Re: New plant,,,now what?

Hi Nancy,
 
I keep buying lithodora for the electric blue flowers -- there is not much that is that color.  Anagallis is an annual that has that same blue and blooms all summer.  Worth looking for.  The lithodora, however, has never made it here in my zone 6 garden (PA).  I have tried amending the soil with grit, keeping it on the lean side, keeping it dry, etc.,  but have resolved myself to the fact that I must buy it each year.  For that color, I'll pay the price!
 
As for the hellebores, your light is perfect.  Just add lime to your soil once a year and it should be fine. 
 
One of my favorite combinations is with helleborus orientalis, helleborus foetididous, Lamium 'Beedham's White' and Hosta 'Frances Williams.'  The lamium gives the feel of sunlight in a very, very dark place and the hosta variegation repeats that feel.  This is under limbed up, old hemlocks with a yew hedge behind.  It's quite dramatic!
 
Ginny
 
P.s.  I did succumb to the plant bug yesterday -- did some early shopping and made a wish list at the nursery.  Have you seen any of these?  Veronica 'Corinne Tremain', zone 4-9, blue flowers, variegated groundcover with yellow bordering green.  V. chamaedrys 'Miffy Brute', same as above but with cream variegation.  Also found Tiarella 'Spanish Cross' and 'Ninja' both with very dark leaves, similar to a good Heuchera macrantha 'Palace Purple'.  Pulmonaria 'Little Star' also looks like a winner. 
 
They will all find a home in my garden in a few more weeks -- let the nursery take care of them till then.
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