Re: FW: Painted Ferns (growing them)
Hello Gerry,
I see where several others have replied to you with their experiences on
plants for dry shade.... and there are some good ones mentioned.
I think, first of all, I will mention that there is dry shade and then there
is dry shade..... not all is created equal. Under mature trees and shrubs in a
woodland setting is quite different than from under the eves of a house.
Generally, dry shade is not dry all the time... mostly during latter July and into
August and the first of September around here. There are usually adequate rains to
provide moisture during the spring and early summer.
Many of our natives have adapted to that environment... spring moisture and
drying out during summer. Quite a few, like Trilliums, store energy and then go
dormant until the next period of moisture is available. These I mix with plants
that do not go dormant. Such as, Virginia Bluebells and merrybells... bluebells go
dormant, the merrybells do not. Blue and yellow are great colors, the foliages
contrast nicely making a great display. When the bluebells leave around July, the
merrybell foliage remains until frost. Root competition is also a normal fact of
life to them.
Some of my favorites in the garden are vines up next to the trunk of mature
trees and going up into the limbs. A bit further out from the trunk in the
heaviest competition would be the ferns, and natives that go dormant along with
some proven winner such as hardy Cyclamen, Epimediums, Bletilla or Chinese Ground
Orchid, Corydalis lutea, ochroleuca, hepaticas, some Hostas, iris cristata for
groundcovers. Getting a bit further out where there are smaller roots and a bit
less competition and a bit more light you can grow about any shade plant you like.
Do not always take the word of the experts.... I grow several Hosata at the
base of a mature cedar tree, along with a mix of cinnamon ferns and Chinese ground
orchids. The hosta were planted before I was told they would not grow there;-)
Cinnamon ferns do not do as well as they would in a moist environment, but the
perform well enough for me.
Be willing to play with your plants and see what will work Where You Garden.
Gene Bush Southern Indiana Zone 6a Munchkin Nursery
around the woods - around the world
genebush@otherside.com http://www.munchkinnursery.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Gerry/Bob O'Neill <eoneill@IBM.NET>
Subject: Re: [SG] FW: [SG] Painted Ferns (growing them)
> At 08:20 AM 10/6/00 -0400, you wrote:
> .One of my backbone
> >plants for the dry shade garden.
> > Gene Bush Southern Indiana Zone 6a Munchkin Nursery
> >
>
> Gene,
>
> Would you like to elaborate a little? What other plants do you recommend
> for dry shade? Epimedium, of course, but what others? Any ferns?
>
> Gerry
