I really want to add a few of these to a new bed I'm creating, but I keep backing off because I can't find the right companion to "hide" the bare spot it will leave when the plant goes dormant in the summer. I can always use Hosta because they're slower to leaf out in the spring at the time the 'Gold Heart' will be blooming, but looking for other options - any ideas?
Debbie
'Gold Heart' Dicentra Companions
I don't have the "Goldheart", but I do have the old fashioned white and red ones. In this bed, I've planted "Jack Frost" brunnera, hostas, japanese painted fern, and heucheras. These are all under a pine and do great.
I have a Gold Heart planted with my hostas and it looks great there. I don't find that it goes dormant in the summer either. Is it supposed to? I've had it for about 3 years now and it just gets bigger and bigger.
Joan, unfortunately here in Z6 Dicentra does go summer dormant :( I had wanted to plant it close to a grouping of different dark leaf cultivars of Cimicifuga but now thinking that maybe I should just give in and plant it amongst some of the Hostas I will be planting in another part of the garden. Maybe if I plant it closer to the front border with some of the smaller Hostas, by the time it goes dormant the smaller Hostas will fill in and when they're in bloom the "bare" spot left by the Dicentra won't be quite so noticeable.
How much sun does the area get? If that golden leaf color is something you want to carry on through the summer, vivid gold hostas would be great (or with gold variegation). And if it gets partial sun, gold leaved spirea would be pretty to continue the gold leaf/ pink flower contrast. Filipendula elegans has kind of chartruese leaves (very pretty) and soft pink flowers, so that may make a nice summer fill in. I think purple and deep blue make a striking contrast with these colors too.
Oooh, fun project- hope to see pics of what you come up with!
Debbie,
I's a gaudy look, but in the early spring it's welcome to me. My 'Gold Heart' is among numerous and varied colors of primroses that I started from seed. There's also a Tiarella 'Pink Syrocket' that puts on a show as well as a Kalmia latifolia 'Carousel' and emerging hostas. After the Dicentra fades, my 'Stained Glass' hosta continues the bright gold color in that spot.
Michele
Hey Michele! Been thinking of you lately - ArborFest coming up this weekend :) Wow - no lack of color there! Gorgeous primroses, that's one thing that just won't grow for us.
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Think I'm just going to give up trying to place the plant where I was hoping to and add it amongst the Hostas and Ferns I'll be planting. Decided to go with the gold variegated Astrantia for that spot instead, it will probably lose some of its gold during the summer but at least it won't go dormant. Added some 'Gilty Pleasure' Tricyrtis for the bright gold foliage and that should do the trick.
Hoping to finish this area in a week or so when our schedule slows down a little and I'll post pictures for you to see. Debbie
Michele - that is a stunning border you have there. Is that soft pink plant to the left of the primulas the tiarella? It's really pretty . Love the primulas! I collect them - have a few red and pink like those you have , but they never get so big and pretty. Always get eaten up by slugs or ruined by a late frost ......
Debbie,
I was disappointed not to be able to make the Warrenton sale and also cannot make the Arboretum this weekend. They're always such invigorating sales for me. But, at this point, I have so much transplanting left to do in the garden I have to be strong and not add anything else to my plate. :)
rannveig,
Thank you for the compliment. That little vignette is the only spot in my garden that gets just morning sun and it makes me long for many more, because the blooms there last so long and don't fade. Yes, that soft pink plant is the Tiarella. It stayed in bloom for weeks on end last spring (its first spring in my garden.) It provides a little bit of softening to all that riotous primrose color.
Debbie, you got me thinking about this again; I'd tabled it last week after coming across some old notes and realizing I'd never followed through with my own Gold Heart. The bronze Heucherellae I think will have to be transplanted across the path in my garden. I have 'Burnished Bronze' and 'Birthday Cake' that should be nice companions and provide a little more drama in the combination as well as playing up the similarities in form with the 'Pink Skyrocket' and 'Spanish Cross' Tiarellae that are already there.
Michelle, we'll miss you this weekend - but I hear you! We're just getting some plants in the ground this fall that have been kicking around here for 2 years!!! Had some really healthy looking Abelia 'Flat Creek' and was thinking of you :) 'Pink Skyrocket' is one of my favorites for both foliage and form and it's so vigorous! The verdict has been out for some time on 'Birthday Cake', not really impressed with it but with its growth this summer and the lovely bronze hue it's taking on, I'm beginning to think it may be stunning next spring. Off the subject of the thread - but now you got me going :) I'm also loving Tiarella 'Black Snowflake' and my new favorite Heuchera - 'Creme de Menthe'
and 'Black Snowflake' - similar to alot of the others (Cygnet, Candy Striper, etc) - but if you put them side by side there's a "frilly" look to the leaf - maybe just a "girl" thing because Rick doesn't think they look any different :)
Wonderful foliage on the 'Creme de Menthe'! yummy!!
My 'Birthday Cake' was just a co-op plug a year ago; but performed quite well this past spring for its size. I'm hoping for a real show of flowers next spring. And it was looking good most of last winter, although it was an unusually mild winter; so I hope the hardiness isn't in question, as last year might not have been a fair test.
Will you have 'Crème de Menthe' at the Arboretum, Debbie? I may have to come just for that. It's gorgeous! What's the exposure on the one in the pic? I have had to move so many Heucherae around to try to get the promised colors that I'm thinking of just keeping them potted until they've lived a while in various parts of the garden. :) I think it would look good with the Dolcé Mocha Mint I (finally) planted.
Knew I could get you there :) The picture is of the plants in their pots, under shade cloth - but can't imagine they would be much different in a shady spot in the garden. 'Creme de Menthe' looks especially luscious paired with some of the darker leaved Heucheras. We saw 'Mocha Mint' this summer and were impressed - if it's as vigorous as 'Creme de Menthe' it will no doubt find a spot in our gardens next year.
And I'll try to remember your knitting books just in case you decide to make the trip.
This message was edited Oct 4, 2006 7:36 AM
Ahhh... Blatant bribery!
I knew I'd forget you even have my grandmother's knitting books. I can't think of knitting during the warmer months; I'd have probably discovered them "missing" by the end of this month and wondered where I'd mislain them. I guess I'll use them as my excuse to come.
(I'd probably need a few abeliae.) I'll look them up again and get back to you later. Gotta go now.
Debbie, I made a little side-by-side pic but now I see I should have read a little further to where you've solved the problem of the Dicentra 'Gold Heart'. I thought I'd post it anyway as maybe someone else will come along with some more suggestions on companion plants. It's a great question!
It's such a gorgeous plant in the spring, but when it goes dormant it leaves a sizable black 'hole', doesn't it. At least up here in partial shade it waits until the late summer to go to sleep! I've managed to fill the hole 'somewhat' with a potted fuschia on a stand, but I'd love to find that perfect companion that would fill out and hide the hole just when the Gold Heart was fading away. Something along the lines of Sea Lavender would do the job I think, if only it would like the same conditions!
I read somewhere that Geranium 'Samobor' makes a nice companion to Dicentra 'Gold Heart'. That would be just for looks, though. I meant to try that this year because I have lots of it. It seeds itself quite freely and comes true from seed. I think it would be a pretty combo.
Sandy
Sandy, always love your photos! Our minds obviously think alike since the spot I wanted to plant the Gold Heart is right next to the planting of Cimicifuga cvs. 'Atropurpurea', 'Brunette', 'James Compton' and 'Pink Spike' :) Instead I ended up using Tricyrtis 'Gilty Pleasure' for its gold foliage so I won't lose the bright contrast by mid summer. Outstanding picture of 'Samobor' - wish the contrast on our plants was that good!