Comments on: Shade Perennial Combinations

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:47:10 +0000

Pomona, my deepest shade is relying almost totally on interesting foliage. You’re right, even in the sun, good foliage ensures that the garden looks lively in between bloom times.

By: Pomona

Pomona — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:41:19 +0000

I learned a lot about foliage combinations from this post and its comments. In my first garden with actual sun patches, I’ve also learned that you can have times with lots of foliage-only displays even in a sunny garden. Shade gardens of course give themselves to foliage.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 17:33:53 +0000

Megan, I had to look up some photos of hakonechloa, since I’m not familiar with it. Its long grass leaves, with fern fronds and the small, rounded baby’s tears foliage does sound like a good grouping of textures. I like ferns added to most combinations too.

By: Megan

Megan — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:13:08 +0000

Beautiful combinations. I love ferns and anything, but I’m especially fond of a grouping of ferns and hakonechloa and baby’s tears in my mom’s garden. It’s a great combination of textures.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:46:37 +0000

Monica, The Creme Brule sounds good. I like plants that get more interesting the closer you look at them. It would enliven the shade when then breezes blow.

By: Monica

Monica — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:38:33 +0000

My favourite heuchera is Creme Brule with lime-green foilage which seems yellowish-green when looking from above, and purple, almost red, when looking at it from underneath. When its a little bit windy, you can see both colours at once, and its really fascinating!

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 04:25:48 +0000

Gail, There is an ever increasing number of heuchera to choose from. Which are your favourites of the reds and purple heuchera?

By: Gail

Gail — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:06:17 +0000

Northern Shade,

The heuchera is a beauty and I do like the green and white, I grow several of the reds and purples but Globe Spice is a good looking green and white that I also have…. Jack Frost is a beauty I have long admired!

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:50:28 +0000

Monica, my other astilbe plumes are fading now, but Hennie Graafland blooms a little later and is still pink. It’s nice to have the flowering times spread out a bit. The leaves are noticeably shinier than the other astilbe.
There is such a rainbow of heuchera foliage colours available now. When I bought them, I debated between 4 different cultivars with green on green leaf colours, and chose ‘Mint Frost’ because it had the most silver and pronounced green veining.

By: Monica

Monica — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:23:39 +0000

Thank you for your nice comment on my gardening blog! My first comment ever which was not in Swedish!
I am also very fond of both astilbe and heuchera. As they come in all colours and in different heights, they offer countless combinations. And both do quite well in the shadier part of the garden.

Monica