Comments on: New Shade Beds

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:38:45 +0000

Kendra, I’m always reading about new additions to try, or seeing a perennial that looks interesting. Then, I get a brainstorm, and want to enlarge the bed, or move things around. In the spring there are all the new perennials calling out, and, yes, those fall discounts are tempting. I’m looking forward to seeing how things look when they emerge this spring.

By: Kendra

Kendra — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:03:32 +0000

I never stop! LOL

Spring = enthusiasm planting
Fall = 50% off deal planting

It’s a tie!!

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:18:44 +0000

Shady Gardener, I’ll look forward to seeing how your shade garden looks in the spring too. It’s interesting to see how other gardeners combine and arrange the perennials.

By: Shady Gardener

Shady Gardener — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 03:23:07 +0000

We’ve planted a lot of the same things this year! :-) Hope they all survive the winter and provide lots of wonderful surprises next Spring!

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:02:33 +0000

Kerri, I will be making my early spring garden inspection with even more interest next year, as I look for all the new greenery. I enjoy pulling back the leaf cover, and looking for little signs of hope.
It’s good to hear that you are getting the moisture your garden needs, even though the sunny warmth is fading.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:44:59 +0000

Joy, the Pulmonaria ‘Samourai’ has looked great all season. Now, after a number of frosts this week, the leaves still look the same. I like the all silver sheen, and the way they arch out from the centre.
I am hoping that the Helleborus and Epimedium overwinter successfully, since they look quite nice under the trees.

By: kerri

kerri — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:32:16 +0000

You’re lucky to have a nursery close by with such a great assortment of perennials. Fall is a good time to pick up some bargains! I hope they all do well for you. I’ll look forward to seeing how they fared over winter when spring rolls around next year.
We’ve greatly enjoyed a couple of weeks of beautiful weather too, but today is cool and rainy…much needed actually, because the ground was very dry. I’m sad to see the end of the sunshine and warmth though.

By: Joy

Joy — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:23:20 +0000

You have me thinking very seriously about extending my shade beds because of the plants you have that I don’t have at the moment .. you are one heck of a ‘salesperson” girl !
I don’t have pulmanaria for some reason but your cultivar looks very attractive to me .. so that is on my list .. and I don’t have epimedium either … another list plant ! I have the “oriental hellebore’ standard and it simply amazes me with drought tolerance in a raised bed .. now I want more for the new shade garden you have talked me into ! LOL

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:09:52 +0000

George Africa, I saw the fall colours on your site, and some others from Eastern Canada and New England, and they look spectacular this Autumn. In Alberta, we don’t get as many of the strong fiery red colours. I’m originally from Ontario, and get nostalgic when I see the mixed maple forests in Fall display.

It’s good to know that the Epimedium get a second round of blooms in the fall. I will look forward to even more beauty next year. Their leaves and overall shape look good, even after the frost, while their flower was charming. I’m picturing a carpet of these next year. Which is your favourite of the Epimedium?

I’m anticipating some tall Cimicifuga for the back of the shade border, but even more, I’m looking forward to the tall wands of flowers. My Cimicifuga simplex ‘White Pearl’ blooms too late in the fall to display here in zone 3, and their flowers get caught by the frost before fully opening. The ‘Atropurpurea’ is supposed to bloom earlier, but I’ll have to wait until next year to see if it can outrace the frost.

By: George Africa

George Africa — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:34:46 +0000

Hello Northern Shade, greetings from Vermont!

A week of fine fall weather will draw to a close tonight with rain and cooler temperatures. In my lifetime the foliage has never been so special with the peak colors the end of September at our house but continuing in southern Vermont right now. Tourists from around the world abound.

Your pictures of epimedium help let others know what a great plant this is. There is a great site named The Epimedium Page which has a picture collection of epimediums. We have half a dozen and always get a second, though smaller, bloom around Labor Day.

Your picture of Cimicifuga atropurpurea (now Actea as you mention) reminds me that I caution gardeners to understand how tall this plant grows over time. I have a couple that are at ten feet over 5 years so clearly this is something that needs a special placement. The bottle brush-like flower scapes waving in the fall breezes make for interesting garden architecture.

Good gardening wishes,

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener