Aruncus dioicus (goatsbeard) is lighting up the shade right now. This perennial is about 2 metres (6 feet) tall. Unlike some of the subtle shade plants, goatsbeard grabs the attention, especially when its towering white flowers bloom.
The tall plumes are a cream colour that are very noticeable in the shadows. The long narrow blooms sway in the breeze, and give the plant a more delicate look at the top, than the solid foliage below.
The foliage is like a coarser version of an astilbe. It grows quickly in the spring, and forms a substantial clump. It can be 1.2 metres (4 feet) across. This perennial looks more like a shrub when it matures, growing rapidly from new sprouts every spring.
Goatsbeard is a great perennial for the back of a shady border, or in a corner. This healthy plant receives about an hour a day of direct light. It tolerates medium shade very well, but it is not as happy about deeper shade.
Another of my A. dioicus was planted in a darker corner under a willow. Whether from the deeper shade, or the competition with willow roots, it never bloomed, and only grew a half metre (a few feet). The branches were close together, like the stunted trees you find growing in alpine areas, a little krumholtz. I’ve moved it to a medium shade location last year, but it hasn’t caught up in height with my other goatsbeard, nor has it bloomed. I hope I haven’t permanently stunted it, from an impoverished start.
Aruncus dioicus blooms in the summer, when many of the shade perennials have quieted down. Mine blooms for about 2 to 3 weeks in July. I like this perennial because it adds height in the shade. There are fewer tall shade plants from which to chose. Another tall shade perennial, Actaea simplex (bugbane), formerly Cimicifuga, will be blooming late in the summer. What tall shade perennials do you grow?
I’ve written more about this perennial and the dwarf goatsbeard on another post.
The colour of this lily makes it look like it should be growing closer to the equator. The lily appears to be radiating back the sun’s energy. It’s ready to supernova.
A few of these lilies were in the garden when I moved to the house, but I haven’t found the right place for them.
The bright hot colour doesn’t really blend with most of my garden, and they’ve gradually increased, so last year I transplanted them to a more hidden area between the fence and house.
These lilies are good natured and never complain about the semi-shade.
The plants are so easy care, I rarely even water them. Even though I concealed the lilies around the narrow east side of the house, fighting it out with the raspberries, they bloom with vigour. The raspberries have the impression that they have full rights to this area. I’ve got to tie back the canes, not only to get them out of the lily faces, but to get access to harvest the fruit later this month.
I’ve tried these plants in different areas around my garden, but they never look right. The lilies tolerate the semi-shade, withstand a dry site, and put up with the raspberry thugs, yet I don’t appreciate them enough. I should admire them more for their agreeable nature. Have you ever had a perennial that you’re not sure where to place, yet you’re not ready to let go?
The beautiful flowers and wonderful scent of peonies are always worth the wait. Paeonia lactiflora ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ is a double flowering peony too full of soft petals to hold its blossoms fully upright. Here the perennial forms a backdrop for the vivid purple flowers of Campanula glomerata (clustered bellflower). The fat buds of Dianthus caryophylus ‘Grenadin’ (pink carnation) have not opened yet.
Peonies have one of my favourite scents in the garden. The fragrance wafts on the lightest breeze, and entices me to venture to this side of the garden. It’s hard to resist bending over and sniffing the heavenly perfume up close.
The golden stamens are half hidden in the centre of this flower labyrinth. The peony blooms are so impossibly packed with petals, you wonder how a bee could ever find its way out of the maze.
The pink shadings of Sarah Bernhardt are delightful. Towards the centre, where the petals are tightly folded, it is a medium pink. Towards the outer edges, where the petals flare out, they are a pale pink, like the inside of a delicate shell.
I have my peony planted in part shade, but it still gets a fair number of blossoms. It has a metal support ring under it, to keep upright. However, the longest branches still arch, with the heavy flowers leaning over. This is such a cherished plant, that this habit becomes an endearing trait.
Sarah Bernhardt is a particularly lovely peony, with its pink powder puffs. This perennial usually blooms for about 2 weeks, but easily earns its way in the garden. However brief the flowering time, the beauty and fragrance of peony blossoms are worth the anticipation.
You can see more pictures of Paeonia ‘Sarah Bernhardt’, and read more about them in this follow up post. Do you have a favourite peony?
Aruncus dioicus (goatsbeard) is lighting up the shade right now. This perennial is about 2 metres (6 feet) tall. Unlike some of the subtle shade plants, goatsbeard grabs the attention, especially when its towering white flowers bloom.
Goatsbeard is a great perennial for the back of a shady border, or in a corner. This healthy plant receives about an hour a day of direct light. It tolerates medium shade very well, but it is not as happy about deeper shade.
