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I often get customers that ask me-I've got a lot of shade; what can I grow? Well, that’s not such an easy question to answer! There are many degrees of shade-from a dense shade to dappled shade to bright light. The first thing that I advise my customers to do is to “plot” their shade - actually observe the area at several times during the day in order to determine how much sun/shade the area REALLY gets. Once that is determined, you can use the perennial guidelines; just remember, plants that may need more sun may still do well in the area although they will not bloom as much.
Also remember - anything planted under a tree will be competing for water and nutrients with the tree, so it will need to be fed and watered! Lastly, the timing of the sun's exposure needs to be considered - morning sun is much milder than afternoon sun, which needs to be taken into consideration when determining the actual exposure of the area in question. Be sure to look for the Remember, not all varieties will be available at the same time and the size listed may not be available. A few more things: in order to comply with legal requirements, we’ve changed our container size descriptions. The old 1 gallon pot is a #1, 2 gallon is a #2, etc. See our Pot Size Table for exact pot capacities. Also, because we sell larger, more mature plants, WE ARE UNABLE TO SHIP PLANTS, so please come visit us our farm! A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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Home | Plants | Farm & Nursery | Ponds & Water Gardens | Landscaping Services | Specialty Gardens | Seminars
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indicating Contrary Mary Favorites - see the 
With copious sprays of yellow-green flowers-will take full sun
with water. Moisture sparkles like diamonds on foliage! 
Semi-double, pink 3” flowers with
yellow
This snowdrop anemone is a late spring bloomer with large,
pure white flowers that give way to white, woolly fruit.
A bright violet-blue upward facing
Columbine that resemble a double clematis! Blooms from late spring to early
summer and the foliage is attractive throughout the season. Great cut flower,
purportedly rabbit resistant (?!) and a hummer and butterfly attractant!
Great columbine with unique variegated foliage and purple
blooms. Butterflies and hummers love them. Also known as Aquilegia ‘Woodside
Strain.’
This cutie has upward facing short spurred flowers of blue and white
above blue-green foliage. 
This stunner has a pure white “golf-tee” shaped spadex held inside
a flared spathe that is purple and white striped. Leaves are dark green and
divided; blooms early to mid-spring.
Aruncus Aethusifolius
An
adorable miniature Goatsbeard—it blooms its little heart out, then the
foliage turns bronze in the fall. A Contrary Mary Top 10 Honorable
Mention! 
A Masterwort with very large creamy, spiky flowers and dark
green foliage. Unusually-shaped flowers (I LOVE them!) that bloom for a long
time (early to late summer) and look fantastic even when dried; plants prefer
partial shade and a moist (not wet) soil. Fragrant and butterfly attracting!
I carried this great Brunnera a couple of years ago and
brought it back by popular demand…I’d have to say it’s second only to ‘Jack
Frost’ on the wow-ometer!! As its foliage ages, the leaves turn solid silver
and cup downwards. The young leaves have some green veining and are lightly
silvered. Yup, I’m afraid it’s yet ANOTHER “gotta-have”!!
This one has more subtle variegation than ‘Jack Frost’ and produces
white forget-me-not flowers! Another outstanding foliage plant!
This is a STANDOUT and a
must have! Frosty, leaves with a silver overlay that resemble cracked
porcelain---a GREAT foil for any dark leaved plant, it shimmers in the shade! A Contrary Mary Top 10 pick!
This native’s leaves were once used as a substitute for tea!
It has a shrub-like growth habit and is covered with bright white clusters of
flowers in July and August—attracts hummingbirds that eat the small insects
that pollinate it. It also can take full sun.
Certainly not your Gramma’s Lily-of-the-Valley! This NEW and VERY,
VERY LIMITED variety has the typical gloriously fragrant white flowers with
an unusual twist…it has VARIEGATED foliage! That’s right—green foliage with
creamy white veins!!! Talk about a “gotta-have” groundcover!
TONS of bright yellow flowers over lacy blue foliage in late
Spring, then sporadically ALL season! ANOTHER MUST HAVE.
A white-flowered form of the
old-fashioned Bleeding Heart.
This Barrenwort has TRUE orange flowers…wow! Foliage is heart shaped
and dances in the breeze—perfect groundcover for shady areas and tolerates
dry soil (gives tree roots a run for their money!). Be patient…somewhat slow
to establish!
This one has large PURE white flowers and heart shaped foliage that
is tinged with red!
A Bishop’s Cap with yellow
flowers in mid spring to early summer and red-tinted foliage. It performs
well even in deep shade and can compete with tree roots…looks dainty but has
lots of moxie!
Bushy perennial that is REALLY outstanding! Stunning
white-splashed foliage with pink stems and shocking coral new growth, sprays
of white flowers in Aug-Sept. A Contrary Mary Top 10 pick!
This Lady Fern has billowy, feathery fronds that looks like they are
reaching out to touch you…talk about texture and grace! 
I really love Painted Ferns and this
one always catches my eye due to its silvery, almost smoky grey-green
foliage. Strong fronds make it a standout in your shade retreat!
A very unusual fern from the Mickel collection, it’s also
called “queen of the green”. It has pinnaes which crisscross to form “x’s”,
and crested leaflet tips and is a clumper.
A “haunting” cross between a painted and a southern Lady
Fern---stunning silver fronds in rigid clump.
A superior Painted Fern with broad
silver fronds that are flushed with red-wine coloration down the center in
the spring. Summer color has less red. 
This Crested Male Fern
looks edible with its frilly, almost chartreuse-green fronds. Really
different than the “average” garden fern! (Come see a great one in our
display bed!)
This Male Fern has crinkled and crested foliage that looks like
parsley!! Must not taste like parsley, though, ‘cause it’s reputedly deer and
rabbit resistant! 
My FAVORITE groundcover-it has bright green whorled foliage
scented like new-mown hay, masses of pure white flowers in May that are used
to flavor German May wine--- ANOTHER GOTTA HAVE!
Everyone’s always looking for great blue-flowered
plants…well look no further ‘cause you’ve found a winner! It has great,
bright blue flowers in June and makes a nice little groundcover. Not picky
about soil but does not want hot afternoon sun. 
Pink flowers, great foliage
White flowers, great foliage 
A double flowered Geranium
with pinkish violet flowers with light centers. Different!
Compact foliage with good fall color, many deep magenta
flowers. 
Young leaves have chocolate blotches which provide excellent
contrast to their deep purple flowers that appear in late summer. Older
leaves turn a fiery red in Autumn—great three-season interest!
A Cranesbill that has eye-catching bronze foliage and bright
pink flowers from June to September. Purportedly deer and rabbit resistant!
A great Geranium from Blooms of Bressingham, this one has 2½”
saucer-shaped violet blue flowers early to mid-summer (and sporadically thru
fall), above deep green foliage slightly marbled with chartreuse. It makes a
great groundcover as it spreads 2-3 square feet. 
This late winter to late spring bloomer has pink buds that
open to ivory blossoms streaked with rose. Dark blue-green foliage is
handsome all season!
This variety has a wide range of colors
including purple, near black, red, rose-pink, yellow, pale green and white.
The foliage almost looks unreal…it is leathery, serrated, and looks great ALL
year! 
This Bearsfoot Hellebore has finely-cut, leathery, dark green
foliage and blooms very early spring with yellow flowers held above the
foliage—flowers stay for a couple of months. I’d also have it for its foliage
alone!! 
Another “gotta-have” I’m afraid! This one has somewhat upright
leaves that catch the light from all directions, revealing its many
dimensions of color including ruby-red! 
A NEW Coral Bell that has almost jet-black, glossy, smooth rounded
foliage that forms a perfect little mound and dancey cream flowers…team it up
with a bright hosta like ‘Bright Lights’, Ice Cream’ or ‘Jaz’ for an
unforgettable combo!
A villosa hybrid that’s a strong and vigorous grower…similar
to ‘Amber Waves’ in color but a better grower! Best grown in morning sun. A
Contrary Mary Top 10 pick!
This sport of ‘Caramel’ has citron yellow foliage with silver
undersides. Compact grower and as AWESOME as its parent!
This great new intro has
burgundy-violet foliage accented by deep veining—color intensifies in the
fall. Top it off with pink pearly flowers and it’s a winner!
How could you not love this one named after my favorite
dessert! Bright chartreuse foliage looks good enough to eat!
A Great NEW Heuchera color…you’ve never seen ANYTHING like it!
It has frosted, ruffled leaves that are a shocking LIME GREEN! The flowers
are small and pure white and the plant is a vigorous grower. Needs partial to
full shade.
Now this one ‘tis a REALLY different Heuchera! Again, a color-changer
with new leaves that are chartreuse with red in the center, maturing to brick
red with chartreuse edges. Pair it up with ‘Citronelle’ or ‘Tiramisu’ and
watch jaws drop!! Pink flowers.
This is a Heuchera on steroids!!! Huge (6”+) near black foliage and
tall white flowers will sweeten up your garden!
This one looks great with ‘Obsidian’…it has juvenile foliage
that is green with bright purple veins. As the leaf matures it turns smokey
purple with dark purple veins. White flowers.
This one has moved into Contrary Mary’s top-ten list, so you
KNOW how wonderful it is! Shiny, broad, smooth, round leaves that are almost
glassy in texture, it was named well! The black leaves are so smooth they
almost appear to have been polished…a knock-out effect with any
golden-foliaged plant! A Contrary Mary Top 10 pick!
Striking peach-colored leaves with red overtones that have a
deep purple fall color. It is topped off with white flowers that have reddish
purple scapes…flaming!
How could you not LOVE this nummy Heuchera with young foliage that is
yellow with red centers, maturing to chartreuse with a silver overlay! White
flowers. 
Individual leaf size is up to three times larger than those of
‘Sunspot’, so you know this one is another Contrary fave! Screaming yellow,
red centered spring leaves will stop you in your tracks…summer foliage is
slightly more muted (but still amazing); also produces white flowers in
spring.
Another one I forgot to include last year (and it sold out anyway!),
this St. John’s Wort has bright golden yellow foliage with reddish edges and
2” golden flowers late spring to early summer. Best in part to bright shade
away from drying winds…outstanding with Heucheras, Hostas and Carex!
This Wild Sweet William has one of the most fragrant flowers
around---blooms are blue in late spring and the foliage turns burgundy in the
winter. And yes, this Phlox prefers shade!
This great Jacob’s Ladder has deep purple foliage (more
intense in more light) and light blue flowers for a long time in late
spring/early summer. 
A NEW variegated Jacob’s Ladder that is
reputed to be MUCH hardier and MUCH more vigorous than ‘Brise d’Anjou’, it
has white leaved margins that are also tinged with pink. VERY LIMITED
QUANTITIES !!
A true fairy garden plant, this miniature Solomon’s Seal is
DARLING! It slowly colonizes and is a natural companion to mini hostas…it
awwww-inspiring!
A fantastic Lungwort with narrow, silver-grey foliage that
REALLY stands out in the shade.
This NATIVE Skullcap has heart-shaped foliage tinged with purple and
is covered with small purple flowers early summer. Can handle dry shade;
loved by butterflies and hummers! 
I can’t believe this plant - it has
compact, “painted” leaves and outstanding pink flowers that rebloom - DOES IT
EVER! in my own garden it bloomed May-June, THEN ON & OFF AGAIN ’TIL LATE
FALL! 
This foam flower is a clump former and has glossy, deeply dissected
foliage with prominent dark centers and fragrant pink and white flowers from
early spring to early summer. Deer resistant!
This Spiderwort prefers partial shade and has linear,
grass-like chartreuse foliage and blue flowers almost all summer. Can
tolerate soggy soil.
Another great Toad, this one has creamy-yellow edged leaves
that give it great interest even when not in bloom. In the fall, the
magnificent white, heavily spotted flowers appear. WOW! A Contrary Mary
Top 10 pick! 
O.K., I admit I’m smitten (I love that
word!) with Toads, so how could I resist one that has yellow flowers with
purple and bronze spots?! A Contrary Mary Top 10 pick! 
This ‘Empress’ sport has fabulous glossy, streaky foliage and
orchid-like flowers that are white with purple spots and are held by dark
purple stems. Fit for royalty, no wonder it’s a Contrary fave!
Bold foliage and large lavender-purple blooms that fade to
white in the center. A Contrary Mary Top 10 pick! 
This NATIVE has lemon yellow flowers above silver and bronze mottled
foliage!