Deep Shade III

More show and tell with gardens that thrive in even deep shade!

We came from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/868183/

This message was edited Aug 16, 2008 10:16 PM

stormyla, I'm trying to remember - but I think when I planted the second group of Eucomis I used six plants of Brigadoon. The first planting was only three plants and even though it's filled in nicely it took about 4 years!

edit: Oops, forgot - love your Rainbow Leucothoe - we had one for several years but unfortunately it was planted in an area which was neglected and it finally gave up the ghost :( They're a really nice plant if you can find the right spot for them but I don't think our soil is acid enough for them. I haven't given up though, we planted another cultivar last year - once again in a "neglected area" - will I ever learn? LOL It should get the attention it needs soon though as we are planning to plant a new border of Hostas there and it will have company :)

Happy, I learned the hard way that this Eucomis wants full sun or at least half a day of sun - sorry, I know you're limited with sunny spots :( When we planted our first Eucomis, we went by what the tag said - partial shade - NOT! I'll try to grab a pic of the original plants that are in a shady spot by the front door - floppy and green, but blooming nonetheless!

Weerobin, even though PF lists these Eucomis as only being hardy to Zone 7 or 8, we've had them in our gardens for over 5 years and we're considered a very cold Zone 6a, at least until the last few years that is with the much milder winters that a lot of gardeners are experiencing. I think I originally referred to my plant as 'Sparkling Burgundy' because that's what we planted by the front door. The photos I posted are actually 'Oakhurst' http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/78021/. We've grown both and IMHO there is no difference. I collected seeds for another DGer last year. I had never tried sowing them before but she was successful! http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=5326812 Another method I haven't tried is propagating them with leaf cuttings http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/119423/ I remember someone telling me about the incredible combo Tony Avent has in his gardens - Metasequoia 'Gold Rush' with a circle of Eucomis 'Sparkling Burgundy' at the base. I'm getting ready to plant 'Gold Rush' and I'm thinking I might just have to replicate his duo :)


This message was edited Jul 28, 2008 5:22 AM

Speaking of "neglected areas", thought I'd show you the photos of one of the areas we've been working on. This is the same bed where the Bottlebrush Buckeye is planted - seen here in the background blooming at the end of June. We finally decided this area needed some work as Rick had been busy planting his woodland garden along the road (at the top of the photo) and this bed would be an extension of his garden.

Taken from the other direction, two weeks later - Heucheras planted on the left with paths bordered by Hostas on the right. Posted a similar pic on the other thread to show Happy the Hakonechloa, but wanted you to see these together to see what a difference it made! We debated on removing the nasty Hawthorn tree (with the yellow rake leaning against it), but after "following" the sun decided it's providing essential shade so decided to just limb it up a little and leave it for now. The area still isn't finished - Tricyrtis are waiting to be planted under the Hawthorn but we're getting there :)

And...we need to add a few interesting rocks and more "decorations" :)

Wow, looks great!
Makes the hard work worth it.

But what's wrong with hawthorns? I love them.
Unless yours has the hawthorn rust - then they can look pretty awful.
Otherwise I think they're beautiful trees.

Here are a couple things I found in my shady garden over the weekend.

This is rhexia virginica.

And this is indigofera amblyantha.

Thalictrum kiusianum. A ground-hugging plant.

Cimifuga (or now Actaea). I don't remember which one...

Happy, here's my deinanthe bifida.
It's hard to get a good picture of the flowers, since they all face down.
Deinanthe caerulea is about the same, except flower color, I think.
As I said earlier, I think they have rather coarse overall texture.

Buddleia lindleyana

Weerobin: Wonderful photos. I don't think I've seen rhexia virginica before.

RCN, That garden is looking great. I'm glad you kept the Hawthorne. I try to remember to leave room for my decorations. When cleaning up last year, I put a lot of them away and have been too busy to bring them out again. Your log is lovely. In the fall, I'll start a rock quest. Did your Leucanthoe get much varigation? I love the red stems.

Weerobin, Beautiful plants. I've never seen the Rhexia before. It's lovely.That indigofera is beautiful too.

KyWoods and Weerobin, that article in Fine Gardening was written by Gene Bush, the owner of Munchkin Nursery I was talking about! Talk about a character! He is a thrilling host when giving a tour of his gardens.

Doug

Weerobin, yes, the Hawthorn does have Hawthorn rust :( Plus, we had both been stabbed so many times from picking up the branches and working around the base of the tree - we were fed up with it - but for now it stays!

Your Rhexia virginica is beautiful! Wondering where you got it and how long you've had it? Might just have to add that beauty to the gardens! You've posted a couple of my favorites :) I adore the delicate foliage and tiny flowers of Thalictrum kiusianium.. We had Indigofera kirilowii http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/80066/ in the gardens for a few years and I always loved the flowers but it bloomed for such a short time. A friend recommended Indigofera amblyantha - said it bloomed all summer right up until frost for her. Planted ours two years ago and love it, starts blooming around the first of June and keeps going until fall!

Buddleia lindleyana on the other hand is becoming somewhat of a nuisance. I love the blooms but we've recently yanked one because the suckering was so bad :(

stormyla, our Leucothoe lost most of its variegation. I've seen some lovely specimens elsewhere but it just never performed well for us :(

rcn48 and weerobin georgeous plants thanks for the photos. Nice. Ive been working on my new border. Filling it in. Been fun. Im trying to divide the plants I have available in the yard. Thats always fun to move around the plants, see them in different settings. Im on vacation now so might have time to try different things? Have fun gardening! Keep the photos coming love looking and drulling! Ronna

RCN: Indigofera amblyantha sounds nice -- but it's full sun, right?

Alas, my yard ran out of 'full sun' 5-10 years ago.
My indigofera doesn't get sun until a few hours in afternoon.
But then it gets blazing sun for a few hours.
I have other indigoferas in open woodland which do fine,
but I haven't tried amblyantha in that situation.

Ok, thanks.

Poor Happy, we keep teasing you with all these beauties - you just need to chop down a few trees! I'm running out of full sun areas myself and I keep planting trees - what's wrong with me? LOL I've scoped out another area for a full sun border, but I have to finish moving all the plants that USED to have enough sun and replace them with shade plants - like I need another project!

It is so much to want to plant one small tomato bush? And a sunflower?

We have actually taken out a lot of small "weed" trees. But we have huge huge old trees, which are wonderful I grant you, including an enormous white oak that can be seen from a long way away, so a sunny border is not in my future.

I love huge old trees--but we have a whole hillside of them all crammed together. They're pretty when they can spread out.

happy_macomb your yard sounds wonderful. I bet you really enjoy it when its hot outside. We have a very sahdy backyard also. Im like you really would love to have a veggie garden or lots of sun perennials. But its just not in the works for us. We love sitting in the yard when its hot outside. So I guess we will just have to be happy huh??? I like the challenge of looking for new and unusal plants for the shade. Im sure you do also. I see your posts all the time. You sound like me is that only for full sun??? Bummer. Cant have it. LOL. Ronna

Me, too, lol. I'm especially limited because it also has to be deer and bunny resistant...how come they won't eat the invasive weeds?? Not fair!

Hi GardenLady! (Are you near Holly? That's where my DH is from.)

I do love the shade (when I'm not cursing the lack of sun) -- but we have a bumper crop of mosquitoes here. I guess that's because of the shade, and because we live close to Rock Creek Park (which has a creek in it, duh). I'm thinking of getting one of those expensive mosquito-eating machines. At this point I'd do just about anything (other than use chemicals on the yard) to re-take my yard.

No where near Holly. Glad to see your hubby is from Michigan!!! Nice state. Ronna

Stormy, I still can't figure out which on-line vender I bought my wire cages from.
But I at least figured I could post a picture of them including the name.
Then maybe you can google a source faster than I can find mine.
Here are 3 of the various sizes of cages. (I didn't take a picture of the biggest.)
You're supposed to plant the plant with the cage surrounding the roots, to prevent gopher damage.
As you may recall, I don't use mine the way they're meant,
but use them as plant covers to protect from Bambi and Thumper.
I use them for a couple years until the plant is established, then they're on their own.
It has remarkably increased my success rate, since the wildlife otherwise is relentless.

Edited to explain the available sizes are 1, 3, and 5 gallon, as well as a even bigger one meant for trees.
The 1 and 3 gallon are the same depth; the 3 gallon is just bigger around.
The 5 gallon is both deeper and bigger around.

This message was edited Aug 3, 2008 5:44 PM

Here's a close up of the label.

Great pics, rcn and weerobin. rcn, I just saw that bottle brush buckeye at a local nursery (and another one, the red one, I think) and was all excited because I want to add one or two interesting small trees or shrubs to my shady yard. But then I read about the toxicity of the seeds and parts and I can't risk that with my dogs. Seems like all the cool shade tolerant stuff is poisonous. :(

Sure hope everyone had a very relaxing weekend!!!! Here are my Deja Blues they are so pretty this year.

Very nice, gardenlady! Our hostas are in such deep shade, they won't bloom--the ones that the deer haven't eaten, anyway...

thank you.

Weerobin, do you just bury the bottom couple inches of those cages to protect the upper part of the plants from being eaten? Wouldn't you need something taller for Bambi? I need to put a gigantic cage over and around this whole house and the gardens, LOL.

Renee try putting up a scarecrow wearing hunter orange! Maybe the deer will think the season has started early!!

Doug

Funny postmandug!!

LOL, hey, ya never know, it just might work! Motion activated would even be better!

Ky, I plant my new plant as usual. Then place the cage over the top and anchor with a couple sod staples.
They stay in place pretty well that way. Obviously this only works for smaller plants. For my new shrubs and young trees, I have other equally ridiculous-looking barriers. My yard is an absolute fortress.

A moat too?????

LOL, Doug--yep, with alligators, that's what I need here! Ain't it a shame to have to go through so much trouble just to enjoy a few plants? sheesh... I need to put the entire house and surrounding gardens in a huge cage.

Do you who have to put up those cages live out in the country or are you just lucky. Perhaps I just don't have any "taisty pikens" cause I havn't seen any sign of such problems in my garden. Heck, I am fortunate not to even have a slug problem with all of my Hostas.. Believe me , I do count my blessings. I just wondered, cause It's pretty rural, have 4 acres myself and there is still a good bit of land and woods around, a stream nearby too. So, guess I'll just continue to count my blessings and be glad to know about cages incase, just I ever need them!