This is under my apple tree and I absolutely love it! Such ephemeral beauty must be appreciated every moment it's here. The best part is I didn't even plan the combination, it just sort of happened. Those accidents in the garden seem to be the most beautiful. Every time I see it, I smile.
It is a great combo and I love how the plants are fairly easy to come by. Thanks for sharing.
Very, very nice! I also love the 'accidental' combinations mother nature throws at you.
I usually don't have the foresight to predict the great combinations.
Even if I'm the one who planted them.
But I don't mind taking credit for the ones which turn out to look great!
How pretty! Ditto the sentiments that the "accidentals" are usually the best.
It's funny, I just shot some pics in the garden about 'Who says you can't have color in the shade' and saw this thread. Mine isn't 'accidental' but shows the striking color you can have in the shade.
Doug
Doug,
That hosta is a bright blue!!! What is the name of it.
Still trying to figure that out! Had a Hosta Society 'expert' here last year and he didn't know.
Ah well it is a gorgeous color regardless. Don't you love it when the experts can't even tell you what it is. It is great to name a plant but in some cases I think it has completely diluted things.
No Cindy, but when I retire next March, I could be persuaded into a roadtrip to help a fellow gardener! Did you see Gene Bush's "Oh Poop" blog? That was me, delivering worm poop to him after a "Christmas Wish From Santa" blog he wrote back in December....
Doug
Bourbon and shade works too!
I love bourbon barrels. Me thinks they might be easier to acquire in your neck of the woods. Nice work.
Yeah they're almost free if you know the right people here!
Ugh. Man that hurts. That is awesome send some to Maryland! They price out at around $100 here.
I'm retiring in March. Maybe I need a barrell distribution company!!
wow! what is the name of those ferns swedishchef? are they ghost ferns? those are so lovely. i think i would like to pair them with those dark nearly black huecherras postman posted! ;) i love fun color combos
Outlaw they look to be a Japanese painted fern.
oh, yeah, maybe... they seem awfully white, maybe it's my monitor! hahahahah
Possibly athyrium nipponicum 'Ursula's Red'? My personal favorite.
Mine is near a pink dicentra too. Now I know what I have to add!
This message was edited May 9, 2013 7:39 PM
Doug - going into the worm castings business??? I missed reading the Christmas-time Munchkin email. Do you have worm composting bins? Would love to know your setup as my worm tower doesn't provide enough compost for my use. Love the cascading effect and the bright Heuchera color on your barrel display.
Cindy, there's a guy just out of town who got into the 'worm' business a few years ago when there was supposedly a "bunch of money" to be made...Pyramid type scheme I believe. At least he still has the worms and the poop!! I've already spoken to him about starting some type of distribution business next year when I retire.
Doug
Swedishchef that is just a lovely area.
I limbed up the junipers by the corner of our parking area to create small shade beds. I really like this one.
Thank you the other side looks nice but somehow just doesn't quite have the color that this one shows, need to move a few columbine into that side. Plenty of Green and White going on but need to add more color. There are astilbe planted on that side but they aren't quite blooming yet. There are two pic of the right side and one of the left side. In these pic you can get an idea of the junipers
Yes the do. They are dry shady beds but I have had them there for 4-5 years now and haven't lost any plants. I do water them a bit in the summer but not much and never in spring or fall, only when it gets really hot and we have a dry spell.
I just planted a wonder blue lilac some cinnamon hellebores and a limelight hydrangea together. Of course the hellebores had been purchased from the grocery over winter, and were forced at Christmas so I have no idea if I'll see any blooms this year but I think they will look great next to the limelight hydrangea. What color hosta do you think will be best? I am thinking dark like the the leaves of a hellebore and maybe some colorful coral bells and ferns?
How about a darker blue/green hosta. I picked up a Cinnamon Frost Hellebore in Feb it was forced as well. I got mine from a local Flower and Garden Show.
This is my colorful shade under a J. Maple tree. All my hostas are in pots, it is less trouble with the slugs. Etelka.
Sorry I was missing a word there. "Cinnamon snow" is what mine says. Is it the same? Haha either way I am sure they are probably similar. So pretty! I would love another wedge wood hosta. Those are always pretty. :)
Those are lovely in the pots! I just worry people would come carry them off! Hahaha
I put my first hosta in a pot have to get a pic of it.
I like this caramel colored heuchera with the variegated ivy there is a light blue clematis that will bloom later.
Holly -- that photo is lovely.
Thanks Happy, that is along the Potting shed where the walkway goes around the corner of the house. There are actually 2 very dark heuchera on either side of the caramel colored one Midnight Rose I believe but they are so small and slow growing that you barely see them under the Ivy. I read somewhere that Midnight Rose was the slowest growing heuchera there is. I believe them.
Etelka, how do you handle winter with your potted hostas?
Do you leave them in pots and re-pot in spring?
I had a bunch of mini's in pots which looked great for a couple years,
but this year, they're a disaster - I think because it was a late spring,
so they started to leaf out in the garage first. They look awful...
I have been growing a few mini hosta and hardy ivy in a living wreath for the last few years and this year no of it came back this year.
Weerobin, we are lucky around here, very few days it goes below freezing point. If we have snow, it is maybe one or two inches and it melts right away. It was a very mild Winter this year, but I still lost one, Francees Williams, but the rest are doing very good. Just bought 2 Blue Angels, it is one of the few blues I have. Etelka
Weerobin, the catch with overwintering things in the garage in winter is delaying the break from dormancy as long as possible. But sometimes plants that look horrible in a pot coming out of the garage (see pic 1) end up looking just fine once you plant them (see pic 2). From April to July.
Here's my two-cents. I noticed this combo in the shade of a big hedge apple tree (a happy accident - I didn't 'plan' to have these plants together, but here they are). The bed gets filtered light most of the day and a little sun in the early morning. 'Do Tell' peony, 'Globemaster' allium and 'Desdemona' ligularia.
