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Re: [SHADEGARDENS] Nursery credibility

>I read with dismay some of the bios from members of this group who have
>nurseries and use such terms as 'shade loving plants.' W. George Schmid, who
>wrote The Genus Hosta has said many times, "There is no shade loving plant.
>They are shade tolerant." Since I am not a grower, propagator, or nursery
>owner but an amateur gardener I like to buy my plants and deal with
>nurseries where I know the owners know what they know. Not being an American
>but certainly an Americanophile I have an admiration for the kind of
>nurseries that can be found in the Pacific Northwest (but in the US) near my
>Vancouver, BC home. Plenty has been said of Hinckley's Heronswood. His
>nursery is easily amongst the top five in the US. It was there that I found
>that little shy yellow bloomer Hydrangea serratifolia. And even fewer would
>deny that the fern nursery anywhere is Judith Jones's Fancy Fronds, also in
>Washington State.

Alex, I have to agree with you about  the Pacific Northwest has the best
nurseries. Then I am a bit biased! :) Heronswood being a favorite and only
ten minutes from where I reside. I enjoy going to pick up my plants and
being able to look around the extraordinary gardens. There are many
nurseries across the nation though that are excellent. Occasionally I will
purchase something from across the nation, but prefer to buy locally. I have
been eyeing (drooling is more like it) some plants in The Collector's
Garden's on-line catalog

Some of the nursery owners that posted their BIOS here from other areas,
have good reputations and quality products. They are quite knowledgeable in
what they do and share a lot of information on other discussion lists. If
they use the term shade lovers I don't think it has anything to do with what
they know or not know. More from accepting a term commonly used to describe
a plant's preference to sun or shade.

I disagree with the statement "There is no shade loving plant." I think of
the Lonicera nitida 'Baggesen's Gold' shrub that I planted in a full sun
position last year. The leaves burned and it definitely wasn't thriving. I
moved it to a morning sun/afternoon shade position and from there on it grew
on happily. If I was going to give  plants a feeling, I would say it was an
afternoon shade lover. Not just shade tolerant and absolutely not tolerant
of afternoon sun. Many shade plants would either die or not thrive in full
sun. Interesting to discuss nonetheless, especially how we assign plants
human emotions. When I see the description shade tolerant, it describes to
me a plant that prefers full sun but may do all right in shade.

I see nothing wrong with describing a plant as a shade lover, since it is
used quite often. I see it as a way to describe where a plant will fit into
the garden. If I see that description in a catalog of plants it just gives
me an idea of placement of it. I do know many plants prefer shade positions
and I don't think it is just a matter of shade tolerance. I would enjoy
hearing more about this, thanks for giving us something to think about. I
enjoy seeing the creative license nurserymen/women use in their catalogs.
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Debra Teachout-Teashon
Washington state, zone 8, Sunset zone 5
Pacific Northwest Gardening
There Is Life In A Winter Garden
http://www.suite101.com/topics/page.cfm/416
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