Heucherella 'Dayglow Pink' pink with athyrium ghost fern

The pretty pink flowers and attractive leaves of Heucherella (foamy bells) have been looking fantastic the garden for the last few months. These hybrids are crosses between two of my favourites, Heuchera (coral bells) and Tiarella (foam flower). They make very decorative plants for a part shade to medium shade garden site. The two varieties I’ve grown have attractive marking on their leaves, down the centre of each lobe. Heucherella also have showy blooms, unlike many of the Heuchera that were bred for fantastic leaf colour and sometimes lack on the flower side.

Heucherella 'Tapestry' pink flower closeup

Heucherella ‘Tapestry’ has spikes of pretty pink flowers. They start as cones with tight rose pink buds, and open to the frothy light and medium pink flowers.

Heucherella 'Tapestry' leaf detail

The green leaves are well marked with dark patches along their centres. It is a very attractive effect, and they are a pleasing change from the more solid green leaves of the garden. Their broad shape with deep lobes is more substantial than many other leaves, so they look great as a contrast next to the feathery texture of ferns and Astilbe. If a garden is a mass of small leaves, they all tend to blend together, and it looks a little bland when not in bloom. Some colourfully decorated leaves with different shapes , like Heucherella, make for a much livelier garden.

Heucherella 'Tapestry' foamy bells foliage colours

In this photo, you can see how the leaf colour changes as they mature over the season. Some leaves have a silvery cast to them, reminding me of Heuchera ‘Green Spice’ or ‘Mint Frost’, while the small newer leaves are a lighter green with purplish maroon centres.

Heucherella 'Tapestry' foamy bells plant

This group of ‘Tapestry’ have a tall Actaea (bugbane) planted behind them. The leaves look especially glossy as the picture was taken in the rain. We’ve had so much rain this summer that I’ve barely watered my garden, except for new plantings.

Heucherella 'Tapestry' with pink flowers and Campanula cochlearifolia behind

The ‘Tapestry’ foam flowers are in a slightly raised garden bed next to my patio. Beyond the Heucherella are some Campanula cochlearifolia (fairy thimble bellflower), whose blue flowers go great with the pink spikes of the Heucherella. In between the two is an Osmunda regalis (royal fern).

Heucherella 'Dayglow Pink' flowers

My other Heucherella is ‘Dayglow Pink’, which have bright pink flowers that are actually more natural looking than their name suggests. These have been very long blooming for me, and keep sending up new spikes. The flowering started in May, and the foamy bells are still going strong at the end of July.

Heucherella 'Dayglow Pink' group of foamy bells plants

This photo was from a little earlier in the season, so you can see the smaller flower spikes that are just developing.The Heucherella ‘Dayglow Pink’ have an Athyrium ‘Ghost’ fern to one side, and a group of Heuchera ‘Raspberry Ice’ (coral bells) is visible in the front right corner. The ‘Raspberry Ice’ have darker pink flower spikes that blend well with these. It’s a Heuchera that has an excellent combination of flowers and leaves.

Heucherella 'Dayglow Pink' pink leaves

The leaves of ‘Dayglow Pink’ are a lighter green, with narrower dark brown markings along the centres of the individual lobes. The markings are not as visible as ‘Tapestry’, but still add a little extra interest.

Heucherella 'Dayglow Pink' with convallaria

Here is a shot of ‘Dayglow Pink’ from earlier in the season when the Convallaria (lily of the valley) were flowering. I really enjoyed the dainty white bells with the fuzzy Heucherella flower spikes.

My Heucherella are in medium shade sites, where many perennials can be sparse with their blooms. However, these produce a good amount of flowers for their shady locations, making a great display. Over the last couple of years I’ve been adding a lot more Tiarella and Heucherella varieties, since they perform so well in the shade and look good all season.

The foamy bells plants are about 20 cm (8in) tall by 35 cm (14 in) wide, and the flowers are 40 cm (16 in) tall, so they look good at the front of a border, where you can see them. The foliage makes an excellent edging as it is neat and has an interesting shape, while the flowers show especially well with greenery behind them, like the silver coloured fern or the Actaea leaves.

I’ve read that some gardeners have not found Heucherella to be as robust in their gardens, but I’ve been very pleased with the hardiness of these two, since all of my plants survived winter temperatures down to – 40 C (- 40 F) with no problems. It’s all very well to have pretty flowers and nice leaves, but a perennial has to be able to survive winter without a down parka. In their second season in my garden, both of these hybrids are showing a lot of vigour. The last picture is a closeup of a ‘Tapestry’ flower.

Heucherella 'Tapestry' with pink flower spikes

Campanula poscharskyana 'Blue Waterfall' 'Camgood' Serbian bellflower

Campanula poscharskyana 'Blue Waterfall' 'Camgood' flower closeup

Campanula poscharskyana 'Blue Waterfall' 'Camgood' blue starry flower

Campanula poscharskyana 'Blue Waterfall' 'Camgood' blue flowers

The four photos above shows Campanula poscharskyana ‘Blue Waterfall’ which is the picturesque marketing name of ‘Camgood’. Last year it had masses of these gorgeous star-shaped blooms, with 5 narrow petals each, creating a beautiful effect.

Unfortunately, all of the photos of ‘Blue Waterfall’  are from last season, since they went AWOL, despite surviving the previous two zone 3 winters. I’m surprised, as I don’t think that last winter was necessarily colder. Also, ‘Blue Waterfall’ would easily flower right past the first light frosts in the fall, and was often one of the last flowers blooming in my garden. One year it bloomed right up to December, giving every appearance of extra hardiness. Since the other two varieties survived, and these appeared very healthy last fall, I don’t think it was a disease or infestation that destroyed them.

I could try replanting ‘Blue Waterfall’ (‘Camgood’), but I’ve decided to use one of the other varieties instead. Since I haven’t seen them being offered for sale this summer around town, I’ll divide the Blue Gown’ and ‘Werner Arends’ to start underplanting garden areas with a groundcover of blue flowers.

Campanula poscharskyana 'Blue Gown' plant

Campanula poscharskyana 'Blue Gown' flower closeup

Campanula poscharskyana 'Blue Gown' lots of blue flowers

These three pictures above are of Campanula poscharskyana ‘Blue Gown’. It has the same 5 petalled blue flowers in a star shape, but there is a white bee in the centre, which makes the flower pop and stand out a little more. There are many flowers all over the plant, making a pretty sheet of blue. This perennial was right next to a ‘Blue Waterfall’, so it didn’t get a cushier siting, but it has survived the winter and is very healthy.

Campanula poscharskyana 'Werner Arends' Serbian bellflower

Campanula poscharskyana 'Werner Arends' serbian bellflower in bloom

Campanula poscharskyana 'Werner Arends' blue flowers

The three shots above are Campanula poscharskyana ‘Werner Arends’. The flowers of ‘Werner Arends’  have a slightly less noticeable white centre than ‘Blue Gown’. Just one plant has close to a hundred of these blue star flowers, radiating out on horizontal flower stems. This is a good choice for a blue flowering groundcover to cascade over an edge or wall. The multitude of blooms shows up well as  a blanket of blue from across the garden.

The flower stems of all of these Serbian bellflowers are mostly horizontal, spreading out across the ground. With such low profiles, they fit neatly underneath taller plants, to make a pretty flowering carpet. They are perfect for underplanting shrubs that have a little space at their base, like Hydrangea. The Campanula poscharskyana form a pretty groundcover that keeps down the weeds, while providing beautiful colour. They also work well under taller perennials, colouring up the bare soil underneath my taller Actaea (bugbane). Here are more photos of how this Campanula can be planted under perennials. With the showy blue flowers, Serbian bellflowers make a terrific edging at the front of a garden bed. The trailing flower stems of this bellflower can cascade over a planter edge as well. However, in zone 3 they would have to be sited in the ground to overwinter.

When the flowering stems of Campanula poscharskyana start to fade, I just cut them off to start the next round of blooms. There are so many little flowers on every stem, that it is impractical to deadhead them individually, although I’ve done that in the past. I’ve experimented with leaving the old stems on, and they do seem to rebloom still, but removal makes for tidier looking plants.

The bees love these plants, as they do most Campanula. There are almost always  pollinators buzzing around the blooms, flitting in and out of the stars.

I liked all three versions of Campanula poscharskyana that I’ve grown, with the blue flowers mostly having subtle variations. However, I would have to take back my recommendation for ‘Blue Waterfall’ in zone 3, after the total die off this winter. Two out of the three, ‘Blue Gown’ and ‘Werner Arends’,  have proven to be hardy for me in Edmonton. I’ve read that in some climates they can grow too well, but I’ve never had problems with them doing that here. In a warmer climate, you might not want to plant them near more delicate perennials.

The picture below is of ‘Blue Gown’, showing the incredible number of little blue blooms that cover the plants.

Campanula poscharskyana 'Blue Gown' Serbian bellflower

garden bed with iris Campanula Paeonia daisy

This garden bed is an informal tangle of July flowers in bloom. It’s bright and cheery, and the vibrant colour mix suits a sunny July. There is a pink Paeonia lactiflora ‘Sarah Bernhardt’, some tall yellow, purple and blue bearded iris, purple blue Campanula glomerata, (clustered bellflower) and some volunteer daisies that I just haven’t got around to pulling out yet. The potpourri of summer colours are scented by the wonderful peony perfume. The area has a part sun siting, getting a little more light than most of my other beds.

iris bellflower peony flowers

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ has large, double pink flowers with an abundance of extra petals. I adore the over the top combination of wonderful scent and fluffy flower heads. Normally I’m not fond of yellow and pink flowers together, but the addition of purple seems help them get along. The deep purplish blue colour coordinates beautifully with either the light pink of the butter yellow, so putting it between the two helps them harmonize.

daisy iris Campanula

There are lots of these yellow bearded iris of unknown identity in my garden. The iris start blooming in another garden section in May, and by July this garden bed is the last to bloom with iris. These iris have butter yellow standards (upper petals) and maroon coloured falls (lower petals) with beautifully patterned white markings. The two-toned iris fits the multicoloured theme for this garden section, and I especially like it with the saturated purple blue of the bellflower. The yellow and maroon iris is very rugged, so it has done well in every light exposure that I’ve planted it in.

yellow iris around blue iris

In the centre is a pretty, solid blue bearded iris. It comes up every year, but does not spread as well as the stalwart yellow iris. I should probably make a little more room around the blue iris to give it a better chance. It actually does have more space and flowers than the picture above, which makes it look totally hemmed in.

blue iris volunteer in garden

This bitone iris with dark blue falls and light blue standards is a volunteer in my garden, that appeared a couple of years ago. It is my favourite iris that I grow. I like the delicate tracings of white on the falls, and the bright yellow beard. The velvet texture of the dark blue falls is very appealing, and set off by the lighter edging. It has been expanding and producing many more flowers now, so I think it will be ready for dividing this fall.

mixed iris

It is probably a cross between my yellow iris and the solid blue one that you see above, since it has the colour of the solid blue, the darker falls like the two-toned yellow, and the white tracings of the maroon falls. It seems to have inherited the hardiness and willingness to expand of the yellow parent.

Campanula glomerata and iris with yellow and maroon petals

The Campanula glomerata (clustered bellflower) have large, purple flower heads that make a great show in bloom. The  colour goes perfectly with the powder pink peony, and both of them pack the maximum number of petals into a flower. It also pairs well with  the yellow iris.

yellow iris and purple Campanula glomerata

Unfortunately, I’m only fond of the Campanula glomerata plants for about three weeks in the summer, when they are flowering well. After that their foliage quickly deteriorates. Clustered bellflower also spread a little too much to be considered a polite garden resident, so it’s best to cut them back quickly after they have bloomed, and be ruthless about pulling them out as soon as they step out of line. I’ve removed them from my other garden beds, but keep them here since they look so good with their neighbours.

iris Campanula glomerata and peony in garden-bed

These perennials do well mingling together to create a kaleidoscope of pink, yellow and purple colour. When these are done flowering, some carnations, pinks and other bellflowers take over the flower show in front, with the annual light blue lobelia as an edging. Then in late summer and fall, the tall phlox join in.

yellow bearded iris with purple Campanula glomerata clustered bellflower

You can see that this garden section is a little crowded, but the iris and Campanula handle it quite well.

yellow iris and purple bellflower

Here the yellow iris is putting a pushy Campanula in its place with one petal. You have to watch Campanula glomerata as it will squeeze its way into other beds, so I would only plant it with fairly strong plants that know how to push back.

talll bearded iris Campanula glomerata bellflower Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt'

If you’re reading this on a smaller monitor, you might have to click the above photo to see the whole shot. There is also a hardy blue geranium that self seeded into the garden here, fitting right in with the colour scheme. With the exuberant colour of early summer, it is fun to tour the garden each day to check out which new flowers are opening, and how they look with their neighbours. Here are some more iris photos from last year.

shade annuals in flower pot

The pot above is in a mostly shady area, with some morning sun and then dappled light during the rest of the day. It sits on a ledge that runs around my patio. In the middle is an Alocasia x calidora (elephant ear), at the front a Begonia Solenia Light Pink, at the back some Impatiens walleriana (double impatiens), and tucked in around the sides some Lobelia erinus ‘Regatta Sky Blue’.

Alocasia x calidora elephant ear leaf

In the centre of the pot is an Alocasia x calidora (elephant ear) with heart shaped leaves and textured ribs. This hybrid has giant eye-catching foliage that add an exotic tropical look to the planter. These are growing a little slower than the Colacasia that I planted last year, and I think it is because our weather has been so cool for the past 6 weeks. We’ve had very few days that made it as high as 25º C (77º F). Still, they are wonderfully textured, with light green patterns and of course their size adds presence to a container.

Lobelia erinus 'Regatta Sky Blue' pretty flowers in pot

Draped over the sides of the pot are some Lobelia erinus ‘Regatta Sky Blue’. These annuals with such generous light blue flowers might be a common plant for pots, but that’s because they look super as they sprawl over the sides of a container. I particularly enjoy the waterfall effect of their pretty sky blue colour, and the fact that they will flower past the first light frosts. Plus, they don’t mind a part shade siting. I use the trailing ‘Regatta’ in my pots, since it tumbles and drapes so nicely, and Riviera in my shade beds, as it is a more upright dwarf.

Begonia solenia light pink with dark leaves

The double pink flowers in this planter are Begonia ‘Solenia Light Pink’. Although the Solenia are a tuberous begonia developed for the hotter and sunnier climates, they have been doing fantastic in this part shade area through the cooler weather. The double tuberous begonias are great for a pot, since they flower right up until the frost, and you get a lot of petals per plant. These are a  shorter begonia, so they work well under the taller foliage at the centre. Solenia Light Pink begonias have darker, almost wine coloured foliage, which looks good next to the other green leaves in the planter.

Impatiens walleriana' Fiesta White' double flowers in pot

At the back are some Impatiens walleriana with pretty double flowered blooms. The flowers look like tiny roses, and are great in a pot, because the more petals the better. The white petals show up particularly well in a shady garden area. These are another plant that will bloom continuously right up until the first frosts.

Alocasia Fuchsia Lobelia Begonia Impatiens in shade pot

Here is another pot that is very similar at the other end of my patio, getting the dappled light that is common for most of the day. It has the same Alocasia x calidora for a focus in the centre, and Lobelia erinus ‘Regatta Sky Blue’ billowing around the edges. The container also has a Begonia ‘Nonstop Pink’, a Fuchsia ‘Swingtime’, and Impatiens walleriana ‘Fiesta White’. I like the combination of giant leaves, surrounded by lots of double flowers. The fuchsia is very large and hangs down towards the right, so is mostly out of this shot, but I’ve got some more pictures of it down below. This container is loaded with flowers that extend almost 1 m (3 ft) across in a 45 cm (18 in ) pot, but they are all doing really well.

Begonia 'Nonstop Pink' flowers in pot

This double tuberous begonia is ‘Nonstop Pink’.The flowers are very generous, and especially showy. Like Solenia it is a shorter Begonia, so it works well under the elephant ear plant. As with other double tuberous begonia, your get a maximum number of pretty petals per plant.

Fuchsia 'Swingtime' with red and white flowers dangling

In the photo above you can see how gorgeous the  fuchsia ‘Swingtime’ double flowers look. This is a fairly large plant, and it shows well as it dangles over the front of the pot, since it is on a raised ledge around the patio. ‘Swingtime’ has red sepals at the top of each flower, and the corolla of white petals inside. The lantern shaped buds are bright red, and attractive in their own right. The long stigmas are suspended below each flower. These are very appealing flowers, and are terrific draped over the front of a pot.

Fuchsia 'Swingtime' with red and white petals

I’m very pleased with the pink, white and blue colours together. The multitude of pretty flowers protected by the giant leaves makes an engaging miniature scene.

flower pot with annuals in shade

You can see that I carried a similar theme with this third pot on the patio, except there is a calla lily in the centre. There is a small Fuchsia ‘Swingtime’, a Begonia ‘Nonstop Pink’, some Impatiens wallerina with double pink flowers, and the ubiquitous Lobelia making itself comfortable around the edges of the planter.

Zantedeschia 'Fire Glow' calla lily with Begonia and Lobelia

The plant with the nice long leaves that appear speckled in silver with pink tubular flowers is Zantedeschia ‘Fire Glow’ (calla lily). You can see one of the flowers at the front of the picture above. It has a pink spathe shaped like a funnel,  with a yellow spadix in the centre. Although this plant is really for a sunnier site, it actually does fairly well in shade with dappled light. It has about 4 or 5 flowers on it, but mostly I added it for the long tall leaves, which it has produced in abundance. I especially like calla lilies with silver spots on the green foliage, as they add some interest in the dappled shade. While gardeners in warmer zones get to grow these as a perennial, here we have to treat them as annuals, or overwinter them indoors.

shade annuals in pot with calla lily begonia lobelia and impatiens

This fourth  pot is sited on my front porch, but got it’s picture taken when I was planting it near my front spruce. It is more lush now, with lots of the requisite lobelia cascading down, and more double begonia flowers. In the centre is a Zantedeschia ‘Golden Chalice’ (calla lily). Since it is situated in total shade on my front porch, the calla lily doesn’t have any flowers, but I planted it for those tall, speckled, arrow-shaped leaves. I wanted to show you this early shot, before the begonia flowers developed, so you can see the foliage of the Begonia ‘Solenia Light Pink’ better. It is very attractive in dark burgundy with green veins, and makes a nice contrast with the other green leaves. Although the Solenia begonias are supposed to be tolerant of  a hot, sunny location, this has done very well in total shade. As it has matured, there are a lot more of the double pink flowers than the leaves now. This pot also has a Fuchsia ‘Swingtime’ at the back.

Begonia rose pink with picotee petals

Here is the flower of a tall begonia from a fifth pot on my front porch. It is a pink picotee, so the petals are light pink with a dark rose pink edging. This begonia is very tall, and forms the centre focal point to the pot, which is in complete shade. It has many of the usual suspects planted with it.

pot with double begonia and other shade annuals

This sixth planter has a pink begonia, but in the evening light of this photo it appears almost red. It wasn’t identified when I bought it, but is your basic tall begonia. It has grown a great deal in the last two months, and is now 60 cm (2 ft) tall. The underplantings have been squeezed to the sides, but get to send out some flowers around the edges.

Begonia 'Nonstop White' with Lobelia 'Regatta Sky Blue'

This is a smaller pot, about 30 cm (1 foot) across, that is situated on my front steps just down from a larger container. In the middle is a Begonia ‘Nonstop White’, and of course the pushy Lobelia erinus ‘Regatta Sky Blue’ insisted on climbing into this pot, too. On the other side is a Lobelia erinus ‘Regatta Blue Splash’ with white and blue flowers. On the right side is an Impatiens ‘Fiesta Stardust Pink’ with double pink flowers, that have a bit of white in them. The little Fuchsia flower on the upper right is actually hanging down from the pot on the step above.

We’ve had such a rainy June, that I haven’t had to water the containers in the open since I planted them over 6 weeks ago, so they’ve been very low maintenance. All I’ve had to do is remove the odd spent bloom, and the Fire Glow calla lily needed staking.

Those are my annual pots for this year. You can see photos of last year’s flower containers and shade planters in these posts. They are a lot of fun to plant, and make an appealing show when heaped with flowers. I carried many similar plants and colours through the planters, with a few variations in each one. The sweet colours of pink, blue and white brighten up the shady areas, while the bold foliage gives them heft.

Tiarella 'Pink Skyrocket' foam flower mostly open

Tiarella (foam flower) are a new favourite shade perennial of mine. In spring they send up short spikes of pretty blooms over top of very decorative leaves. These plants are very tolerant of growing under the trees, and in other shadowy garden areas. All of mine have survived a zone 3 winter with no problems. Of the three that I grow, ‘Sugar and Spice’ and ‘Pink Skyrocket’ are my favourites. ‘Jeepers Creepers’ might just need another year to settle in and produce more flowers.

Tiarella 'Sugar and Spice' foamflower up close detail

Above is Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’, which gets a good number of flowers. These have been in bloom for over a month now. Each flower spike starts with tight buds, and then gradually the buds open from the bottom. As they open, they produce tiny starry shaped, white flowers. From a distance the combination of pink buds and white flowers have a light pink appearance, living up to their ‘Sugar and Spice’ name. It takes a while for all of the buds to open, and then they appear as very pale pink.

Tiarella 'Sugar and Spice' foamflower with pine needles

I have one group of ‘Sugar and Spice’ right under the low branches of a pine tree, which you can see on the left of the above picture. Despite the challenging shade conditions, they are still producing these pretty blooms. The other group of ‘Sugar and Spice’ have an eastern exposure, and get an hour or so of light in the morning, and then a bit of dappled light throughout the day.

Tiarella 'Sugar and Spice' foamflower close up of leaf markings

The leaves of ‘Sugar and Spice’ are cut into lobes, with very dark, almost black, markings down the centre of each lobe. They have  a reflective finish, especially the new leaves, which helps them show up even more in a shady nook. The photo above was taken in the rain, but even without extra water, they still have a nice sheen.

Tiarella 'Sugar and Spice' foamflower with Convallaria

Here is a pink  ‘Sugar and Spice’ foam flower plant with some white Convallaria majalis (lily of the valley) blooms behind. It is a sweet springtime combination that I took earlier in the month.

Tiarella 'Pink Skyrocket' foam flower in front of birdbath

Tiarella ‘Pink Skyrocket’ bloomed for quite a while last year, and they are doing the same this year. Each plant has a large number of these floral spikes. They start as narrow spikes of dark salmon pink buds, and then open to cylinders of light, fluffy pink. The foam flowers are covered in blooms, even in shady conditions.

Tiarella 'Pink Skyrocket' foam flower with Pulmonaria flowers

The leaves of ‘Pink Skyrocket’ are especially deeply cut, with the lobes going almost to the centre. They have a glossy finish, with narrow dark markings down the middle of each lobe.  The plant above is next to some Pulmonaria ‘Samourai’ (lungwort) which has the beautiful blue flowers.

Tiarella 'Pink Skyrocket' with buds at top

The photo above shows the fireworks appearance that is an inspiration for their name. I have two separate groups of ‘Pink Skyrocket’, and both get little direct light, yet they still make a great flower show and have wonderfully healthy foliage. One group is on the north side of a fence, at the edge of a tall pine, with a birdbath behind, and a Hydrangea shrub beside them. The other group is in a bed at the side of the house, next to a tall Aruncus (goat’s beard) with mostly indirect light.

Tiarella 'Jeepers Creepers' foam flower with bloom

This year my Tiarella ‘Jeepers Creepers’ are later than the others in blooming. I’m not sure if this is their normal schedule, or if it is because they were planted last fall. They also have a smaller number of blooms, even though they are in about the same light conditions as my other Tiarella. It could be that this hybrid is less floriferous, they don’t bloom quite as well in very low light conditions, or they just need another year to get established.

Tiarella 'Jeepers Creepers' foam flower wet leaves

Despite the smaller flower show, the leaves of  ‘Jeepers Creepers’ are particularly attractive. They have very nice noticeable markings, that looks really sharp in the shade garden, making them stand out against other solid coloured leaves. Plus they are tactile, being covered in tiny hairs. I have some ‘Jeepers Creepers’ planted between some purple leafed Heuchera and some green Cornus canadensis, and like how the darkest purple centres of the Tiarella look with the more solid purple Heuchera. The combination of light and dark on the Tiarella makes a nice bridge between them.

Each Tiarella plant is about 30 cm (12 in ) tall and 40 cm (15 in ) across. The foliage is semi-evergreen, though not quite as hardy as Heuchera leaves. Still, they kept many of their leaves over the winter, giving a fast start to the garden colour in spring. Tiarella foliage still looks great at the end of fall, when many perennials had already died back. These are another super perennial for extending your gardening time in a short growing season.

Tiarella 'Pink Skyrocket' pink flowers with pulmonaria blue flowers

You can see how beautifully Tiarella combine with blue flowers. I particularly like them with the Pulmonaria.  So far, ‘Pink Skyrocket’ and ‘Sugar and Spice’ are my favourite for their flowers. However,  ‘Sugar and Spice’ and ‘Jeepers Creepers’ have the nicest leaves. I can highly recommend Tiarella if you are gardening in the shade. They will grow under trees and shrubs, while producing lovely flowers and showy leaves. Here are more photos of Tiarella and Heuchera.

I’ve added a gallery, so you can see more shots. Just click on any small photo to enlarge it to full size.

white flowers in spring

At the top is Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Alba’, formerly Dicentra spectabilis ‘Alba’  (bleeding heart), with those unmistakable hearts strung along the stems. The buds start off green, while the mature flowers are luminescent in the shadows. You can see the buds closest to the bottom of the stems have already opened, while the ones at the top ares still waiting to swell into pure white hearts. I love these old fashioned perennials that don’t mind a darker garden spot and have such a distinctive display of white flowers.

Trillium grandiflorum (large trillium) are on the left of the middle row. The little woodland blooms only flower for a short time, but then the other surrounding perennials take over for the rest of the summer, as these die back. The three white petals, centred against the three leaves, are incandescent in a shady garden area under the trees. These ones have no problems growing underneath the maple, and seem to appreciate the tree debris that decomposes into the soil below.

The Convallaria majalis (lily of the valley) in the middle have the purest white flowers, in clusters of suspended open bells. However, it is their scent that I notice first when I go out into the garden now. I have groups of these flowers in different garden beds, so the wonderful perfume is swirling around as I bend over to tend to the gardens. Although they spread, I find it very easy to pull them out where I don’t want them. Usually I wait until after they have flowered if I need to pull them back. They are so low maintenance, so entrancing in bloom, and the scent is so delightful, that I don’t mind them trying out a new garden bed when I’m not watching. When lily of the valley like their location and produce lots of flowers, their little bells light up the shade garden.

The Polygonatum (solomon’s seal) are on the right side of the middle row. They are just starting to flower, but they haven’t opened into their bell shape yet. The pretty buds are dangling from the stems that curve over. The solomon’s seal flowers are not really white, but there will be pairs of creamy coloured, flared bells dangling all along the stems in a week. Some plants seem to have the bells in pairs, and some are solitary. Mine grow under the branches of a willow tree and compete very well against that giant.

Brunnera macrophylla ‘Mr. Morse’ (Siberian bugloss) have a mist of tiny white flowers for about six weeks in spring. The little starry flowers give a white cloud effect. In darker areas, the white blooms and silver leaves of Mr. Morse add some light. Those beautiful  leaves look just like ‘Jack Frost’, with distinctive green veins on a silvery background. In my garden these Brunnera grow less than a metre (a foot and a half) from the trunk of a maple. Their large leaves suppress the sprouting of the maple keys, which is an added bonus. After picking up a couple hundred maple keys, I often don’t bother with the ones under these perennials. The Brunnera are perfect plants for the shade garden.

Another white spring flower that has finished blooming is Sanguinaria canadensis f multiplex (double bloodroot). Which has many petals in a waterlily shape.

Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Alba', formerly Dicentra spectabilis 'Alba', (bleeding heart)

Here the bleeding heart flowers are strung like miniature patio lanterns. There is such a wide variety of flower shapes that add interest if you are gardening in the shade. My little spring bulbs have faded away, but the woodland shade lovers have taken over, and their white flowers are like little lights under the trees. As I peer out the window for a final look at the garden in late evening, these luminous flowers still glow, illuminated by the last few rays.

spring garden foliage

On the upper left is a combination of Asarum europaeum (European ginger) in front and Athyrium ‘Lady in Red’ (lady in red fern) behind. I especially like the pairing of shiny, rounded heart shaped leaves of the ginger with the feathery fern fronds. ‘Lady in Red’ has a fresh, light green colour, but the centre of each frond is red when they first emerge. The foliage pairing is appealing all season long, and both do well with very little light.

On the upper right is Heuchera ‘Green Spice’ (coral bells). Most of the Heuchera have great foliage, but ‘Green Spice’ stands out for its wonderful contrast of purple red veins on a light silvery green background. The darker green border around each leaf completes the colourful package. The large scalloped leaves look super next any plant with feathery leaves.

In the middle on the left are Tiarella ‘Jeepers Creepers’ (foamflower) leaves with deeply cut lobes and a dark contrasting line down the middle of each section. These perennial leaves make an attractive evergreen groundcover, topped by pretty spikes of flowers.

In the centre of the collage is a  Hosta ‘Patriot’ that is still unfurling. I like the creamy white bands around the margins of the leaves, since get you attention as you scan along in the darker areas of the shade garden. ‘Patriot’ adds a dappled effect in the shadows. The large leaves look good next to delicate or finely cut foliage.

On the right side of the centre row is Heuchera ‘Cinnabar Silver’ (coral bells ) with green and purple leaves that have pronounced vein marks. Not all Heuchera have showy flowers, but these get very attractive red flowers later in the summer. A leftover blue Scilla flower is draped over the ‘Cinnabar Silver’.

On the bottom left is Heucehra ‘Raspberry Ice’ (coral bells), which also has the complete package of both wonderful leaves and flowers. Like many Heuchera, the leaves can change colour through the season, depending on the temperature. You can see some of the silver and green leaves, as well as the purplish red ones. One perk with the Heuchera is that the evergreen leaves will decorate the shady garden all year.

On the bottom right is a closeup of the fantastic foliage of Asarum europaeum (European ginger). These shiny leaves have finally been spreading over the last few years to fill in and create a terrific groundcover. I highly recommend these short plants for the front of the border. Although they are a little slow to start spreading for the first few years, they will gradually fill in to great a really nice edging in even your shadiest areas. The high gloss finish adds some sparkle to the darker sections.

perennials with silver leaves

Above is a collage of  some silver perennial leaves, which are great for bringing highlights to a shady corner. Whether solid, spotted, or patterned silver, the light colour bounces back the few light rays to make it into the shaded sites under the trees, making them stand out and be noticed.

At the top is Pulmonaria ‘Samourai’ (lungwort) with mostly solid silver leaves. Each leaf is long and narrow, with a slender border of green and a central green vein. This make a light coloured background for the blue flowers. These silver grey ‘Samourai’ looks great next to solid green or dark leaves.

In the middle row on the left is Zantedeschia araceae ‘Golden Chalice’ (calla lily). I use these as a centre foliage plant in a planter for a very shady area. They don’t produce much in the way of flowers there, but the tall, silver spotted leaves are a great centre piece for the flowering annuals in the pot. I also have a calla lily in another part shade container, where they produce funnel type blooms.

In the centre of the collage is a Brunnera macropylla ‘Jack Frost’ (bugloss) leaf. This is the king of foliage plants for the shade. Everything about the leaves is perfect, from the beautiful silver colour, to the wonderful patterns of contrasting green along the veins. I always have to stop and admire them when puttering around the garden.

On the right side of the middle row is a Pulmonaria ‘Majeste’ (lungwort) leaf. ‘Majeste’ starts off as spotted silver in spring, and gets more of an overall silver colour later in summer. The freckles are cute, and keep the green foliage from fading into the background.

On the bottom left is a Heuchera ‘Mint Frost’ leaf. It is a light silver green, with darker green veins. These are highly variable perennials, as in the spring and fall they can have orange, red and purple leaves, too. However for most of the summer this is the standard colour.

On the lower right is the solid silver leaf of  Brunnera macrophylla ‘Looking Glass’. It produces large leaves, with slender green lines along the veins. This is a real knockout in the shade as it reflects a lot of light.

Alocasia calidora elephant ear leaf

Here is a very attractive giant leaf of Alocasia calidora (elephant ear). It’s large, wet, and just look at those patterns. The rubbery leaves are about 50 cm (20 in) long right now, and get bigger all summer. I have these Alocasia in a few of my planters in part shade, where they make super focal point for the centre. Elephant ears bring a wonderfully lush tropical look to a planter. In zone 3 they are treated like an annual, although you could overwinter the bulbs inside.  If you’re wondering what the green ‘worms’ are behind the leaf, those are the catkins that just fell from a willow tree.

These are some of the perennial leaves that caught my eye this week when I was out gardening. Although there are lots of spring flowers right now, the foliage of these plants will look great right through until fall. You can see more pictures of great foliage for your shady garden here, and even more photos of  shade plant leaves here.

Sanguinaria canadensis f. multiplex double bloodroot in May

I have both the single and double bloodroot in the garden, and appreciate each. However the Sanguinaria canadensis f. multiplex, the  double form, have an exquisite shape. In spring these give you dramatically beautiful blooms in the shade garden, with the white flowers showing up well in the shadowy areas. Although the flowers look exotic, they don’t mind a zone 3 winter.

Sanguinaria canadensis f. multiplex double bloodroot first buds poke from leaves

Here the Sanguinaria canadensis f. multiplex (double bloodroot) are just emerging from the soil in spring. Each beautiful flower bud rises up with a leaf curled around it. On the right you see the initial appearance, and on the left the leaf is starting to part.

Sanguinaria canadensis f. multiplex double bloodroot buds emerging above curled leaves

As the leaf uncurls more, the flowers rise up and unfold, so you begin to see hints of a the multitude of beautiful petals.

Sanguinaria canadensis f. multiplex double bloodroot white flowers

It seems that this perennial can be listed in different ways, and I sometimes see the double labelled as  ‘Flore Pleno’. Sanguinaria canadensis f. multiplex is extra generous with the petals, the exquisite flowers resembling waterlilies. The pure white colour really stands out against the background in the shade. I have two of these double bloodroots, and this year they have bloomed a week before the single version. The double forms are supposed to last much longer than the singles. However,  mine only lasted a little over a week, a brief but beautiful flowering. They are definitely worth finding space in your shady garden. I go out each day to admire the blooms, but the light colour can also be glimpsed from my windows.

Sanguinaria canadensis f. multiplex 3 double bloodroot white flowers

Bloodroots are native to the woodlands of Eastern Canada, but these are doing fine in the Parkland of Alberta. I have these planted in a very shady area, between the trees. There is a lot of decomposing leaf matter in this garden bed. Although these perennials are supposed to be ephemeral with the leaves fading back after spring, mine keep the foliage all summer, and their unique shape looks good. Perhaps the cooler summers help sustain the plants.

Sanguinaria canadensis f. multiplex leaf closeup

The Sanguinaria leaves are very decorative for a perennial that might hide away for the summer in some areas. The large flat leaves are deeply lobed and stiff, so they make a nice green foil for other plants in the garden. The bloodroot leaf above is looking shiny in the rain. The plants are about 18 cm  (7 in) tall, with the flowers about 23 cm (9 in) in height.

Here  are more pictures of Sanguinaria canadensis (single flowered bloodroot).

Even if you don’t have a woodland, the double bloodroot will do well under the shade of a tree, to bring a little part of the Eastern forest to your garden.

Sanguinaria canadensis f. multiplex closeup of double bloom

One of my favourite parts of this hellebore are the giant rose pink buds that appear so early in the spring. The ice and snow will be melting at the edge of the leaves, and then the fat buds will start to rise up. Even before they open, they are very appealing, and add instant colour to the left over fall leaves.

Helleborus 'Ivory Prince' showing true flower

The flowers themselves are the small clusters in the middle, while what look like petals are the large decorative bracts around them. It’s the bracts that stay on the plants for so long. In my northern garden, they often stay on right until fall, fading to yellow and looking very much like real flowers.

Helleborus 'Ivory Prince' with cream pink and green flowers

What’s especially good about the flowers on this particular hellebore, is that they face upwards and outwards, so they can be admired easily. The petals are a combination of cream, green and pink, set off against the dark green leaves.

Helleborus 'Ivory Prince' with little Chionodoxa

My plants have been slowly expanding in this tough spot, and now make a good sized clump. The photo above shows about three of the group. Not many perennials are happy  growing 60 cm (a few feet) away from a willow trunk, but the hellebores don’t complain. They get an hour or two of direct early light morning light, with the the sun low in the sky. After that they get a bit of dappled light that filters through the willow leaves.

Helleborus 'Ivory Prince' flower closeup

All of my ‘Ivory Prince’ have survived three zone 3 winters with no problems. We do get good snow coverage, which helps to insulate them. I also leave the fall leaves over the plants for additional protection, removing the fallen willow leaves in spring. It’s possible that they wouldn’t do as well on the wind swept open prairie, but they are very hardy in an enclosed garden.

Helleborus 'Ivory Prince' with spring bulbs behind

To the south of this group are some spring bulbs. You can see the Puschkinia (striped squills) and Chionodoxa (glory of the snow) in the background.  This clump of hellebores have expanded, so the little Chionodoxa mingle right at the edges now. The red stems are visible in the shot above, making a good contrast with the green leaves.

Helleborus 'Ivory Prince' just opening

This is a flashback to when the ‘Ivory Prince’ flowers were first opening, with lots of buds still showing pink on the outside, and a little Chionodoxa flower in the bottom left. The leaves are about 20 cm (8 in) tall and the flowers are around 25 cm (10 in) in height. The plants are up to 60 cm (24 in) wide.

Helleborus ‘Walhelivor’ is a particularly charming hellebore, with all of its parts being highly decorative. From the moment the snow melts to show the evergreen leaves, it takes centre stage, continuing to look good through the summer and fall. There are more pictures and information about this hellebore in this post from last year.

Chionodoxa luciliae 'Alba' (glory of the snow) white flowers with fern

Here’s a pretty combination of blue and white bulbs. The Chionodoxa luciliae ‘Alba’ (white glory of the snow) and Scilla siberica (squills) have the same flowering schedule, and show up right after the crocus.

Chionodoxa luciliae 'Alba' (glory of the snow) closeup of flowers

Chionodoxa luciliae commonly comes in a very pretty blue colour, a little lighter than the Scilla. I enjoy the colour, but the white ‘Alba’ are attractive, too, and also coordinate with blue bulbs. The Chionodoxa flowers face upwards, unlike the Scilla, for maximum impact. These groups have filled in nicely, and returned with more flowers. It’s heartening to see bulbs that improve in appearance each spring, rather than slowly fading away quickly over a few years like some do.

Scilla siberica (squills) with blue flowers in May

Scilla siberica are a pure saturated blue. The little blue flowers face downwards, but since both the back and front of the petals are brightly coloured, you can still get an overall effect of a a little piece of the sky. They are very charming and easy to grow, spreading slowly over the years. Since the squill foliage  disappear after spring is done, they don’t interfere with any other plants.

Chionodoxa luciliae 'Alba' (glory of the snow), Scilla siberica (squills), and Puschkinia

Both of these small spring bulbs bloom at the same time as the blue and white striped Puschkinia libanotica, which you can see at the back of the photo. The Puschkinia start first, then the Chionodoxa, and the Scilla join in last. All three of these spring bulbs are reliable, withstanding the cold of zone 3, and returning with strong blooms in early to mid spring. After the flowers are through, it doesn’t take long for the foliage to store up energy for next year, and then die back. Since the leaves are small, they are not as noticeable as tulip and daffodil leaves after the flowers are done, while you wait for them to whither. I find that planting them next to ferns or later perennials hides the decaying leaves quickly.

Chionodoxa luciliae 'Alba' (glory of the snow), Scilla siberica (squills) and Pulmonaria

Both the Chionodoxa and Scilla handle part shade well. In the picture above, they are planted adjacent to some Pulmonaria ‘Majeste’ (lungwort), which you can see on the right. It should have it’s own blue flowers in a few weeks.

Chionodoxa luciliae 'Alba' (glory of the snow) white flowers with Dryopteris

You can see some of the fern fronds between the white blooms, like greenery added to a bouquet in a vase. These Chionodoxa luciliae are planted beside a Dryopteris expansa (spiny wood fern). which is semi-evergreen. The fern keeps some fronds over the winter, so it has ready made greenery to pair with the glory of the snow, as the other ferns are still emerging.

Scilla siberica (squills) with Matteuccia struthiopteris ferns

These squill flowers are resting on the new fiddleheads of the Matteuccia struthiopteris (ostrich fern), pretty blue with alien looking green and brown. The fuzzy looking fiddleheads will unroll very quickly now, growing a metre or so (3 to 4 feet) in a month.

Scilla siberica (squills) with blue flowers

Here you can see the true blue of the Scilla siberica. Both of these bulbs are diminutive, at only 10cm to 25 cm (4 to 10 in) tall, so they look sweet in groups, but a little lost individually. They  provide some early flower colour as the first perennials are barely starting to bloom. They look very natural, so you can plant them in a more formal garden bed, or under the trees for a woodland setting.

Here is a gallery showing different photos of the squills and glory of the snow. You can click on any small photo to see it full size.