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Proven Winners SaveEmail 3. ‘Brilliance’ Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’) In fall the particularly rich bronze foliage of ‘Brilliance’ sets this variety apart. Plants thrive when grown in soil rich in organic matter that is kept consistently moist. This plant goes dormant in winter. Use it as an understory plant beneath trees, on shaded slopes, in woodland settings or in mixed containers. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 26.1 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 9) Water requirement: Moderate; keep soil consistently moist Light requirement: Part shade to shade Mature size: 20 to 24 inches tall and wide
7. Golden Jackpot Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii ‘SMBTJ’) This Japanese barberry, or barberry, stands out for its vivid gold foliage and compact, garden-friendly size and habit. It stays 2 feet tall and wide in a neat, rounded shape without pruning. It’s deciduous in most areas but will remain evergreen in warm-winter climates. Plants are resistant to rust and deciduous in most climates. Plant in a row as a low, golden border, mix with deep green boxwoods or plant with flowering perennials in blues and purples to provide a bright contrast. Caution: Japanese barberry is considered invasive in some regions; check with your local nursery before planting. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 8) Water requirement: Moderate Light requirement: Partial to full sun Mature size: 2 feet tall and wide
by Monrovia Monrovia SaveEmail 9. Dark Star Creeping Barberry (Mahonia repens ‘MonRws’) Creeping barberry, also known as creeping Oregon grape, is a problem solver, as it thrives in dry shade — always a tricky area to plant — and can be used on slopes to prevent erosion control. Dark Star stays lower than most Mahonia, topping out close to 18 inches high but spreading to up to 4 feet wide. It’s an evergreen plant. Plant as a ground cover in a dappled-light area under a tree canopy and admire the deep plum-colored toothy leaves and yellow flowers, followed by clusters of blue-black fruit. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 26.1 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 9) Water requirement: Moderate; low once established Light requirement: Partial shade to filtered sun Mature size: Up to 18 inches tall and 4 feet wide Buying notes: Plants listed in the story are all new to garden centers in 2018 and may need to be special-ordered through a nursery.
Botanical name: Trillium ovatum Common names: Western wake-robin, Pacific trillium, western white trillium Origin: Native to western North America, from British Columbia and Alberta south through Washington, Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, northern Colorado and California Where it will grow: Hardy to approximately -20 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 5 to 8; find your zone) Water requirement: Thrives in woodland conditions with moist, fertile, humus-rich yet well-drained soil. Little to no supplemental summer water is required once the plant is established in the Pacific Northwest; may require summer water in hotter climates. Light requirement: Morning sun or dappled shade; protection from hot afternoon sun is best Mature size: 1 foot to 1½ feet tall and wide over many years
SaveEmail Botanical name: Actaea racemosa Common names: Black cohosh, black bugbane, black snakeroot, fairy candles Origin: Native to rich deciduous woodlands from Massachusetts south to Georgia and west to Missouri and Arkansas Where it will grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 3 to 9; find your zone) Water requirement: High Light requirement: Partial sun to full shade Soil requirement: Grows in moist, well-drained soils high in organic matter Mature size: Foliage reaches 2 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide; flower spikes grow 5 to 6 feet tall Benefits and tolerances: Tolerates even, heavy shade; fairly deer resistant; popular nectar plant for pollinators and beneficial insects; gnarly roots and rhizomes have many medicinal uses Seasonal interest: Feathery white flower wands in summer with a musky fragrance that draws pollinators; highly textured, dark green foliage mingles well with that of other low woodland plants When to plant: Plant rhizomes in spring or fall, mulch well with leaves or wood chips, and provide plenty of water in the first year.
Virginia Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum) Native from the eastern Dakotas south through Nebraska and eastern Kansas and Oklahoma, stretching eastward into the tallgrass region This is a well-behaved clumping mint that spreads more slowly than chunky peanut butter, and I’ve rarely seen a greater diversity of insects than on this one plant. Long blooming, from June into August, it has leaves that are highly aromatic and great in food. At no more than 2 feet tall and perhaps 2 feet wide after several years, it can be placed anywhere in full sun, from moist to slightly dry soils. It’s certainly a plant that should be used far more often in our gardens. See how to grow Virginia mountain mint
Botanical name: Mitella diphylla Common names: Bishop’s cap, twoleaf mitrewort Origin: Native to eastern North America, from Minnesota south to Arkansas in the west and New Hampshire south to Georgia in the east; also occurs in Ontario and Quebec in Canada Where it will grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 3a to 7b; find your zone) Typical plant communities: Woodlands, both boreal and deciduous, in upland sites, including rocky cliffs and outcroppings Soil requirement: Wet-mesic to dry soil; sand to clay-loam Light requirement: Partial sun to partial shade Mature size: 6 to 15 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide Shown: Bishop’s cap in a woodland garden
Botanical name: Geum triflorum Common names: Prairie smoke, old man’s whiskers Origin: Native from the northern Midwest (Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota) into the northern Plains and the entire Mountain West into Nevada, Northern California, Oregon and Washington Where it will grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 3 to 7; find your zone) Water requirement: Dry to medium soil Light requirement: Full sun to 25 percent shade Mature size: 6 to 12 inches tall and up to 18 inches wide Benefits and tolerances: A well-behaved ground cover; loves rocky soil Seasonal interest: Red, closed, drooping blooms in late spring give way to sparkly, smokey-looking seed heads and see
Cheddar Pink (Dianthus ‘Firewitch’) Lining this simple stone pathway is this unassuming evergreen perennial that packs a serious perfume punch. Cheddar pink is known primarily for its spring flowers, but I have found that many varieties reliably bloom repeatedly in autumn; Firewitch, shown here, is perhaps the most floriferous. Low, mounding cushions of finely textured gray leaves are studded with the hot-pink flowers that release a spicy, clove-like fragrance into the fall air. I use this both in the landscape and containers, where it looks especially pretty with silver and white foliage. Origin: Firewitch is a garden hybrid. Where it will grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (zones 3 to 8) Water requirement: Average to little; needs well-drained soil Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: 4 inches tall and 12 inches wide When to plant: Spring or late fall
Hosta Alternatives The great thing about hostas (Hosta spp) is that you can leave them alone almost forever. Unfortunately, no native insects can raise their young on its leaves, and just a small contingent of the insects frequent its blooms. With hostas used so frequently in gardens today, there must be one for nearly every human in the world. Try native Solomon’s plume (Maianthemum racemosum, syn. Smilacina racemosa) instead. It spreads slowly, blooms in late spring, likes medium to dry soil and gets about 2 feet tall. It’s native from Minnesota to Arkansas and east, and will support more wildlife than hosta — plus, it’s just as carefree. Shown: Solomon’s plume (Maianthemum racemosum)
Botanical name: Symphoricarpos albus Common names: Common snowberry, waxberry Origin: Western and eastern North America and Canada Where it will grow: Hardy to -30 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 4 to 10; find your zone) Water requirement: Snowberry is unfussy; once it’s established, no supplemental summer water is required. Light requirement: Shade to sun Mature size: 3 to 6 feet tall plus suckers Benefits and tolerances: Small blossoms provide nectar for hummingbirds and pollen for insects; the fruit is enjoyed by many songbirds, including grosbeaks, robins, thrushes, towhees and waxwings, as well as by a variety of mammals Seasonal interest: Pretty light green spring foliage on arching stems; delicate pink flowers in early summer; striking white berries all winter When to plant: Fall to spring is ideal, but it’s unfussy
Le jardinetSave to IdeabookEmail Photo Botanical name: Diervilla lonicera Common names: Bush honeysuckle, Northern bush honeysuckle, low bush honeysuckle, dwarf bush honeysuckle Origin: Native to most of the northeastern United States and Canada; naturalized in France Where it will grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 3 to 8; find your zone) Water requirement: Low but adaptable Light requirement: Full sun or partial shade Mature size: 3 feet tall and wide Benefits and tolerances: Drought tolerant Moderately deer resistant Attracts butterflies, bees and birds, including bluebirds and hummingbirds Can be used for erosion control on slopes Well adapted to fire-prone areas, since it can regenerate quickly from underground stems An important winter food source for moose Equally adaptable to sun or shade; tolerates poor, rocky soil Seasonal interest: Spring through fall When to plant: Spring or fall Distinguishing traits: Fragrant flowers in summer Bronze-green foliage that is luminous in the sun from spring until fall Striking red fall color Exfoliating bark reveals interesting inner orange color Low maintenance Fast growing, which can be helpful for trying to fill in a...
Botanical name: Symphyotrichum laeve Common name: Smooth aster Origin: U.S. native to the mountain West, northern Plains and Midwest, and scattered throughout the eastern U.S. Where it will grow: Hardy to -30 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 4 to 8; find your zone); best planted if native to your area Water requirement: Medium to dry soil Light requirement: Full sun to 25 percent shade Mature size: 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 feet wide Benefits and tolerances: Very low maintenance; superb pollinator plant Seasonal interest: Great midfall bloom over about two weeks When to plant: Spring to fall; seed in fall or winter
Common name: Wild geranium Origin: Native from Manitoba, Canada, south to Oklahoma and eastward to Quebec in the north and Georgia in the south Where it will grow: Hardy to -42 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 2b to 9a; find your zone) Water requirement: Medium to dry soil; sand to clay-loam Light requirement: Partial sun to shade Mature size: 1 foot to 3 feet tall and 1 foot to 2 feet wide Benefits and tolerances: Versatile native plant; thrives in woodland openings and deep shade; extremely colorful and showy Seasonal interest: Mounding form with large light to medium pink flowers. Long-lasting blooms and red foliage color in the fall.
Anna’s Magic Ball Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Anna’s Magic Ball’) Who can resist this little ball of golden fluff? This dwarf beauty will add sparkle in a semishady spot yet resist burn in sunnier areas. Conifers can be relied upon for providing winter interest, and this one is no exception. Where it will grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (zones 3 to 7) Water requirement: Average Light requirement: Full sun or partial shade Mature size: 10 to 15 inches tall and wide Benefits and tolerances: Low maintenance Seasonal interest: Year-round When to plant: Spring or fall
Hardy Fuchsia (Fuchsia ‘Genii’) I love this fuchsia for its electric color palette that truly lights up a shade garden. Bold golden foliage is the perfect foil for the hot-pink and rich purple flowers that dangle from the branches all summer — a siren to hummingbirds. Origin: Garden hybrid Where it will grow: Hardy to 0 degrees Fahrenheit (zones 7 to 9) Water requirement: Moisture-retentive soil Light requirement: Partial shade Mature size: 4 feet tall and wide Benefits and tolerances: Attracts hummingbirds When to plant: Spring or fall
Le jardinetSave to IdeabookEmail Photo 3. Add flowers that have great foliage. Blue Sunrise Hardy Geranium (syn. Cranesbill) (Geranium ‘Blue Sunrise’) Blue Sunrise wins a place on my plant wish list, not because of its flowers but because of its unusual chartreuse leaves, which continue to add color to the garden long after the early-summer blooms have gone. This attractive cultivar has a similar weaving habit to Rozanne, throwing out tendrils that mingle with adjacent plants Origin: Garden hybrid Where it will grow: Hardy to -20 degrees Fahrenheit (zones 5 to 8) Water requirement: Average to moist Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade Mature size: 2 feet tall and up to 4 feet wide, but can be trimmed back in midsummer to keep it more compact
Botanical name: Eryngium yuccifolium Common name: Rattlesnake master Origin: Native from Minnesota down to eastern Texas and the Gulf Coast, Southeast, Midwest and East Coast Where it will grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 3 to 8; find your zone) Water requirement: Moist to dry soil Light requirement: Full sun to 25 percent shade Mature size: 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide Benefits and tolerances: Very low maintenance and drought tolerant; uncommon in nursery trade; superattractive to insects Seasonal interest: Head of small white flowers, like globe thistle, in mid- to late summer. When to plant: Spring to fall
Botanical name: Pieris japonica ‘Little Heath’ Common names: Andromeda, lily-of-the-valley shrub, pieris Origin: Japan Where it will grow: Hardy to -20 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 5 to 9; find your zone) Water requirement: Regular Light requirement: Protection from hot afternoon sun, but the shrub turns the best spring color with full morning sun Mature size: 3 feet tall and wide Benefits and tolerances: Deer resistant; a hummingbird favorite; can be sheared for size (although it’s not necessary) Seasonal interest: Year-round When to plant: Spring or fall Caution: All parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested
winter interest Botanical name: Parthenium integrifolium Common name: Wild quinine Origin: Native from Louisiana to Minnesota, fingering east through Tennessee and Kentucky to the Carolinas and up to Pennsylvania Where it will grow: Hardy to -30 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 4 to 8; find your zone) Water requirement: Medium to dry soil Light requirement: Full sun to 25 percent shade Mature size: 3 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide Benefits: Very low maintenance and drought tolerant; uncommon in nursery trade Seasonal interest: White florets in midsummer that turn tan for winter interest, especially when massed When to plant: Spring to fall
Botanical Name: Aquilegia Common name: Columbine Origin: Native to the Northern Hemisphere Where it will grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 3 to 8; find your zone) Water requirement: Dry to moist soil, depending on species Light requirement: Sun to partial shade Benefits and tolerances: Attracts pollinators; deer and rabbit resistant; disease free Seasonal interest: Late spring When to plant: Spring to fall
Bugle Weed: Botanical name: Ajuga reptans ‘Catlin’s Giant’Common names: Bugle weedOrigin: EuropeWhere it will grow: Hardy to -30 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 4 to 9; find your zone)Water requirement: Adaptable to either drought or saturated soilsLight requirement: Partial shade is ideal, but will tolerate full sun in moist soilMature size: 6 inches tall; spreads indefinitely
"Clover(Trifolium repens)A member of the legume family, clover is a tough-as-nails lawn alternative, thriving in sun to..."
The grasses around the rock.
some color to add to our lily sculpture?
golden creeping jenny
click on this photo and then on the little green tags to see grass names
ceramic orbs to accent the Fifi path
terra trellis. see hop arbor.
Geranium 'Rozanne'
Smoke Tree?
alternative to hostas Pulmonaria saccharata 'Mrs. Moon'. Common name is lungwort
Chokeberry This is Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima' in my mixed border, shown with a backdrop of Eastern White Cedar.
Diabolo(R) Ninebark (Physocarpus Opulifolius Diabolo(R))
Wine & Roses(R) Weigela (Weigela Florida Wine & Roses (R))
Mukdenia 'Crimson Fans'
'Gro-Low' Aromatic Sumac (Rhus Aromatica 'Gro-Low')
Plumbago (Ceratostigma Plumbaginoides) Plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides)
Gold Showers lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'
Red Twig dogwood. Looks good all year long.
Cool.
1. Laced Up Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ‘SNR1292’) Laced Up stands out among black elderberry varieties, with its narrow, columnar growth habit. This deciduous shrub or small tree makes for a great space-saver in smaller gardens and narrow planting areas. Plant in mixed borders to take advantage of the almost-black foliage as a dramatic backdrop to perennial flowers. Conversely, use a pair to frame an entryway. Laced Up elderberry will not form fruit without a pollinator variety (Black Lace, Instant Karma or Black Beauty) planted nearby. Caution: Elderberry leaves and stems are toxic to pets and livestock. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 7) Water requirement: Moderate Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: 6 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide
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