Plant Profile: Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla)
Karen The small sky-blue flowers of Brunnera are one of the most endearing sights in the spring garden. They look like the flowers of forget-me-nots with their yellow eyes and are…
Plant Profile: Weeping Leucothoe (Leucothoe fontanesiana)
Leucothoe is one of the rare plants that really loves the shade and is beautiful growing with azaleas, rhododendrons, and other ericaceous plants with its graceful arching stems, leathery shiny…
Five Favorite Ferns for the Shade Garden
The hot days of summer make the sight of soft green ferns especially appealing. The green color together with the light airiness of the fronds dispels the effects of the…
Plant Profile: Dwarf Chinese Astilbe (Astilbe chinensis var. pumila)
I used to think of astilbes in general as needing shade and moisture until I met this one. It thrives in shade and moist soil but it tolerates considerably more…
Plant profile: Dead Nettle ‘White Nancy’ (Lamium maculatum ‘White Nancy’)
The white flowers of this fabulous ground cover are charming but the foliage makes it outstanding! Plant it in a shady spot and both the flowers and foliage will brighten…
Plant Profile: Cherry Laurel (Prunus lauroceraus aka P. officinalis)
Native to southeastern Europe and the Middle East this evergreen shrub or small tree is a member of the rose family, Rosaceae, that also includes, apple, lady’s mantle, and pyracantha.…
Plant Profile: Yellow Fumitory (Corydalis lutea)
Corydalis is not the most conspicuous plant in the garden but it is one of the most welcome. How many plants bloom from spring to fall and have attractive foliage?…
Plant Profile: Spiderwort (Tradescantia x andersoniana aka T. virginiana)
Native to North, South, and Central America, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the dayflower family, Commelinaceae, a family of 731 species. The plants grow in clumps up to…
Plant Profile: Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ )
Native to Japan, this delicate perennial is a member of the grass family, Poaceae, that also includes corn, rice, and bamboo. It forms loose cascading mounds of gold variegated leaves…
Seven Secrets to a Successful Shade Garden
People often tell me that they love to garden but that the trees on their lot create so much shade they can’t do much. I usually smile sympathetically and listen…