Re: needs list of plants for z 5 and deepshadewas:InterestedInShade Gardens -Reply

Third and last part of Marge's post.

Penny

Let me add a couple to Bambi's list:

Almost all of the 'minor' spring flowering bulbs:  Crocus, Galanthus,
Muscari, Scilla, Chionodoxa are good for woodland conditions since they
come up, flower and are gone by the time the trees leaf out.  All the 
above
will self-seed around and require absolutely no care once planted.  In
time, you can have simply sheets of blue to milky white if you put in a
hundred or so Scilla and Chionodoxa (very tiny bulbs) and let them alone
for a few years.  I wouldn't be without Galanthus (Snow Drops)...my
harbinger of Spring.

Arisaema triphyllum (Jack-in-the-pulpit) to z.4.  Suitable for light to
deep shade.  One of the lovely native plants which will colonize in
suitable conditions.  The leaf and 'jack' disappear in late summer, 
leaving
a stalk of bright red-orange berries.  There are a bunch of exotic
relatives I'm just getting to know.....another plant lust in the making.

Arum italicum pictum with the variegated leaf is one of my favorites.
Needs shade.  Mine is in medium-deep shade.  Hardy to z 7.  This one
provides lovely leaves in winter, pale jack in spring and orange-red
berries in early summer and disappears until fall when the superior 
leaves
start to unfold again.  Wants a nice rich, moist soil.

Matteuccia struthiopteris pensylvanica - Ostrich Fern.  For light to deep
shade with moist soil.  One really neat fern, vertical growth and I hear 
it
can get to 10' tall in a swamp.  Mine are about 3' tall in woodland
conditions.

Brunnera macrophylla, to z. 3.  Huge rather heart-shaped, roughly hairy
leaves and delicate sprays of light blue flowers in spring.  Tolerates 
dry
shade and really does not like sun at all.  Will grow in quite deep 
shade,
even under a dogwood.  There is a time, in spring when the Pulmonaria,
Brunnera and Ajuga blooms overlap in my garden, sheeting areas with 
shades
of blue....not bad if I do say so myself.  This will seed around.

Podophyllum peltatum ( Mayapple) to z. 3.  Another native for woodland
conditions.  In early spring each swollen node on a rhizomateous root 
puts
out one big round, notched leaf like an umbrella.  A colony will carpet 
an
area.  There is a white flower which turns into an edible (so I hear -
never ate one) yellow berry.  Neither are showy, in fact, you sort of 
have
to look hard for them.  They die down in late summer, but grow in peace
with ivy and ferns so you don't really end up with bare ground.

Well, I see my 'couple' has run on, so I'd better shut up.  But there are
*many* more lovely plants who not only tolerate shade, but demand it.
'Fraid Bambi's list just got me all excited ;-)

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net20 
Gardening in Shade
http://www.suite101.com20
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index