If there’s one thing the most exciting gardens have in common, it’s that they always have something beautiful happening. And that “something” usually means something in flower. Bringing that idea home may seem challenging for gardeners, but happily, plant breeders know we want more—more beautiful foliage, more interest across every season, and most importantly, more and better bloom—and they have answered our calls. This is excellent news because, let’s face it, most gardeners today have less time to spend in the weeds (or looking for strong bloomers) than in years past. And everyone stands to benefit from bigger, continuous summer blooms with less effort. The following group of superstars starts flowering at the onset of summer and keeps going all season long, many even going right into fall. Use them as supporting players for those that shine more briefly, or switch it up and make them the centerpiece.
5 Unusual Blooming Perennials for Shade
21.05.2024 - 19:17 / finegardening.com
When we think “shade,” we typically think foliage. And when we do think of flowering perennials for shade, the same old ones come to mind, such as astilbe (Astilbe spp. and cvs., Zones 3–8) and bleeding hearts (Dicentra spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9). If you want to add a little more color and drama to your shade garden, however, considering turning to one of these lesser known but gorgeous flowering plants instead.
Deinanthe caerulea, Zones 5–7
I’ll bet most anything that this uncommon and unusual woodlander will seem new to most gardeners, but the truth is that even though it was discovered in the 1800s, it has remained hard to find. Luckily this species is becoming more well-known, so it’s no longer all that difficult to source, particularly at small, specialty nurseries.
An ideal candidate for shade with gorgeous foliage and incredible lavender flowers that bloom in midsummer, this is one plant that everyone will stop and ask you about. False hydrangea is a perennial, not a shrub, despite its common name, and it dies back to the ground every autumn only to be refreshed with new stems, foliage, and flowers every summer.
False hydrangea will take partial to full shade and prefers well-draining but consistently moist soil. It grows about 1½ feet tall and up to 2½ feet wide.
Anemonopsis macrophylla, Zones 4–8
I really have no idea why we don’t see false anemone more often at garden centers, but I’m glad that this charmer is beginning to be discovered by more gardeners. While the foliage in spring and summer looks similar to that of astilbes, what sets this perennial apart is that it stops traffic in late summer and fall when it blooms—and believe me, the blooms look like nothing else in the garden.
While its common name
Plants for a purpose: summer plants for shade
A shady corner is often seen as a problem area in a garden, but it needn’t be so. There are masses of gorgeous plants that will thrive in shade. Silver or variegated leaves work really well to brighten a dark spot, as do white or pale flowers, which almost seem to glow in shade. There is a plant for every shady garden and here we share some of our favourites. Included are plants for both dry and moist soils, evergreen perennials to provide interest all year round, as well as deciduous plants that seem to appear from nowhere in spring to brighten the garden with their delicate beauty. Our choices include recommendations from the Gardeners’ World team and familiar faces from across the gardening industry.
19 Long Lasting Perennials That Keep on Blooming
Flowers add soul to every garden, and to make yours extra beautiful, try growing some long lasting perennials that will never let your yard down!
Making plans for potted bulbs post bloom
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Plants That Take Sun and Shade for the Midwest
Name: Hydrangea arborescens ‘Kolpinbel’
Plants That Take Sun and Shade for the Pacific Northwest
Name: Cornus kousa var. chinensis
Plants That Take Sun and Shade for the Mountain West
Name: Mahonia repens syn. Berberis repens
Plants That Take Sun and Shade for the Southwest
Name: Pycnanthemum albescens
20 Plants for Dry Shade
Most gardens have some dry shade, at the foot of walls where foundations draw water from the soil, or under eaves where little rain falls. Trees also create dry shade, as their roots take up a lot of water.
Colorful Summer Plantings for Sun and Shade
Colorful Summer Plantings for Sun and Shade Attract pollinators and wildlife to your garden with these colorful combinations for sun and shade gardens. Dreaming of summer
Back in Jay Sifford’s Beautiful Bog Gardens
Today we’re exploring more of Jay Sifford‘s lesser-seen back garden. We’ve toured and featured the award-winning landscape designer’s immaculate stylized meadow front garden, but now we’re wondering why the blooming bogs at the back of his home aren’t getting more attention.
Spectacular Spring Ephemerals in Jay Sifford’s Back Garden
It’s always a treat when award-winning landscape designer Jay Sifford sends in photos of his fabulous home garden in the mountains of North Carolina. Today, we have an extra-special treat: