At smaller resolutions, you have to click to see the full photo, since the photo overflow is hidden.

Athyrium fern Heuchera coral bells

This is across the walkway from the garden under the evergreens, that I wrote about earlier. This section of garden is extra shady, since it is on the north side of my house with tall conifers. I rearranged this part of the garden bed, and added new Heuchera and the Athyrium ‘Ghost’ at the back in the corner. I’ve planted this fern in a few shady garden areas, since it brightens the bed up with the reflective silvery green fronds.

Heuchera 'Cinnabar Silver' coral bells

To one side in front are three Heuchera ‘Cinnabar Silver’ (coral bells). There are another three of these Heuchera across the walkway. This cultivar will stay fairly short, including the flower stalks. ‘Cinnabar Silver’ has a wonderful silver sheen, with purple tones on the leaves. The veins are a dark contrast to the metallic leaf. I love the way this foliage looks with the silver fern.

Heuchera 'Green Spice' 'Eco-improved' coral bells

On the other side in front are three Heuchera ‘Green Spice’ (also called Eco-improved’). These coral bells have slightly silver green leaves with purple running along the veins, making beautiful patterns. The newest leaves have a red colouring along the veins. Around the edge of each scalloped leaf is a medium green band. The foliage of ‘Green Spice’ is fantastic, coordinating well with the woodland plants across the walkway, yet having a little extra dazzle.

Athyrium 'Ghost' fern next to Heuchera

The Athyrium ‘Ghost’ fern produces a good number of these light green and silver fronds. They develop a very lush look over the season, since they send up new fronds throughout the summer. It grows about 45 cm (18 inches) to 60 cm (2 feet) tall in my garden. This cross between Athrium filix-femina (lady fern) and Athyrium niponicum (Japanese painted fern) is a real winner, both beautiful and hardy.

Athyrium 'Ghost' fern Heuchera 'Green Spice' 'Cinnabar Silver'

I like the green, silver and purple colour scheme in this garden area now, and it coordinates nicely with the green, silver and white scheme on the other side of the walkway. The green and silver fern, green, silver and purple ‘Green Spice’ and silver and purple ‘Cinnabar Silver’ make an attractive trio. This fern and Heuchera combination can handle the shade cast by the house and trees, and provide beautiful colour with their foliage all season.

Here are some more photos and information about coral bells in my garden, a post about Heuchera ‘Mint Frost’, and one about Heuchera ‘Plum Pudding’.

Campanula lactiflora 'Prichard's Variety' flower details

Campanula lactiflora ‘Prichard’s Variety’ (milky bellflower) has upward facing, open flowers of a blue lavender colour. It is one of the taller bellflowers, and has light, yellowish green foliage. These can be planted in full sun, but I’ve been pleased with the number of flowers mine develop in part shade.

Campanula lactiflora 'Prichard's Variety' flower closeup

The light violet blue flowers of ‘Prichard’s Variety’ are very attractive, and are held at the top of the plants. Each flower has five long petals that curve back away from the bell, with a small white centre.

Campanula lactiflora 'Prichard's Variety' flowers

The flowers of milky bellflower are similar to the dwarf Campanula portenschlagiana (dalmatian bellflower), but Campanula lactiflora holds their flowers much higher at the top of the upright stems, whereas the dalmatian bellflower has rows of blooms along the flower stems that radiate out horizontally along the ground.

Campanula lactiflora 'Prichard's Variety' with Geranium

When seen next to the Geranium ‘Rozanne’, ‘Prichard’s Variety’ are actually a bluish lavender colour, but on their own they look light blue. In the above photo, the geranium is showing its usual habit of weaving in between neighbouring plants. This trait can create some pretty pairings, and these two perennials look good entwined together.

Campanula lactiflora 'Prichard's Variety' lavender flowers

The lighter coloured leaves of this perennial have a yellow cast to the green, so they would show up well next to darker foliage. Milky bellflower  grows about 60 cm (around 2 feet) tall, with each plant producing a number of stems. At the back of the photo, are the silver leaves of Pulmonaria (lungwort), which also look good with them.

Campanula lactiflora 'Prichard's Variety' one perennial

The above photo shows one milky bellflower plant, so  you can see that each plant gets a fair number of blooms. I planted mine last year, and each plant now has about 20 stems, with a group of flowers at the top of each stem. Campanula lactiflora ‘Prichard’s Variety’ is a pretty, easy care bellflower that will produce a good flower show in summer. You can read about more Campanula (bellflowers) in this earlier post.

Campanula lactiflora 'Prichard's Variety' with Geranium 'Rozanne'

patio west Heucherella Campanula and planter

Here is a shady garden bed with blue, pink and white flowers that I recently rearranged. It gets some morning sun for a short while, and then some dappled shade. There are perennials in the border, and a pot of annuals on the corner that blends right in. Since I planted the container first, I might have got the colour scheme for the perennial bed from it.

Heucherella 'Tapestry' and Campanula cochlearifolia 'Bavaria Blue'

The pink flowers are Heucherella ‘Tapestry’ (foamy bells). This perennial is a cross between Heuchera (coral bells) and Tiarella (foam flower), showing some of the best traits for both. It has beautiful leaf markings, but the flowers are much showier than most Heuchera. The Heucherella like more light than Heuchera. ‘Tapestry’ is  new to my garden this year. I’m very taken with these beautiful plants, and hope that they are hardy. I’ll definitely be planting more of them.

Heucherella 'Tapestry' foamy bells leaves

The leaves of this Heucherella remind me of the foliage of Heuchera ‘Green Spice’ (coral bells), with a green background and dark purple coloured veins. These plants are very attractive. I have some Heuchera with all purple leaves in another part of the garden, and I think ‘Tapestry’ would make a good bridge between them and other green plants if planted next to them.

Heucherella 'Tapestry' foamy bells flower

Here is a closeup of the gorgeous pink flower spikes of ‘Tapestry’. They are thick stalks with very noticeable flowers, in a pretty pink colour. The blooms also last a long time, over six weeks already. You could grow ‘Tapestry’ for the flowers alone, even if they didn’t have decorative leaves. In the background is a Colocasia leaf in the planter with pink and blue flowers.

Campanula cochlearifolia 'Bavaria Blue' flowers

The little blue flowers in the garden bed are Campanula cochlearifolia ‘Bavaria Blue’ (fairy thimble bellflowers). I also have these perennials in another garden section, and added them here for a little more blue colour. With a multitude of tiny blooms, these dwarf bellflowers are colourful and charming.

Campanula portenschlagiana 'Blue Waterfall' flowers by Heucherella

Another dwarf bellflower in this garden bed is Campanula portenschlagiana ‘Blue Waterfall’ (Serbian bellflower). The flowers are just opening, but there are lots more buds to bloom soon. The pretty stars of this Campanula bloom in rows all along the flower stems, which mostly radiate out in sprays along the  ground. This was already planted at the front corner, and you can see how short it is, by the Heucherella towering over it behind.

Actaea ramosa 'Atropurpurea' with Heucherella 'Tapestry'

The tall plant in the middle is Actaea ramosa ‘Atropurpurea’ (bugbane, used to be Cimcifuga). It will grow two metres (six feet) in height by late summer, and will have beautiful tall spikes of cream coloured flowers, high above the other plants. It coordinates well with the Heucherella, because both of them have purple on their leaves. ‘Tapestry’ has conspicuous purple in a pattern along the veins of the leaf, and this Actaea has subtle purple edges to the leaves, as well as purple stems.

Actaea racemosa with Campanula cochlearifolia 'Bavaria Blue'

The photo above shows Actaea racemosa (bugbane) with Campanula flowers underneath. This Actaea also has cream flower wands over 2 metres (6 feet) tall, and was already planted here.  Bugbanes make great plants for some height in a shady garden. I find the scientific naming of Actaea a little confusing, and it might be that these are actually the same. They were switched from Cimicifuga, which is straightforward, but I see ‘Atropurpurea’ listed as a cultivar for both of these species and they look very much alike.

Osmunda regalis royal fern

In between are two Osmunda regalis (royal ferns) in the spotlight above. The fronds of this fern are a light green, which gives them a little glow next to darker leaves. Some lighter coloured foliage show up well in a shady garden. Both of the sections above belong to one plant. The second fern  is behind and can’t really be seen in this photo. This one was originally planted in back, because I thought it would grow taller, so I moved it forward to better enjoy the foliage.

Osmunda regalis royal fern with Campanula cochlearifolia 'Bavaria Blue'

Osmunda regalis has a bit of a shrub appearance. These are supposed to grow quite tall, but don’t get beyond 60 cm (2 feet) tall in my garden. They probably need a longer growing season to reach their full height, or perhaps a warmer climate. One thing they really like is water. They make nice garden plants, even if they don’t get to two metres (6 feet) in my garden. Now that I’ve moved this one to the front of the bed, I hope it doesn’t put on a growth spurt after five years.

Begonia 'Non-Stop Pink' lobelia colocasia esculenta

The planter in the corner has a tall Colocasia esculenta (elephant ear) in the middle. There are Begonia ‘Non-Stop Pink’ putting on a good floral show around it with their double flowers, as well as some pink double Impatiens, and blue Lobelia cascading over the edge.

Begonia 'Non-Stop Pink' and lobelia planter

Here is a closeup of the lovely double begonia flowers. They don’t mind the shade, and seem to thrive in the extra water that the Colocasia gets.

Colocasia esculenta elephant ear plant

This closeup of the Colocasia esculenta leaf shows the wonderful leaf texture and size. If there is anything better than a nice big leaf, it’s a big wet leaf in the rain. It makes an umbrella for the begonia, one of which is peeking out to see if the rain has stopped.

patio west Heucherella 'Tapestry' and pot

This bed in part shade has pink and blue flowers, and there will be white from the Actaea in late summer. Continuing along, just to the north of this section, is a Philadelphus (mockorange) shrub with white blooms, while to the south are some Lamprocampnos spectabilis ‘Alba’ (bleeding hearts, used to be Dicentra) with white flowers. You can see a few of the bleeding heart flowers still left at the back of the photo above. I used to have some daylilies where the Heucherella are, but it is more shaded now, and they weren’t doing as well. I instantly liked the new arrangement in the shady garden, as soon as it was finished.

The soil under the spruce is a pleasure to work in. It has years of decomposing needles and tree debris, making a thick spongy layer. It is difficult to dig with a shovel, because of the lower tree branches getting in the way of the handle, so I ended up scooping some of the holes easily with my hands, since the soil was so soft.

Pachysandra terminalis 'Green Sheen' under evergreen

Do you see how dim it looks at the back of this photo? That’s because it’s right against the spruce trunk with branches coming down within half a metre (under 2 ft) of the plants. Yet, the Pachysandra terminalis ‘Green Sheen’ is glowing in the background, even where the dappled light doesn’t reach.

Pachysandra terminalis 'Green Sheen'

The glossy Pachysandra terminalis ‘Green Sheen’ (Japanese spurge) is reflecting light in the deepest shade. I never had the urge to add Pachysandra to my shade garden before, until I saw the foliage of  ‘Green Sheen’. Like a magpie, I’m attracted to shiny things in the garden. :) This groundcover is recently planted, so I don’t know for sure how it will overwinter in zone 3, but I think it is going to do well in this siting.

Asarum arifolium ginger leaf detail and woodland floor

I just moved the Asarum arifolium (wild ginger) from under the darker spruce tree, where the Pachysandra is now located, to the base of the pine tree. I’ll be able to see the attractive leaves better here, and it will get a bit more light. I’m pleased with how these Asarum have survived so far. I planted them last fall, but they were rated for a warmer zone. The evergreen leaves of the ginger were there in spring, but disappeared at the end of May when we had a snowfall and frosts. Then a few weeks later, one appeared, and now there are five plants showing. I hate to stress them by moving the plants again, but this will be a better position for them, right next to a silver and green grouping, where their faint silver markings will look super.

Asarum arifolium flower detail

As I was moving them, I notice that they already had a flower this year, so they not only survived the winter and the very late spring  frost, they even had enough energy to flower. The flower is the green structure, looking like a pitted olive, on the upper left of the photo.The flower is not showy, just rather interesting, but it’s a good sign that they are actually hardy in zone 3. The flowers of Asarum are usually right on the ground, hidden by the leaves, but this plant has been dug out and is laying sideways, so you get a good view.

front shade garden under evergreens

This is one of my favourite foliage combinations: Athyrium ‘Ghost’ (ghost fern), Hosta ‘Francee’ and Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ (Siberian bugloss). The white edges of the Hosta leaves, with the silver fern fronds, next to the silvery green Brunnera are very attractive. The transplanted Asarum are at the top in the middle, but you have to click the picture to enlarge and see them. This pine is multi stemmed, so I’m planting in the pockets between the small curving trunks.

Asarum arifolium behind other perennials

Here is a closeup, so you can see how nice the leaves look on this ginger. The Asarum arifolium has faint silver markings on it,  so it coordinates beautifully with the perennials that were planted last year in front. If I leave them alone, they should fill in and cover the ground.

Hosta 'Patriot' under evergreens

Hosta ‘Patriot’ gets a spot on the other side of this shade bed. It has a wider white margin than the Hosta ‘Francee’ that is already in this bed, so it reflects more light under the pine. I also added another Athyrium ‘Ghost’ (ghost fern) between the two Hosta. Partly because I love the look of the delicate fern fronds next to the bold Hosta leaves, and partly because it will repeat the silver ferns from the front of the bed.

Heuchera 'Cinnabar Silver'

Another new perennial is Heuchera ‘Cinnabar Silver’, which has fabulous silver leaves, with purple underneath. I especially like leaves where the variegation follows the veins of the plants, making beautiful patterns. I chose this Heuchera because it grows shorter, so it fits underneath the low evergreen branches. Even the red flower wands are shorter, so they won’t get tangled with the overhead boughs.

Epimedium grandiflorum 'Lilafee' with late flower

These Epimedium grandiflorum ‘Lilafee’ (barrenwort) were planted last year, and they have filled in beautifully. This one even has a late flower on it. There were many of these purple flowers dancing over the leaves back in May and June.

Hepatica nobilis perennial

These Hepatica nobilis (liverleaf) were planted in the late fall last year, when they were dormant. This year they sent up these good looking leaves, but only one flower so far. I’m assuming there will be more of the beautiful blue blooms next year as the plants mature.

Aruncus aethusifolius (dwarf goatsbeard) with Brunnera

The Aruncus aethusifolius (dwarf goatsbeard) was planted last year, too. It has finely cut leaves, like a fern, with small creamy white plumes waving over top.

Cornus canadensis plant

Cornus canadensis (bunchberry) is a very common woodland plant across Canada. This hardy perennial makes a good groundcover under the spruce. I planted these late last summer, and they are starting to spread now.

garden forest floor under evergreens

You can see in this photo that I’m going for a woodsy look, even though the shade garden is on a suburban front lawn. I leave the tree needles and cones here to add to the forest duff, and have been trying to get more moss to grow. The moss is slowly expanding, and should give a nice green setting for the perennials.

The plantings are looking more full, now, and it is greatly improved from the scraggly grass that was here before. This previous post about this shade garden has a good before picture, showing what it looked like when I started planting. I give this garden some supplemental water, but I don’t have to mulch it, since the conifers do that for me. I’m going to continue expanding the bed out more to the next tree.

Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt' perennial

My ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ peony usually gets about 20 to 30 flowers in part shade, each one pretty on its own, but together they put on a spectacular show. The extra full flowers tend to arch over, especially in the rain. I use a one piece metal ring to hold up the peony flowers, inserted when the perennial is about 30 cm (a foot) tall. The ring is quickly hidden by the rapid growth of the foliage.

This Paeonia lactiflora ‘Sarah Bernhardt’  is planted in an area that is part shade, with more sun than shade. It would probably get even more flowers in full sun, but I’m happy with the couple dozen flowers produced by the perennial here.

Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt' flower closeup

The double pink flowers of  ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ are tightly packed with delicate looking petals. Each overlapping petal is crinkled on the end to give a fuller look. The pink shading goes from deeper on the bottom and interior of the petals, to lighter at the tips, making it a very attractive peony flower

Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt' and campanula glomerata

The soft pink colour of the flowers is easy to combine in a border with many garden plants, especially ones that are blue, pink or purple.

Sarah Bernhardt peony and bellflower

I have some purple Campanula glomerata (clustered bellflower) planted next to the peony that coordinate well and bloom at the same time. On the other side are some Campanula ‘Summertime Blues’ (bellflowers) with a steely blue colour. In front are some shorter Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Grenadin Pink’ (pink carnations) that are in bud now. At the front edge of the bed are some annual  light blue Lobelia that make a flowering border all season.

Sarah Bernhardt peony flowers

The scent alone is a great reason for growing this perennial. The peony fragrance is worth visiting this section of the garden everyday while they are in bloom. These rate at the top of my list of favourite scented plants, along with lilac, mockorange, carnations and lily of the valley.

Sarah Bernhardt peony flower in vase

The flowers make beautiful arrangements in a vase, or even on their own. Above is a flower I picked to display in the small glass vase. I took the picture just before I brought it inside. The scent is wonderful indoors, so I put this one on my dining table to enjoy.

Peonies are reliable perennials, faithfully returning every year. They always make me smile with their predictable cycle of behaviour: ants scurrying over the buds, big pompoms opening, scent perfuming the air, stems bending under the weight of the beauty, rain bending them more, and then after a few weeks petals slowly dropping to carpet the ground. They are a very endearing perennial, foibles and all.

Philadelphus lewisii 'Blizzard' mockorange flowers

‘Blizzard’ is a more dwarf shrub than the standard mockorange, with a better shape. Philadelphus virginalis (mockorange) can have a rangy habit, with long branches sticking out at angles. However, Philadelphus lewisii ‘Blizzard’ has more of a rounded shape, with a compact form and good branching. This makes for an attractive looking shrub, even when it is not blooming. The smaller size, about 1.2 m (4 feet) tall and wide, makes it easy to fit into a mixed garden bed.

Philadelphus lewisii 'Blizzard' mockorange flower closeup

However, ‘Blizzard’ mockorange really earns its space in the garden in early summer when the snowy flowers cover it. The pure white blossoms are gorgeous, with four simple petals, and a cluster of golden anthers in the middle. ‘Blizzard’ has been a very reliable bloomer for me. This hardy shrub flowers every year, even after a cold winter, or late spring frosts and snow.

Philadelphus lewisii 'Blizzard' mockorange white flowers

In the photo above, you can see how the mockorange flowers are clustered at the end of every small lateral branch.  The shrub is bejewelled with the beautiful blooms, for almost three weeks.

Philadelphus lewisii 'Blizzard' mockorange flower cluster

The mockorange scent is wonderful, and one shrub manages to perfume my patio when all of the blooms are fully open. The fragrance is the icing on the cake for the pretty blooms. My Philadelphus flowers from the end of June to the middle of July in zone 3. The lilacs have finished by then, so this is  a good successive shrub for delightful garden scent.

Philadelphus lewisii 'Blizzard' mockorange shrub overall

This is one of the few northern shrubs that you can depend on to give a good flower display in the shade. Mine is sited to get some early morning sun for less than a couple of hours, yet it puts out a full set of blooms.

I highly recommend Philadelphus lewisii ‘Blizzard’ for its reliable blooming in a northern climate, shade tolerance, attractive shape and lovely fragrance. You can read more information and see more photos about this mockorange in this post from last year.

Campanula portenschlagiana 'Hoffman's Blue' bellflower 02

Campanula portenschlagiana 'Hoffman's Blue' bellflower 03

Campanula portenschlagiana 'Hoffman's Blue' bellflower 04

Campanula portenschlagiana 'Hoffman's Blue' bellflower 05

Campanula portenschlagiana 'Hoffman's Blue' bellflower 06

Campanula portenschlagiana 'Hoffman's Blue' bellflower 07

Campanula portenschlagiana 'Hoffman's Blue' bellflower 01

The beautiful Campanula portenschlagiana ‘Hoffman’s Blue’ (Hoffman’s Blue dalmatian bellflowers) are covered in violet blue flowers now. They are a very floriferous bellflower, even in a shady area. I have a long patch of this perennial all the way down the side of my house, so I’ve taken pictures  along the way to show you what a beautiful carpet of flowers they make. You can read and stroll part way along. The purple blue carpet continues for 12 metre (39 feet).

The open bells of this dalmatian bellflower face the sky, so you can see the lovely structure of the curving petals easily, and the inside of the bell. The flowers last about a month, and give a terrific show while in bloom. You can see in the photos that there is hardly any green leaf showing when they are in full bloom, just a blanket of lovely colour in the shade.

The bees love to visit these flowers. There is a constant buzz as I walk along the side pathway. It is difficult to take a picture without a bee in it. Bees love bellflowers, and they especially congregate along this patch. I particularly enjoy watching them squeeze their fat bodies into the bells.

After the flowers are finished,  the dalmatian bellfllowers form a thick groundcover, that few weeds will grow through. There were maple keys here earlier, that I meant to get back and weed, but then the bellflowers filled out and suppressed most of the maple seedlings. I wouldn’t plant it next to delicate plants, but it works very well against the house foundation. I’ve read that Campanula portenschlagiana might be too vigorous in some areas, but I’ve had no problem with them here. Possibly ‘Hoffman’s Blue’ is more well behaved, or the zone 3 climate keeps them well behaved. I’ve also had no problem with them seeding to other areas like the Campanula glomerata (clustered bellflower) do.

These ‘Hoffman’s Blue’ bellflowers are  squeezed in between the cement house foundation and a cement walkway, and have filled the narrow shady area. They even flower up and against the cement wall, and drape a bit to soften the sidewalk edge. The plants are about 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) tall when in bloom.

There is very little maintenance required for these perennials. You don’t even have to cut back the foliage in the fall. They are mostly evergreen, and the new growth hides the older foliage. It is very uplifting to see some green leaves as soon as the first snow melts in spring, and most of the landscape is still a dull tan. I give them some supplemental water, especially when they are flowering, but otherwise they look after themselves.

You can read more information and see more pictures in this previous post about these Campanula.

Campanula portenschlagiana ‘Hoffman’s Blue’ makes an excellent groundcover, requiring very little maintenance. For 4 to 6 weeks they are completely covered in the gorgeous bluish purple flowers, and abuzz with bees.

Athyrium filix-femina 'Lady in Red' and Asarum europaeum

Above are some Athyrium filix-femina ‘Lady in Red’ (lady in red ferns) with Asarum europaeum (European ginger). This is one of my favourite foliage pairs for the shade. The pointed fronds drape over the rounded leaves of the groundcover, and the light texture of lady fern looks great next to the highly reflective European ginger leaves. ‘Lady in Red’ fern stands out a little more than the basic lady fern, because of the dark axis down the middle. It gives the frond more emphasis and definition than the species lady fern, which is all green.  The central axis of the fronds are noticeably red when they first emerge, and then turn a brownish red.

Athyrium filix-femina 'Lady in Red' and Brunnera macrophylla 'Mr. Morse'

These Athyrium filix-femina ‘Lady in Red’ are combined with Brunnera macropylla ‘Mr. Morse’ (Siberian bugloss). The lacy fronds are behind the lovely heart shaped leaves with beautiful silver and green patterns. ‘Mr. Morse’ gets white flowers, instead of the usual Brunnera blue.

Athyrium filix-femina and Brunnera macrophylla 'Mr Morse'

For about 6 weeks in spring, the white flowers of the Brunnera are entwined with the ‘Lady in Red’ fern, looking like a flower arrangement that’s heavy on the greenery.

Athyrium filix-femina (lady fern) and Pulmonaria Majeste

In another garden area I have Athyrium filix-femina next to some Pulmonaria ‘Majeste’ (lungwort). These Pulmonaria leaves are just developing their overall silver grey colouring after flowering. The early leaves, and ones on the flower stalk are still polka dotted.

Athyrium filix-femina (lady fern) and Hosta 'Francee'

Another good combination is  Athyrium filix-femina with Hosta ‘Francee’. The thick Hosta leaves look even better when contrasted with the filigree design of the fern. The lady fern keeps sending up new fronds through the summer, creating a thick look. When there is a breeze, the lady ferns sway over top of the solid Hosta foliage, a very pretty look in the garden, but not appreciated when you are trying to take a picture on a windy day.

Athyrium Ghost fern and Hosta Francee under conifers

These Athyrium ‘Ghost’ (ghost fern) have a fantastic silver cast, which coordinates with another Hosta ‘Francee’ in my front garden. I like the pale colour of the fern with the white edge of the Hosta. These both lighten the area under my conifers, and the dappled light plays on them as the sun moves through the day. I started this garden bed under some pine and spruce last year, and I’m currently expanding it.

Athyrium 'Ghost' fern and Helleborus 'Ivory Prince'

Above is an Athyrium ‘Ghost’ fern with Helleborus ‘Ivory Prince’ (Ivory Prince hellebore). This hellebore has light marbling on the thick leaves, which goes well with the silvery green of the ghost fern. The Helleborus is still holding onto the green flower sepals from spring, and a few blue Brunnera flowers are leaning over from the right. I have an Athyrium niponicum ‘Regal Red’ (Japanese painted fern) on the other side of the Helleborus ‘Ivory Prince’.

Athyrium 'Ghost' and Actaea

Another Athyrium ‘Ghost’ is put together with Actaea (bugbane). The Actaea has a subtle purple edge and its leaves make a nice partner with the fern. In the above photos, you can see how the fern glows in the shade compared to other foliage.

Matteuccia struthiopteris and Pulmonaria flower

This Matteuccia struthiopteris (ostrich fern) is adjacent to a Pulmonaria ‘Samourai’ (lungwort) that always sends a few blue flowers in through the fronds.

Adiantum pedatum (maidenhair fern) and Brunnera macrophylla

The lacy Adiantum pedatum combines with another Brunnera macrophylla. The delicate looking fronds wave over top of the heart shaped leaves. This fern adds a lot of movement of the garden. It has shiny, black stalks from which the leaflets radiate out in a horseshoe shape. The long, slender leaflets give it a more delicate look.

Dryopteris expansa and Hosta 'Francee'

Dryopteris expansa (spiny wood fern) is matched with Hosta ‘Francee’. This Dryopteris is semi-evergreen, keeping some of its fronds past the frost, so it is good for a northern garden. The spiny wood fern has papery spines on the lower stalks that are soft and flexible. It is well behaved, slowly increasing in size.

Athyrium filix-femina Brunnera Sanguinaria

This Athyrium filix-femina ‘Lady in Red’ frond meets a Brunnera and some Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot) which flowered earlier.

Adiantum pedatum (maidenhair ferns) and Impatiens 'Fiesta Ole Frost'

Adiantum pedatum works well with annual impatiens, too. These are Impatiens ‘Fiesta Ole Frost’, with double white flowers. The Adiantum is tall, so the fronds dance over top of the Impatiens flowers.

The fine texture of the ferns looks great in the garden when combined with other substantial perennial foliage. I like it when their lacy texture is complimented by glossy, thick or large leaves. You can read more about Athyrium in this previous post, and about more ferns on this post Do you have any favourite fern combinations?

Iris yellow and purple collage

Here is a collage of my unknown yellow and purple Iris. This Iris is very adaptable, and so I have divided and planted the rhizomes in many different beds around the garden. It grows well in any light from shade to sun. I have it in bloom for about six weeks around the garden because of the different light exposures, starting in the warmest sunny area, and ending in the shadiest. The original plants were one of the few in the garden when I moved in, so I don’t know the name of it, but it came in handy early on when I would be making a new bed, and needed some plants. I took advantage of this accommodating and fast growing perennial by planting it with many companions in new garden beds.

The falls (lower petals) are a maroon purple with white lines, and the standards (upper petals) are a beautiful butter yellow. It is not my favourite colour combination, as I would have picked a different shade for the falls, but it is now the most plentiful in the garden, because of its easy nature. The yellow and purple petals create these large displays of blooms in June, and turns the area around my deck into a sunny coloured garden patch. When I look out the window, I see all these blooms rising above the deck, and catch my breath.

The iris on the end of the bed are surrounded by some tall Campanula glomerata (clustered bellflowers) that are just opening their buds, as you can see in the top photo above. The bottom photo in the collage shows  some annual blue lobelia that grow on the right. The Campanula glomerata are gorgeous when the flowers open to bloom with the iris, but are not attractive when they are done flowering. This bellflower is too vigorous as well, so I make sure to deadhead after flowering.

Iris blue flowers

This second Iris has a solid blue flower. Again, it is an unknown, and just appeared in my garden about six years ago. The falls and standards are the same colour, a slightly purplish blue. It has a golden beard at the base of the falls, with some white around the beard. The standards are a little ruffled, with a delicate network of veins showing on the petals as the light shines through. In the morning, as they catch the light, they appear to glow from within.

Iris bitone blue purple flowers

This Iris is a gorgeous cross that happily appeared in my garden last year. It is most likely a cross between the other two, but it is not giving its secrets away. This has my favourite Iris colours, dark purple blue falls and light purple blue standards. In some light it is more blue like bottom left  photo, and sometimes more purple like the bottom right picture. The velvety falls have a beautiful pattern of white lines around the bright golden beard. The contrast between delicate, ruffled petals and deep velvety ones is very appealing. I adore Iris in this colour combination, so I’m glad to see that the clump is strong and increasing in size this year. I will be dividing and planting this one around the garden. Last year, the pink peony behind just missed blooming together with this Iris. However the peony buds are large already,  so perhaps the flowering times will overlap  this year. There are more pictures of iris in this previous post.

Some flowers bring joy all season, and some bloom for a shorter period. The Iris flowers are sparing with their bloom time, but overly generous with their luxurious petals and beautifully classic shape.

If you’re viewing at a smaller resolution, the photo overflow is hidden, and you have to click the pictures to see the full photo.

Syringa vulgaris 'Wedgewood Blue' flower clusters

The flowers of  ‘Wedgewood Blue’ are a lavender blue colour when they mature, while the buds start off as a more traditional purple lilac colour, like the second photo. The blooms are a pretty colour, and coordinate easily with many of the colours in my June garden here in zone 3. The panicles are 20 cm (8 in) long, not the smaller flowers you sometimes find on dwarf lilacs, and the individual petals are wide, not narrow like some dwarf flowers. With the full size, and packed with petals, the blooms are very showy, many of the them hanging in pairs. These flowers give lots of  colour and scent for a small shrub. Last year mine flowered for 3 weeks, but it has been blooming for over 4 weeks this year with our cool, late spring.

Syringa vulgaris Wedgewood Blue lilac buds

Of course lilacs not only delight with their pretty blooms, but they fill the senses with their wonderful fragrance. The scent of this lilac is fabulous, and since the flowers are all at nose height, it is very easy to enjoy the wonderful perfume, without being on tiptoe. I circulate to this part of the garden everyday while it’s in bloom to breathe deeply of the delicious fragrance.

My compact shrub is about 2 metres tall (6 feet) tall and wide. It has a natural vase shape, which is very attractive. The base is narrow, so there is lots of room for underplanting the smaller lilac with bulbs and perennials in a mixed border. I’ve underplanted my ‘Wedgewood Blue’ with crocus for spring and hardy blue geraniums for summer and fall, so there are blooms from when the snow melts until the first Fall frosts, with few gaps.

Crocus under lilac shrub

The bare lilac branches in the pictures above are from April, when the crocus planted under the shrub flowered. The Crocus chrysanthus (snow crocus) on the bottom half of the photo above are the earliest flowers in my garden. They are followed by the Crocus vernus (large Dutch crocus), which are shown on the top half. As the crocus leaves fade away, the hardy blue Geraniums (cranesbills) grow to cover the bulb leaves.

Geranium 'Johnson's Blue' under lilac

The Geraniums bloom after ‘Wedgewood Blue’ is finished, so they continue the flower show. These Geraniums are just developing buds now,  so the picture above is from last year. The first Geraniums to bloom are the ‘Johnson’s Blue’, followed quickly by ‘Rozanne’. The Geranium ‘Rozanne’ bloom all the way to frost. There are a few Campanula (bellflowers) at the front of the bed, too.

Syringa vulgaris 'Wedgewood Blue' lilac double flower

My ‘Wedgewood Blue’  lilac gets one of the sunnier areas of the garden. It’s in part shade, but more sun than shade, and the shrub seems to do well. It used to be more shaded from an overgrown Viburnum that I had to remove last year, and it is blooming better than ever now.

Syringa vulgaris 'Wedgewood Blue' lilac closeup

I highly recommend Syringa vulgaris ‘Wedgewood Blue’, if you are looking for a smaller lilac to fit into your mixed borders, but still want the full lilac flower effect on a dwarf shrub.