Your Woodland Shade Favorites 3

Here's a new thread as we anxiously await the coming of spring! We came from here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1198921/#new

Thank you. It's a perfect time for the new thread.

You're welcome!
Today I noticed I have some daffodils blooming that didn't bloom last year. Do they not always bloom their first year?

I thought that they did. How odd. But what a nice surprise.

I hope they do, I've got several of them planted this year, first time for me, and I'm looking forward to seeing their pretty little faces this year. They're in containers, and so far all I see are loads of sprouts. That's ok, it's the right start! :)

The daffs here are just showing leaf tips at this point. They'll probably be a little more exposed by the end of this week. Still getting a few snowflakes but nothing sticks (Yeah!).

Just a few snow flurries here, and it's about 40 degrees.

Since this forum is about shady favorites , I need your best advice. What is your favorite long-blooming plant? I mean, I get lots of impatiens but I need something else that is prolific, whether perennial or annual. Of course, a perennial would be nice so I don't have to replant every year.
Again, I need this for our little museum gardens which I want plants to bloom as much as possible to impress the public.
Suggestions?

Caladium are grand in shade. They'll bloom until frost.

Those are so beautiful and really brighten up a dark spot. I can't grow them at my house, but at the museum, it's 1,000 feet lower and about 8 degrees warmer on any given summer day. They should be perfect.

Also coleus, it can take some sun, but it is grate in shade. Has meny different hight, so you can layer them.

Beautiful gardens!

Isn't there a little blue flower called Torenia or wishbone flower? I can't find it in the Plants Files?

Here it is: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/68533/

I just find the wishbone flower seeds at the Swalowtail Garden seeds webs. and they have about 4-5 different colors. I wish I have seen them before I ordered my seeds, they are coming today. Seems easy to grow and they are good in containers.

Pirl, have you grown some babies breath, I have ordered some seed from the ST seeds, never grown them before. Etelka

Yes, Etelka, we have grown baby's breath from seed. They don't do much the first year but the second year they go insane so place them exactly where you want them. The billows of baby's breath take up a lot of room and I'll be trying to move some this spring though I know they develop a deep tap root and probably won't transplant well.

In just one spot in the rose garden the baby's breath completely blocked a slate path. I had to cut it back as shown here:

Golly - I thought baby's breath was an annual. Duh. Or maybe it's too cold here?

Spring is definitely waking up my woods.
Early spring is my best season, since woodland perennials are my niche.
Most of them bloom early spring and are gone by midsummer.
The show is starting a little early this year.
Each week, I have to wait patiently for the weekend to see what's new.
Here's what I found on today's yard tour.
#1. Anemone blanda. Brilliant blue really stands out against dried leaves of winter.
#2. Corydalis solida George Baker. Foliage is emerging and the blooms along with it.
#3. My NOID hellebore has been blooming non-stop for over a month.

#1. Cardamine heptaphylla. A beautiful lavender carpet of color.
#2. Claytonia. Earliest of spring ephemerals.
#3. Anemone hortensis. This bloom probably got a little frost injury.
But fortunately, looks like more blooms to come.

#1. Veronica 'Georgia Blue'. Needs some sun, but thrives at the edge of woodland.
#2. Jeffersonia dubia. One of my favorite woodland flowers.

I can't wait to see what's going on next weekend!

Weerobin, what beautiful plants! I love your colors!

I agree with Donna - the colors are gorgeous.
Hellebores here are just starting to open up but my fave Hepaticas are just emerging from the ground.

Now if I can just find some yellow impatiens, or if I have to, the seeds. I got some seeds in a trade once, only one of them germinated and I enjoyed that plant.

I guess I should have taken cuttings because I haven't seen any since, at least not locally.

Maybe this is the yellow one you meant. It's "Fusion Glow Exotic Impatiens".

Where'd you find it, pirl?

At a local nursery. You might want to check Proven Winners to see if they were the ones who offer it.

Good idea, thanks!

Couldn't get provenwinners.com search to work, but I googled it, and found it right here! http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/161359/
And the vendor that is listed as having it available is Avant Gardens.

When I brought in the basket of begonias, where I finally put that impatiens, it bloomed all winter and into the next summer. Glad you found it.

Just found the impatiens again (online) at a local nursery and the description said it grows to 2' in the garden. I'll have to buy it again. They showed a few cultivars in the Fusion series.

Impatiens ‘Fusion’ (1 qt)
Large cup shaped flower. Grows to 2' in the garden.

I. ‘Fusion Glow’
Yellow to pale yellow with a salmon throat.
I. ‘Fusion Heat Coral’
Bright coral pink with a yellow throat.
I. ‘Fusion Infrared Apricot’
Coral with a rust center.

wow, wish I could find them here.

When they are available for sale I will check for the distributor's name in the hopes in will be helpful.

I'd also like to find the Blue Diamond impatiens.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/158917/

Annie's Annuals is said to carry them, but it's not available now--maybe too soon in the season?

Try going to Annie's Annuals site and see if they have a locator, which would give you retailers in your area.

pirl does that nursery sell online? What is the name of it?

The nursery I mentioned that has it is local and they don't sell online, sorry!

Annie's Annuals sells them for $9.95 each. Again, too expensive for me for an annual. However, do these plants root well from cuttings?

Here are some more woodland early spring wildflowers.
Each weekend in March is a different show.
They bloom early and are often low to the ground,
so you have to be vigilant to find them among the dead leaves!
#1. Corydalis solida George Baker.
#2. A volunteer viola which has reseeded throughout the woodland.
#3. Hepatica.

#1. Phlox divarica London Grove.
#2. Anemone hortensis.
#3. Anemonella thalictroides Cameo.

#1. Dutchman's breeches (dicentra cucullaria).
#2. Mukdenia rossii.
#3. Ranunculus ficaria Brazen Hussy.