Comments on: Cornus Canadensis, a Woodland Groundcover

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:20:10 +0000

Wurzerl, I’m not sure how it’s going to do in my garden, but I hope it likes the site. There are lots of decaying leaves and needles in this garden section, and the soil is light and full of humus.

By: Wurzerl

Wurzerl — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:06:02 +0000

Cornus canadensis is a wonderful groundcover plant. I would like to cultivate this in my garden but my soil is too chalky.

Have a great week! Wurzerl

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:23:06 +0000

Joanne, I like the atmosphere of the forest, and all of its layers. It’s gratifying to bring a little more of nature to a city garden.

By: Joanne Drayson

Joanne Drayson — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:48:21 +0000

Lovely observation and reproducing ideas is what makes gardening so interesting.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 01:24:20 +0000

GardenMad1, Cornus canadensis is a common wildflower of Canadian forests, and grows from Newfoundland on the east coast to British Columbia on the west. It is sometimes called dwarf dogwood. It gets the bunchberry name from the large clusters of bright red attractive berries it produces after it flowers. The Autumn leaf colour is bright too. The white that you see are the bracts, and the flower is small in the middle.

I have seen it at a couple of greenhouses locally, but I’m not sure how commonly it is available. I don’t always see a lot of woodland plants available.

By: GardenMad1

GardenMad1 — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:04:41 +0000

I loved this entry. This is a beautiful plant and one that I had never seen before. I have some woodland areas in my garden. As you say, the areas under trees may be a bit too dry for it to thrive but I have a more open area which is less dry and they might do well there. I must seek it out and get some going in my garden. Is it only available in North America as I can’t find it in British plant websites?.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:37:54 +0000

The Garden Ms. S, I think they would do quite well with the attention you suggest. I don’t mind watering, and I’ve used a variety of mulches, but I already have some natural mulch. This area gets a lot of needle drop and cone scales, and the deciduous leaves blow in from other areas and get caught under the conifers. The ground here is actually a little springy from the accumulation, so they might feel right at home.

By: The Garden Ms. S

The Garden Ms. S — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 21:17:18 +0000

The bunchberry are a very charming woodland plant. I see them in the ravine on my early morning walks and wondered if they could survive a suburban garden. (so yes, I guess I am inspired by the natural plantings I see :))

My woodsy conditions are quite dry for them. However, I am not averse to watering, composting and mulching – particularly now that we are making plans for a rainbarrel.

I hope these little charmers settle right in for you!

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:35:44 +0000

Dave, The part of the garden where I’m planting the bunchberry is also one of the last to thaw in the spring. It sounds like you found a good site for your bunchberry, and you have a good variety of plants in that bed for all season interest. I think the Pulmonaria and forget me nots would look great with them. It’s too bad your Hosta is languishing this year. My Japanese painted ferns are never very robust. They get such a late start, not really putting out growth until late spring. Your bed took a big hit last winter. That’s a lot to lose. You are lucky that you can get some plants from your land. The Linnea borelais looked charming mixed in with the Cornus canadensis where I was hiking.

Rebecca, I love the look of the duff and plants on the forest floor. My conifers are doing a good job of adding to the needles on the ground, but most of my fallen branches are in the back from the willow. Yes, it’s the hair lichen that hangs from trees. It gets shaken loose when the wind blows and little pieces float to the ground. They give an otherworldly look of an enchanted forest.

I find all of those movies hysterically funny.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:05:31 +0000

Beautiful picture, I can almost smell the fresh mountain air from here! The layering of the forest floor is so lovely, with the fallen branches, needles moss & new growth. The crunching of needles when you walk is mesmorizing. Is the wispy lichen you describe commonly knows as ‘witches hair’? I find it gives the forest a very enchanted look. I hope your new ‘carpet samples’ spread quickly.

The Stonehedge scene in Spinal Tap is classic. Somewhat off topic, but if you enjoy that movie, then you must watch “A Mighty Wind” which has the same actors, quite a few years later (also in “Best in Show” and “Waiting for Guffman”) Christopher Guest is Brilliant! :)