Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’ flowers from above

Last fall I planted Crocus sieberi Firefly’ and Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’. This spring they produced beautiful blooms, and I would recommend either of them if you are looking for a pop of purple colour early in spring. Of the two, ‘Tricolor’ is my favourite.

Crocus sieberi Firefly’ flowers in sun

Crocus sieberi subsp atticus ‘Firefly’ have a slightly pinkish purple colour, a little different from most crocus colours. They can appear more pink or more purple coloured depending on the time of day and angle of light. The ‘Firefly’ flowers are a little larger than Crocus chrysanthus (snow crocus), but the petite plants are just as short and close to the soil.

Crocus sieberi Firefly’ flowers folded up

The petals of ‘Firefly’ fold up tightly overnight and when the temperatures are extra cool. The ones above were from earlier in May when they were just emerging. We had a prolonged winter, so these early crocus were delayed by the remaining snow. They’d probably flower in April normally in zone 3, and much earlier in warmer zones.

Crocus sieberi Firefly’ pinky purple flowers

Here the ‘Firefly’ flowers were just opening to show their pinkish purple colour. The bees seemed to be waiting for the crocus to open with as much anticipation as me. There were lots of bees and bumble bees visiting the blooms.

Crocus sieberi Firefly’ flowers

You can see how even when ‘Firefly’ is developed and open, the blooms on these diminutive plants sit very close to the soil. I have these planted right next to a sidewalk, so they don’t get lost in the garden, making the pretty flowers easy to view. The larger Crocus vernus are behind them. All of these corms are planted in between perennials, flowering before the perennials have even poked out of the soil.

Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’ purple flowers

Crocus sieberi  subsp sublimus ‘Tricolor’ is my favourite of the two. The purple is a particularly nice shade, and the contrast with the yellow base of the petals makes a great spring colour scheme. I showed how ‘Tricolor’ looked in the lawn in an earlier article, but this group is planted in the garden. The ‘Tricolor’ in the garden grew a little shorter than the ones flowering in the grass.

Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’ purple flowers with yellow centre

Here is a photo of the ‘Tricolor’ flowers from above, highlighting their well-defined golden centres. That same colour shows up on the outside of the petals and looks terrific when the petals close.

Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’ with petals closed

The yellow base to each ‘Tricolor’ petal shows on both the inside and outside of the flower. When the petals fold up you can clearly see the 3 bands of colour, yellow at the bottom, a thin band of white in the middle, and a medium purple at the top. The markings are very distinctive and make them stand out in the garden.

Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’ flowers close to ground

Despite being short, the ‘Tricolor’ flowers are very noticeable and make a good impact. They willingly pop up right through last year’s fallen tree leaves. I’ve been removing the winter leaf cover, so you can’t see the thick mat of leaves they poked up through.

Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’ purple flowers with yellow crocus fuscotinctus

‘Tricolor’ matches up well with yellow crocus like the little Crcocus chrysanthus ‘Fuscotinctus’ flowering behind in the photo above. When the tree leaves aren’t out in early spring, this garden section gets more sun than in summer, so the crocus do well.

Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’ flowers open in the sun

This picture shows the ‘Tricolor’ flowers fully open and shining in the sun. With their petal edges touching, they make a decorative purple blanket leading to the smaller yellow crocus. I would definitely plant more ‘Tricolor’ since it adds a little personality with its contrasting colour scheme.

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Prins claus’ and Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’

Here are some Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’ flowering with the white and purple Crocus chrysanthus ‘Prins Claus’ in front of them. ‘Tricolor’ is my favourite of all the new crocus I planted last fall with its pretty flowers, and I plan on adding more next fall. It’s easy to slip groups of crocus corms in between perennials in the fall, and the pretty spring flowering display is worth the wait.

Crocus vernus ‘Silver Coral’ flowers showing purple base

Here you can see the deep purple base on the goblet of the ‘Silver Coral’ flowers blending into the stem. I’m not sure of the origin of the “coral” part of their name, but you can see how they shine when the light bursts through them, which might be the “silver” part of their name. There are bright gold ‘Yellow Mammoth’ crocus behind them, and different purple crocus in the other direction. The white colour of ‘Silver Coral’ helps tie them all together.

Crocus vernus ‘Silver Coral’ with white flowers

The translucent petals give them a delicate appearance, but these are another crocus that do just fine in zone 3. Like the other Crocus vernus, they open after the earlier Crocus chrysanthus (snow crocus), while their bloom time overlaps with the later ‘Yellow Mammoth’, which are the last crocus to flower in my garden.

Crocus vernus ‘Silver Coral’ with purple striped crocus behind

These white crocus blend wonderfully with the purple crocus, and their purple base brings a subtle coordination. The hint of purple at the bottom is similar to the colour at the base of the striped crocus behind them. ‘Silver Coral’ are about 10 cm tall (4 in), just a little shorter than the other Crocus vernus, and the flowers are a little smaller, even on the established ones. The ‘Silver Coral’ flowers are about 3 cm (around an inch) across.

Crocus vernus ‘Silver Coral’ with Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ behind

‘Silver Coral’ is paired with the purple striped ‘Pickwick’ here. You can see a few of the ‘Yellow Mammoth crocus that are part of a much larger group extending to the left of the picture.

Crocus vernus ‘Silver Coral’ with ‘Pickwick’ and ‘Yellow Mammoth’

‘Silver Coral’ is winding through the other crocus in the photo above, joining the purple and gold crocus. There are lots more purple and gold crocus extending in each direction as well as behind. In early spring I’m always glad that I added more crocus the previous fall, as their exuberant beauty is so wonderful in the garden. The Crocus corms are easy to fit in between perennials, and add so much colour while the more timid perennials are barely putting up new shoots. ‘Silver Coral’ are a nice crocus if you are looking for a larger white one that has a little hint of extra colour.

There are more photos of Crocus vernus from previous years in this article.

Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’ flowers with light shining through

Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’ (large Dutch crocus) have a very beautiful two-toned mauve colour combination on the flowers that make a wonderful display in the spring garden. They mix beautifully with other purple flowers, and make a strong contrast to the gold crocus. These were new to my garden last fall, and I’ve been very pleased with them. I can recommend them for your garden down to zone 3.

Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’ with petals folded up

When folded up, the petals appear pale, and while pretty, they don’t hint at the beauty that will appear when they unfurl. Each morning, when the temperatures are cooler or when it is cloudy and the light is low, the flowers are folded up tight, nestled in the striped foliage.

Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’ large Dutch crocus

Then when the sun warms up, they unfold to show their pretty colour scheme. Once fully opened, they hide most of the leaves. The petals are narrower than other C. vernus, so you can see between them, but they produce many flowers per corm, so they still make a full display.

Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’ flower 6 petals

The six petals of ‘Vanguard’ alternate between light mauve ones and pale silvery gray ones on the outside. This gives them a slightly shimmery look, which stands out more than the solid coloured crocus. It is an attractive pattern that adds some sparkle to the early spring garden. The darker purple petals fade to the light silver gray colour at the edges.

Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’ flower petals glowing

When the sunshine hits the flowers, they glow and light up the garden. In the picture above, you can see the translucent quality of the petals, giving them an ethereal beauty. Despite its delicate appearance, ‘Vanguard’ is hardy, and survived a long zone 3 winter very well. All of my crocus do well here, and come back just about as strong the next year. However, I haven’t had any spread much yet.

Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’ flowers from above

In this shot you can see the pattern of 3 inner petals and 3 outer petals. On the inside they are all a similar light mauve colour, with faint striations of darker colour. The bright golden stigmas and anthers providing a contrast to the purple.

Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’ flowers coming up through fall leaves

The great thing about crocus is that they will come up through anything in the garden. These crocus are rising up through the fall leaves, which I hadn’t got around to lifting yet. The crocus don’t mind, and flower just as cheerfully, even if the gardener is behind schedule. :) They look very natural emerging from the tree debris. This part of the garden has mainly deciduous trees, so the sun loving crocus get the spring light before the new leaves fill in.

Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’ flowers

This picture shows some of the surrounding crocus in this bed, with ‘Vanguard at the centre. To the left are crocus that have been here a few years, and to the right are some of the new additions planted last fall.  ‘Vanguard’ started blooming a little bit earlier than the other Crocus vernus, but lasted just as long as them.

Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’ with crocus remembrance behind

With their soft mauve and light silvery gray colour, ‘Vanguard’ looks great combined with many other crocus. In the photo above they are mixed with  some other large flowered Crocus vernus ‘Striped Beauty’ to the left and the deeper purple Crocus vernus ‘Remembrance’ behind. You can see how both of the other crocus have more rounded, wider petals, forming a goblet shape, while ‘Vanguard’s petals are more slender.

Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’ with Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ behind

Here ‘Vanguard’ is paired with Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’, another purple striped crocus and the white Crocus vernus ‘Silver Coral’ at the very back. ‘Vanguard’ matches well with ‘Pickwick’, which has white petals with lots of purple stripes. The two have similar colours, but in different patterns for a subtle variation.

Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’ with other crocus in garden

In the shot above you can see how well they coordinate with all the other white and purple crocus. The purple striped ‘Striped Beauty’ are to the left, another striped crocus, ‘Pickwick ‘, is behind, and a solid crocus, ‘Remembrance’ is in the upper left. At the back right are some mostly white ‘Silver Coral’, which have a strong, deep purple base to their goblet.

Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’ in back with Crocus tommasinianus ‘Whitewell Purple’ in front

In the picture above, Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’ is paired with Crocus tommasianus ‘Whitewell Purple’. Although they look good in this shot, with the darker ‘Whitewell Purple’ in front of the lighter ‘Vanguard’, I can’t really recommend ‘Whitewell Purple’. Of course all crocus look beautiful, and ‘Whitewell Purple’ is extra early, an excellent trait, but it was very short blooming compared to the other crocus.  Also the flowers are nice, but with their very narrow petals they don’t have as much of an impact. There are many early C. chrysanthus’ that I like better. ‘Vanguard’ did look great with them, though, when the blooms times overlapped.

Crocus vernus ‘Vanguard’ showing mauve and gray petals

I’ve been very pleased with how well ‘Vanguard’ has done in the garden, and how it forms a nice bridge for the surrounding crocus, helping them all coordinate together. I do recommend this crocus for its beauty, large flower size, length of bloom, and ease of combining with other crocus.

crocus bulbs planted in lawn

After a long winter,  pretty flowers are  popping up where I planted the Crocus corms in the lawn last fall. The early crocus look even better than I anticipated. The bright petals add beautiful colour to the dull, brown grass. While most of the yard still wears neutral winter colours, the vivid crocus patch is a refreshing start to the garden. I’m very happy with the bright effect, which makes me smile every time I look out the window.

Crocus chysanthus flowers in lawn

Most of these crocus are very early blooming, so the foliage should get enough energy to replenish the plants and die back naturally before the lawn needs cutting. As you can see in the photos, the lawn hasn’t even greened up yet. The Crocus chrysanthus and Crocus sieberii are the first to bloom in my garden, while Crocus x tommasinianus ‘Yalta’ flowers later. If ‘Yalta’ takes too long to die back,  since there is only a small patch in the lawn, I might move them into the garden where they can flower next year with the later blooming C. vernus.

crocus bulbs in lawn with petals folded

Even when the petals are folded up in the early morning or on a cold day, the flowering crocus are still decorative with the patterns on the outside of their petals even more visible. Since there were still freezing temperatures and the odd snowflake a week ago, they folded up and waited for warmer times.

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Romance’ planted in lawn

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Romance’ is a particularly attractive yellow crocus. The soft yellow petals alternate with ones that have a slightly  silvery sheen. The subtle variations are a nice effect, and this is now my favourite yellow crocus. These are larger than Crocus ‘Cream Beauty’, so they make a better show. ‘Romance’ is extra early, and after 7 months of snow early flowering is a very desirable trait. I highly recommend these if you are looking for an early yellow crocus.

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Romance’ soft yellow

‘Romance’ have their petals mostly folded up in this picture, showing off the alternating darker and lighter petals, and the almost silver gray tone to the lighter ones. With the flower petals upright, they look as if they were carved out of butter for a table centrepiece.

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Prins Claus’ with Crocus ‘Romance’ behind

Here are the purple and white Crocus chrysanthus ‘Prins Claus’ flowering in front of ‘Romance’. These charming bulbs really glow in the sunshine. The crocus get a sunnier spot in my lawn and in the garden, as they don’t appreciate the shade and don’t open much in the shadowy areas.

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Prins Claus’ bulb flowers from above

Looking down from above, Crocus chrysanthus ‘Prins Claus’ have mostly white petals, but the few flowers with closed petals show the purple design on the outside.

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Prins Claus’ white petals with purple outside

When ‘Prins Claus are fully open they appear mostly white. With that hint of purple, these bulbs pair up well with other purple crocus, or give a hint of contrast next to yellow crocus.

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Prins Claus’ petals closed

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Prins Claus’ petals folded showing purple patches

The dark purple patch of colour on the outside of each petal of  ‘Prins Claus’ is mostly noticeable when the petals are folded up first thing in the morning. The warmth and sunlight later on coax them to open fully.

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Prins Claus’ with Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’ behind

Here are some ‘Prins Claus’ flowering in front of the purple and yellow Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’. You can see the silver stripes down the centre of each crocus  leaf in this picture. Although those beautiful flowers get all of the attention, the grass like foliage with the zippy silver stripes is attractive, too.

Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’ flowers mauve and gold

Crocus sieberi subsp sublimus ‘Tricolor’ have an especially appealing colour combination. Don’t tell the other crocus, but these are my favourite of the new crocus bulbs I tried this year. The combination of a medium purple colour with the yellow ring really catches your eye, and the white band between them makes the colours stand out.

Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’ flowers folded up

Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’ with petals folded

Even when the  ‘Tricolor’ flowers are folded up, they are charming with their colourfully banded popsicle appearance. Here you can see how the colours really pop out with the transition between purple tops and yellow bottoms on each petal. ‘Tricolor’ has the prettiest folded colour of all of my crocus. The bulbs look especially lively against the background of the dreary grass that hasn’t come out of dormancy yet.

Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’ flowers from above

This shot shows the cheery colour of ‘Tricolor’ flowers when they are open. The purple colour on each ‘Tricolor’ petal intensifies at the edges. The bulbs bloom at the same time as ‘Romance’ and look good contrasting with the butter yellow Crocus ‘Romance’.

Crocus sieberi ‘Tricolor’ flowers

Here’s another group of ‘Tricolor’ in the grass, showing the yellow bee in the middle, and the white separation. I highly recommend these bulbs for an early pop of colour.

Crocus ‘Yalta’ flowering in lawn

Crocus x tommasinianus ‘Yalta’ is the largest of the crocus in the lawn, and the last to bloom. Their two toned purple colour combination is very attractive. The petals have a longer and narrower shape than the other crocus. They are a cross between the large C. vernus and C. tommasinianus, so they bloom later and larger than the C. chrysanthus.

Crocus ‘Yalta’ bulb flower in lawn

This photo shows off the alternating dark purple and light silvery purple petals of ‘Yalta’, which are very appealing. This is another standout, and my second favourite purple crocus after ‘tricolor’.

Crocus ‘Yalta’ in lawn

I didn’t plant as many of the ‘Yalta’ in the lawn, as I only found a smaller number of the bulbs. Aren’t those alternating dark and light petals good looking? Whether closed or open, the blooms are still beautiful. I’m going to plant more of them in my garden with the larger crocus next year, if I can find them in the fall.

white crocus flowers planted in lawn

These mislabelled white crocus are pretty, despite the fact that they were supposed to be Crocus ‘Spring Beauty’, which are a dark and light purple colour. There is no trace of purple on them, but they still look good in the lawn. I’m going to look for ‘Spring Beauty’ again next fall, as I was looking forward to them.

mislabelled white and yellow crocus in lawn

This combination of two mislabelled bulbs turned out quite pretty together. The smaller yellow ones were supposed to be ‘Gipsy Girl’, which are yellow with small maroon purple stripes on the outside , but there is no hint of stripe and they look more like ‘Cream Beauty’. They are short and sit quite close to the grass, barely showing any  leaves.

crocus planted in lawn

Here’s another view of part of the bulb lawn. The whole crocus planting is about a 2 m (6 ft) by 3 m (9 ft) oval. It turned out so good, I’m going to expand it next fall with more of the early crocus. They are such a respite from the dullness of the dormant grass, old leaves, and maple keys in the lawn, and were the first flowers this year. It was easy to plant them, as I just dug up  30 cm by 30 cm (1 square foot) patches adjacent to each other in the lawn, put a group of 20 or so bulbs in, and put the sod back over top.  You can see photos and read more about planting the crocus in the lawn last fall.

crocus flowers blooming in lawn

Despite the fact that these crocus are flowering in May in my yard, these are actually early crocus. It’s just that we had an extra long winter this year, which makes them an even more welcome sight. After many months of snow, there’s nothing like a yard full of flowering crocus to cheer you up and get the gardening season off to a good start. The bees appreciate the early flowers, too, and these have been buzzing with visitors.

garden bookshelf with Heuchera books

These two great book are packed with useful information about Heuchera (coral bells), Tiarella (foamflower) and their cross, Heucherella (foamy bells).  I’ve had the books for a couple of years on the shelf with some of my favourite gardening books, as they are very handy. Since two of the major North American Heuchera breeders and introducers have written them, there is a wealth of helpful tips, and you get some of the inside story on what goes into breeding them. The perennials have exceptional foliage for the shade, and many combine this with attractive flowers, too, so its helpful to have such detailed references for them.

Heucheras and Heucherellas:  Coral Bells and Foamy Bells

Heucheras and Heucherellas coral bells and foamy bells book

Heucheras and Heucherellas: Coral Bells and Foamy Bells is written by Dan Heims of Terra Nova Nurseries and Graham Ware. The book was was published by Timber Press in 2005, ISBN 0-88192-702-3.

Heucheras and Heucherellas coral bells and foamy bells book back

The picture of the back cover shows the incredible variety in foliage colours and shapes that Heuchera and Heucherella have. The book has extensive photographs by Dan Heims himself, showing details of the flowers and leaves. There is an overview of the species and their traits, with a much more detailed and alphabetized list of Heuchera cultivars and Heucherella, including a discussion of their features. The alphabetical listing makes a very convenient reference if you want to look up a name that is new to you or that you saw in a garden centre. There is a history of the various breeders of these perennials and the contributions they have made. For gardeners, there is a section on how to look after these plants, and advice about propagation by seed and cuttings. Since Heuchera cultivars come in a vast array of leaf colour combinations, the section on how to combine them with other bronze, silver or yellow plants is very useful. When I plant new garden combinations, it’s helpful to pick up colour echos from the surrounding perennials. There are other practical sections, too, such as tips for cut flower arranging of Heuchera and combinations to plant in pots.

Heucherella photos from Heucheras and Heucherellas by Dan Heims

Here’s a photo from Dan Heims’ book of my favourite Heucherella, but as you will see in the very last picture, the ‘Dayglow Pink’ in my garden don’t get quite as many flowers in their very shady location. There are 56 pages of coloured photos at the beginning of his book, so you can compare the more bold as well as subtle differences in flowers and leaves.

Heuchera, Tiarella and Heucherella A Gardener’s Guide

Heuchera Tiarella and Heucherella by Charles and Martha Oliver book cover

The second book, Heuchera, Tiarella and Heucherella: A gardener’s guide, is written by Charles and Martha Oliver of The Primrose Path. It was published by Batsford in 2006, ISBN-10: 0713490098. As the title indicates, this book also includes a discussion of the related Tiarella.

Heuchera Tiarella and Heucherella by Charles and Martha Oliver back cover

Since the Olivers are breeders of Heuchera and Tiarella, there is  extensive information about the different species, including the size, colour and shape of the flowers and leaves, as well as plant form. They discuss how these qualities are chosen and contribute to garden hybrids. The original habitat of native species gives clues about how hardy various hybrids will be, and how much shade or sun they will tolerate. It’s interesting to read about the history of the breeding lines they’ve used and resulting crosses. There is a discussion of the various cultivars, arranged by leaf colour and sports. This is handy if you are searching for a particular colour of Heuchera for your garden. They also give recommendations for particular garden sites such as woodland or rock garden, including sample planting maps. There are lots of coloured photos throughout the book of the plants growing in gardens, as well as sketches of leaf and flower forms.

tissue culture from Heuchera Tiarella and Heucherella by the Olivers

I was particularly interested to read in the Olivers’ book about how tissue culture works, since so many plants are propagated this way now. For this process they use small pieces of axillary buds in sterile nutrient medium and they even give the basic recipe and steps, not that I’m ready to set up a micropropagation lab.

There are a few drawbacks to both volumes. Since they were published in 2005 and 2006, neither of these books discuss the very newest cultivars that have been bred in the last 7 years. It would be great if there was an updated version of each. Also, because some newer Heuchera are more tolerant of heat and sun, it’s important to know the cultivars’ requirements before choosing one for your gardening zone or a specific light exposure in your garden. Neither of them necessarily gives those details, other than for the species. Despite these minor points, they are still very informative books that make them an enjoyable read.

If you are growing these perennials, or are interested in finding out more about them, I’d recommend either book as a handy garden reference, an interesting plant history, and an inside look at their breeding. Both are very useful if you are interested in a comparison of the species, details of cultivars, tips for their care, and instructions for propagation.

Heucherella ‘Dayglow Pink’ in my garden

In the photo above you can see the dark pink Heucherella ‘Dayglow Pink’ growing in my garden next to some Tiarella. Here is a comparison I wrote of the foliage of some of my Heuchera. There are pictures and information about Heuchera ‘Cinnabar Silver’,   ‘Plum Pudding’, and  ‘Green Spice’ in these articles. You can read about  ‘Havana’ and  Peppermint Spice’, as well as ‘Raspberry Ice‘. There’s a comparison of my Tiarella, and there are pictures of my Heucherella in this post.

Do you grow any Heuchera, Tiarella or Heucherella, and if so, which are your favourites?

hippeastrum (amaryllis)

Merry Christmas. I hope that everyone is enjoying the season. It is very cold and snowy here, so I look out the window wistfully at the parts of the garden that manage to rise above the snow, and make plans for next year. I’m looking forward to the first spring bulbs, but meanwhile I’ve got a few bulbs growing indoors.

amaryllis bulbs growing

In order to enjoy the scent of soil and the satisfaction of watching something grow, I’ve got some Hippeastrum (amaryllis) bulbs in various stages of growth. It’s such fun to watch their progress, and of course so easy since they don’t require chilling. From the first tiny point of emerging green to the splendid, showy flowers, they are fun to observe. The ones in bloom need staking, even after only one of the flowers fully opens, and the heavy pots help keep the tall, top-heavy flowers stable.

Christmas bears

Here’s a warm fire to offset the frigid temperatures outdoors. The Christmas bears are warming their toes, after having fun in the snow, but I’ve warned them not to get their paws too close.

Christmas tree ornaments

This collage shows some of the ornaments from my tree. I have some birds that I’ve had since I was a child, given to me by my father when I belonged to the young naturalist’s club. I got one per month, and now 40 or so of them nest in my tree. The little presents were ones that I made from homemade wrapping paper, by carving and printing them with ink onto tissue paper. There are more teddies on the tree, and various mini-wreathes and mini-baskets I’ve made and wrapped with ribbons, berries or cones. I made some little cross stitched ornaments, too.

Christmas presents

I hope that Santa is good to you, and that you have a peaceful holiday. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Northern Shade.

October fall garden collage

In the middle of October, the Hydrangea paniculata flowers still had tinges of pink, the Phlox paniculata were white and purple, while the leaves of Tiarella and Heuchera were providing decorative patterns in the garden. The various Campanula were mostly still sporting pretty blue flowers, for an almost summer look.

late October snow in garden collage

Then at the end of October, the garden had a light frosting of white. It decorated the leaves of evergreen plants, like Cornus canadensis (bunchberry), Tiarella (foamflower), Heuchera (coral bells),  Helleborus (hellebores) and Epimedium (bishop’s hat). The snow etched the edges of the birdbaths, but there was still water for the birds to visit.

deep snow in garden collage

Now, we have over 30 cm (a foot) of snow, enough to cover the low perennials, and beat the taller perennials to the ground. The birds will have to bring a snow shovel if they want a bath. We’ve changed to winter, and the plants that take centre stage are the tall conifers. They will remain the stars for the next 5 to 6 months. The large spruce and pine, so prevalent in the Boreal Forest just north of here, easily withstand the weight of snow on their branches. It collects on their outstretched branches, and then eventually rolls down the sloping boughs of the spruce, or sifts through the widely spaced needles of the pines.

tall conifers with snow

Here are some tall Picea (spruce) in my front yard showing their best trait, which is to upraise piles of white snow with their long green boughs. These living sculptures are a wonderful antidote to the blandness of winter. The conifers are over 35 years old, so they are imposing on the landscape. Although I live on an average sized lot in the suburbs, they create a forest atmosphere. Wildlife appreciates them, too, all year round.

Pinus mugo with snow

My tall Pinus mugo (mugho pine) has multiple stems. It’s a rangy forest pine, rather than one of those cute little mini mugho shrubs for the mixed border. I’ve been wanting to add a more compact mugo to a different garden area, but this large one is a match for the spruce trees here. In the garden underneath there are lots of Tiarella (foamflowers) covered up for winter.

animal tracks under evergreens

Here is where a pine and spruce meet in front of my house. You can follow the animal tracks under the trees to a cozy conifer cave.

animal tracks under spruce tunnel

More tracks lead under some spruce branches that are about 60 cm (2 ft) off the ground. There are many short perennials planted under these trees that are buried until spring. The snow helps insulate the Heuchera (coral bells), Tiarella (foamflower), Brunnera, Hosta, dwarf Aruncus (goatsbeard), Epimedium (bishop’s hat), Asarum (wild ginger), Hepatica (liverleaf) and others in the garden here. In the summer I’m always looking down to see the perennials, and don’t notice the evergreens as much. In winter it’s the conifers, twice the height of the house, that catch your attention, and force you to look up.

snow on railing

We’ve transitioned from late fall into full blown winter. Snow is piling up on every surface, and last night it was -19° C (-2° F). Instead of hunching over, and staring at the snow as I rush from car to house, I can look up at the sparkling conifers and the blue sky. When the sun shines, and the snow glistens, it can be enjoyable to be outside and delight in the winter sights.

Cornus canadensis group with red berries

Cornus canadensis (bunchberry) is a woodland plant that is native to large parts of Canada. It works as a groundcover under trees in the garden, too. This subtle plant with green leaves perks up with seasonal changes, adding colour to the garden with white flowers in late spring as well as bright red leaves and berries in autumn. This fall, I was hiking in the montane and subalpine areas near Banff, and saw bunchberry plants spread out into the distance as I hiked under the pine and spruce  trees. You can see the wild bunchberry in the picture above. My own bunchberry patch is more modest in scale.

Cornus canadensis on forest floor

In my garden the Cornus canadensis is growing under a large spruce tree on the north side of the house, next to a walkway. It makes a very natural looking, easy care groundcover. I’m seeking an appearance that is a combination of forest floor and garden in this bed, so the Cornus canadensis fit in perfectly. I’m aiming for this bunchberry section to look like the photo above from the mountains.

Cornus canadensis flower in in my garden

The picture of the white bunchberry flower is from my garden in very late spring. I planted my C. canadensis 3 year ago, and they are just filling in now. Since they are a native wildflower,  I expected them to spread a little faster, but I suppose the extra shady site under the conifers and the occasional dryness have slowed them down, or the bunchberry just took a while to settle into the garden. I often see larger patches of it in slightly damper conifer forests, so it might spread faster if I gave it more supplemental water.

Cornus canadensis surrounded by green

The feather mosses are common on the forest floor, and give it a springy surface. I’d love to have more moss growing between the Cornus canadensis in my garden, like the picture above.They are often found in spruce and pine forests, so I thought they would enjoy my mini-forest of spruce and pine.

Cornus canadensis group around logs

Here is another shot of the typical habitat where you will find bunchberry growing in the wild. There is lodgepole pine, Douglas fir and white spruce in this forest. Sometimes I see bunchberry growing with twinflower or kinnikinnick plants. I purchased mine from a garden centre and planted them 3 years ago  in a group on their own in between some Tiarella and Hosta, but I’ve thought about planting some of those other natives with it.

Cornus canadensis white flower in my garden

Cornus canadensis gets small white flowers in the late spring. The photo shows the white flowers on my plants back in June. Those 4 decorative, white shapes are the bracts, and the flowers are the little green part in the middle.

Cornus canadensis 2 plants with berries

Come autumn, the plants develop cluster of bright red berries. Mine didn’t get the berry clusters like the wild ones in the shot above. Birds and wildlife eat the berries, so either the neighbourhood wildlife got them already, or they never developed.

Cornus canadensis with berries in fall

Looking at this shot from the mountains, I think I need to add some fallen tree logs. I do have a piece of bark that is developing a nice mossy coating on the other side of this bed that I might place in the bunchberry patch.

Cornus canadensis under tree branches

The understory in the mountains can be very serene in myriad shades of green, with shafts of sunlight reaching through the tree branches to highlight the little plants of the forest floor. For most of the year Cornus canadensis wears  its green camouflage like the picture above, blending in to the forest floor.

Cornus canadensis bunchberry collage of autumn colour

Then the bunchberry leaves make a brilliant transformation in the fall, changing to bright shades of red and purple. Mine develop red and burgundy coloured leaves as the cooler weather sets in. The collage above is made with my garden photos from this fall. Before the snow comes, they give one last jolt of colour under the trees.

Cornus canadensis in snow

The colour flashes on the leaves are still visible as the snow settles on them. If you’re searching for a  natural looking groundcover for a shady area, Cornus canadensis is a low maintenance choice.

Heuchera ‘Havana’ and Heuchera ‘Peppermint Spice’ are both suited to the shade. Most Heuchera don’t mind low light conditions, but some of the newer crosses have been selected more for sun tolerance. Since I have lots of shade, and don’t get excessive heat in my northern garden, I look for ones that do well in a shady location.

Heuchera ‘Havana’ (coral bells) in pot

Here’s a closeup of Heuchera ‘Havana’ still in its pot before planting. For an extra flash of colour, the stems are a deep purplish red. The flowers will be a dark pink, almost red, color, but my three  new ones won’t  have any blooms until next year. Some coral bells have very small flowers on overly long stems, but ‘Havana’ have many bells arranged along a number of proportionate stems to make a more impressive display.  These dense and attractive flowers on ‘Havana’ will rebloom as well, so it has more than just good looking leaves going for it.

Heuchera ‘Havana’ (coral bells) leaf closeup

Heuchera ‘Havana’ has very light, yellowish green foliage, with a hint of silver. At times it has more yellow in the leaves. The leaf veins are an apple green colour. That lighter colour is especially noticeable in the shadows under the trees. There are small flashes of red and purple underneath some ‘Havana’ leaves now. The leaf colour of Heucheras can vary as the temperature drops, and even as moisture levels change. In early spring and late fall mine develop more red and purple tones.

Heuchera ‘Havana’ (coral bells) in garden

Here is ‘Havana’ planted in the shade, beneath the boughs of my spruce. It’s recommended for very shady sites, or only a few hours of morning light, so I think it has the perfect location. You can see the darker shadows here, and how the leaves reflect the light that makes it under the tree, so the plants show up well. Next summer I’ll see how many flowers they produce in this section of the garden.

Heuchera ‘Peppermint Spice’ (coral bells) leaves and ladybug

This photo was taken before our recent deeper frosts. By the time I planted the Heuchera ‘Peppermint Spice’ and reached for my camera, a ladybug had already settled in on the leaves. These insects were my constant companions while gardening this fall.

‘Peppermint Spice’ has green leaves with a faint silver overlay, and a darker brownish purple contrasting colour spreads in patterns along the leaf veins. The leaves are similar to  my ‘Mint Frost’ or ‘Green Spice’, but the flowers are supposed to be nicer than either of those. The bright pink blooms of this cross are larger and more noticeable, which they get from their Heuchera sanguinea heritage. I’ll see how many flowers they get in a shady location next year.

Heuchera ‘Peppermint Spice’ (coral bells) flowers

The Heuchera ‘Peppermint Spice’ will get an hour or so of early morning light, and then indirect and dappled light for the rest of the day. Since ”Peppermint Spice’ is best in part shade to shade, they should do well here. The foliage behind the flowers is from a tall Actaea simplex. The conspicuous flowers of ‘Peppermint Spice’ should show up well against the green background.

This garden section is backed by Actaea simplex ‘Atropurpurea’ (bugbane). I planted the ‘Peppermint Spice’ in front between groups of Tiarella  ‘Sugar and Spice’ (foamflower) and Heucherella ‘Tapestry’ (foamy bells), both of which have evergreen leaves, too. There are also pretty little Campanula (bellflowers) planted here, some C. poscharskyana (Serbian bellflower), and C. cochlearifolia (fairy thimble bellflower). Next to the Actaea are some Osmunda regalis (royal ferns). These ferns are supposed to grow very tall, 1.2 to 1.8 m (4 to 6 ft), but in my climate they are more like minor nobility at about 30 cm (1 ft) tall.

I’m looking forward to seeing how ‘Havana’ and ‘Peppermint Spice’ settle into the garden. I’ll show pictures next year of how the new Heuchera look flowering in the shade. My other Heuchera have been winter hardy in my zone 3 garden, so I expect these to do well. Heuchera leaves look fabulous in the fall and continue to look great well past the frost. Even after a snow fall, if they aren’t buried, they are adding wonderful colour to the shade garden.

digging new garden bed by spruce

I’ve been digging up more lawn and expanding the garden bed between some spruce trees. This section is going to have mainly plants with silver leaves. The perennials here will have to enjoy the shade, but this part of the garden does get some sun in the morning. I had a number of other silver plants already chosen for this site, but as I renovated and expanded other garden beds, the stash got raided and I used them all up, so my plans changed a little.

Brunnera macrophylla ‘Looking Glass’ leaf closeup

The main plants here will be 14 Brunnera macrophylla ‘Looking Glass’. ‘Looking Glass’ have leaves with lots of silver on them, and a pretty pattern of dark green lines along the veins and edges in early spring, very much like Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’. Then in summer the silver expands to cover most of the leaf and the green lines are very thin. The silver leaves are almost like little mirrors for your garden, reflecting the light and brightening up shady areas. The terrific foliage will last past the first light frosts in autumn. We’ve had a number of days of frost and a night as low as -4° C (25° F), yet my Brunnera in the garden still have gorgeous leaves. I love the Brunnera for this long season of interest in the garden. Since our growing season can be very short in zone 3, any plants that produce leaves quickly in spring and hold them past a few frosts in autumn are highly desirable. The Brunnera do very well under trees, too. They also hit the sweet spot of being very easy to grow, but never annoying or spreading too far.

Brunnera macrophylla with pot bound roots

While I got some great deals on these perennials, the one problem with end of season plants is that the roots can be pot bound. With the plant out of its pot and on its side, you can see the roots are encircling the root ball. I cut the edges, and teased the roots out, to encourage them to grow outwards once they are planted. I’m not too worried about the tight pot causing problems for the Brunnera, as I’ve planted them in much tighter spaces in my garden.

Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ between willow roots

In my back garden, one Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’, shown above, is planted in a tiny pocket in between large willow roots with almost no soil. In fact, there wasn’t room for the whole root ball when I planted it, so I shook most of the soil off and squished the almost bare roots into the narrow confines. Then I sprinkled a little soil on top to hide the evidence of the crime. Most plants would not be happy with this treatment, but that Brunnera is still growing 5 years later. It is smaller than my other Brunnera, but gets the same beautiful leaves. Only Little Runty and I, and now you, know the truth of what it’s like under the soil surface.

Brunnera macrophylla ‘Looking Glass’ flower closeup

The pretty blue sprays of flowers, looking like forget me nots, last for about 6 weeks in spring. Originally I had some Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ to plant in the front garden, but planted them elsewhere. Then at an end of season sale, I got a great deal on a number of ‘Looking Glass’. I was surprised that there would be so many of these wonderful plants left on the deep discount table. Obviously I haven’t done enough to explain how perfect the Brunnera are as garden plants, or they would have been snatched up much quicker by other gardeners. On the other hand, it was lucky for me to find so many remaining.

new plants arranged in pots by spruce

I’ve left a few vacant spots where I’m going to put some stepping stones. Now you might be asking, “Northern Shade, if you wanted to show the new ‘Looking Glass’ plants, why did you take such a blurry picture of them, and such a crisp picture of the spruce needles?”, because that’s what I’m asking myself now. I have refrained from digging them all up and sticking them back in their pots just to get a better picture.

The plants are actually bigger than they appear, since many of the largest leaves were deteriorating in their pots at the end of the season and had to be cut back, leaving just a few small leaves showing. When first planted, perennials often look so isolated as tiny plants at their required distance. However the Brunnera won’t take long to reach their full size, which can be 50 or 60 cm (around 2 ft) across. The broad leaves can form a nice solid patch that keeps out all weeds.

Heuchera ‘Green Spice’ leaf colour

I was going to plant some Heuchera ‘Green Spice’ (Eco-Improved’), which has  green leaves with a silver overlay and purple veins for part of this planting. Although the ‘Green Spice’ flowers are not showy, the leaves are wonderful. I planned on using it as a transition between the purple leafed Heuchera ‘Raspberry Ice’ which you can see in the top left corner of the photo above, and the silver Brunnera macrophylla. However the ‘Green Spice’ got co-opted for another garden bed. I looked around, but couldn’t find a nice silver and green Heuchera with a little bit of purple on it, because it was so late in the season. I decided to just put in the ‘Looking Glass’, and next year I’ll add some ‘Green Spice’ as a bridge in between the purple and silver.

Lamium maculatum ‘Orchid Frost’ plants newly planted

I’ve also added the groundcover Lamium ‘maculatum ‘Orchid Frost’, with beautiful silver leaves that have narrow green bands around the edges. I got a great deal on the ‘Orchid Frost’ plants at an end of season sale, and would have planted a larger patch if there had been more remaining. However, the Lamium should spread easily.

In fact that is why I haven’t planted any Lamium up until now. I admired the wonderful silver colour of the new cultivars, but was wary that they might spread too quickly. I like the “hardy” quality in plants, but I don’t like the “move in and take over the whole garden” trait. These new cultivars are supposed to be well behaved and far removed from the more annoying Lamium, so I’ve decided to give them a try. Since they are backed by a gigantic spruce tree behind, and a walkway in front, there isn’t too much space to get annoying either. Their hardiness will come in handy here.

Lamium maculatum ‘Orchid Frost’ flowers

The flowers of ‘Orchid Frost’, looking like dragon faces, are a light pinkish purple colour. I don’t expect the tiny flowers to be very showy, but I planted them mainly for the leaf colour. I was looking for some more L. ‘White Nancy’, which has similar foliage with white flowers, but couldn’t find any left now. One advantage of the ‘Orchid Frost’ is that it is supposed to be more resistant to leaf diseases than other Lamium, which is a bonus for a foliage plant.

Chionodoxa ‘Alba’ bulb packages between Lamium maculatum ‘Orchid Frost’

Chionodoxa ‘Alba’ package and bulbs in front garden

To add early spring flowers to this part of the garden, I planted some Chionodoxa ‘Alba‘ (glory of the snow) in between the Lamium. These are the white form of glory of the snow. I grow lots of the blue Chionodoxa forbesii and I’ve also planted some C. ‘Alba’ with  blue Scilla siberica (squills) in my backyard, but here they will flower against the blue of the spruce needles. Tucking bulbs in between perennials extends the flower show.

Crocus sieberii ‘Tricolor’ bulb package between Brunnera

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Gipsy Girl’ bulb package between Brunnera

In between the ‘Looking Glass’, I’ve planted some purple Crocus sieberii ‘Tricolor’ and yellow Crocus chrysanthus ‘Gipsy Girl’ (snow crocus). They will flower first before the Chionodoxa. After the Crocus flower, the Brunnera will quickly grow large leaves that will hide the crocus foliage as it dies back.

ladybugs in grass while digging

The lawn was full of these ladybugs. Just about every piece of sod that I dug up had to be inspected for ladybugs before I turned it over. Then I had to carefully coax them out from between the grass blades and spruce needles, and deposit them on some nearby plants. It probably doubled the time required for digging. It was a beautiful gardening day for October, so I didn’t mind spending time outdoors, and got into a rhythm of dig, inspect, move, turn, and repeat.

The lady bugs are digging in for winter now, and finding protected spots under the leaves to brave the Edmonton winters. The perennials are dieing back and retreating underground in preparation for the approaching cold. I’m not quite ready to retreat indoors yet for winter, but I’m already anticipating spring when my new perennials will return with some nice silver leaves against the silvery blue spruce needles.