Both of these like good
> drainage - often are found in very rocky places in the wild.

That explains it.  It's in an extremely shady part of the garden that gets
no sun at all, not even in high summer.  If it's still alive (was a couple
of weeks ago, but looking pathetic) I'll move it very quickly.  Got a few
dry days coming up according to the weather forecast.  Drainage won't be a
problem for it in the bed I have in mind for it.

> You've got a nice list.  What about some Arisaema?  I'm hooked on
> these guys and they do very well in a lot of shade, but also take
> some sun.

This is completely new to me.  I've just looked them up in my gardening
encyclopedia, and it seems that, most species are only on the borderline of
hardiness here.  Wonderful looking though, and completely different from
everything else I've chosen. ... Just looked at Chiltern Seeds, and they
list quite a few and seem to consider them hardy here.

> Or Arum....also good for shady spots...and don't forget ferns, a
> mainstay of shady places...and then there are Trilliums, Dodecatheon,
> Stylophorum diphyllum (Celandine Poppy or  Wood Poppy) and
> Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot).  Tellima grandiflora is easy -
> seeds around a bit, but makes nice foliage for summer to go with the
> slender wands of white spring flowers or about any of the Tiarellas.

I'll have to look these up.  Lots of temptation I dare say.

> Don't forget the biennials like Lunaria annua or biennis as it may
> now be (honesty) and Hesperis matronalis (dame's rocket).

Yes, got both of these - wouldn't be without honesty in my garden and the
Hesperis matronalis flowered for the first time for me in my garden last
year - wonderful scent.  It was flowering right where I put out the washing,
lovely.

> As for sources for plants in the UK...have you tried the RHS
> PlantFinder?  Plug in a plant and it will tell you all the nurseries
> in the UK who carry it.
>
> http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/plantfinder.asp

Funnily enough, I was reading the January issue of The Garden yesterday and
they had an article in there about their website.  I thought I must go and
have another look.  Last time I was looking at the site, I wasn't looking
for plants, so I've not used the plantfinder yet.  Hope it's as good as it
sounds.  I'll have a look this weekend when telephone calls are cheaper.

Thanks for all your suggestions.
Louise, Surrey, England


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