 |
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
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. Our complete selection of HOSTAS and PEONIES are now available for mail order! However, because we sell larger, more mature plants, WE ARE UNABLE TO SHIP PLANTS ON THIS PAGE, 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
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Home | Plants | Online Store | Farm & Nursery | Ponds & Water Gardens | Landscaping Services |Seminars
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
indicating Contrary Mary Favorites - see the 
Actaea pachypoda
This NATIVE is also called “Doll’s Eyes” because it in
spring it produces small flowers which are then followed by glossy white
berries with black “eyes”…very different and attractive. The foliage is
bushy and composed of large compound leaves and stays attractive all season.
This great new groundcover has glossy, near black crinkly leaves and
deep blue flowers on short spikes in spring. Hummers and butterflies love it
and deer don’t! 
This adorable sport of ‘Chocolate Chip’ has brightly variegated
green, cream, rose and purple narrow foliage; forms a tight creeping mound!
Produces violet purple flowers in spring that hummers and butterflies love
and deer don’t!
Another sport of ‘Chocolate Chip’ this cutie starts out a
soft brown and then matures to grey-green with creamy golden margins.
With copious sprays of yellow-green flowers-will take full sun
with water. Moisture sparkles like diamonds on foliage! 
This fall bloomer has it all—awesome ruffled, crisped foliage with
maroon tips and single pink flowers on tall stems late summer and well into
fall! Plants are shorter and more compact than other Anemones… Deer resistant
too!
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.
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 Cobra Lily has a hooded green and purple striped spathe and glossy grey-green foliage. Another great
beastie for your woodsy garden! VERY limited!
This one from Japan has green and purplish brown striped hood held above
foliage that is divided into many leaflets. Exotic!!
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.
This awesome one has one tall leaf that is divided into
many smaller leaflets, and a “whip” protruding from the hood that can hang
almost to the ground! VERY LIMITED!
An
adorable miniature Goatsbeard—it blooms its little heart out, then the
foliage turns bronze in the fall.
This NATIVE Ginger is an excellent, no-brainer groundcover for
shade—has heart-shaped foliage and a funny little near black flower borne
under its leaves so it’s fertilized by the Garden Fairies!
This sport of ‘Jack Frost’ features silver and gold
heart-shaped foliage; margins lighten to creamy white by summer. Same
fantastic blue flowers in spring too! 
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 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!
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 and a 
This little guy has white flowers with yellow spots;
flowers most of the summer!
Pink, longest blooming
THIS is the one Grandma grew! Pink, heart-shaped flowers
May/June-may go dormant, but won’t if you keep it watered.
A white-flowered form of the
old-fashioned Bleeding Heart.
This perennial Foxglove has scads of peachy yellow
flowers with reddish freckles; blooms most of the summer! Hummers love it
and deer and rabbits don’t! Likes bright to partial shade.
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. 
This Lady Fern has billowy, feathery fronds that looks like they are
reaching out to touch you…talk about texture and grace! 
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. 
This lovely perennial Geranium has low, spreading, velvety-green
foliage and small, magenta pink flowers with black centers and veins from
late spring to mid-summer. Can take almost full sun (with adequate moisture)
to bright shade—deer and rabbit resistant too!
This one is a VERY long bloomer (early summer to mid-fall) with 2”
magenta purple flowers that have black eyes and veins atop a sprawly plant
that has yellow spring foliage that ages to green. Likes bright shade to a
half day of sun; reputedly deer and rabbit resistant too!
Pink flowers, great foliage
White flowers, great foliage 
This offspring of ‘Midnight Reiter’ has deeply scalloped
dark plum foliage and lilac blue flowers all summer—a knockout with
chartreuse hostas like ‘Corn Muffins’, ‘Maui
Buttercups’, and ‘Key West’! Deer and rabbit resistant too!
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 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 plant is native to the eastern U.S. and is also called
Bowman’s Root, and likes moist soil to establish (although it is
drought-tolerant once established). It has very unique, cut foliage with
mahogany stems and a compact habit. The flowers are ethereal, white with red
petioles, and form way-cool seed heads. It’s also deer-resistant! 
This Lenten Rose has HUGE (3”) DOUBLE slate black to
purple very full flowers—a real STUNNER! VERY limited; deer and rabbit
resistant too! 
With 3” double flowers that range in color from soft pink
with peppermint veining to almost magenta, this one is a “gotta-have” for your shade garden. Just imagine the
impact if you planted it with ‘Onyx Odyssey’!!!
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.
This one is a color-changer, starting out with new leaves that are a
rose-purple with a peach underlay, maturing to a peach with a silver overlay.
Cream flowers too! 
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!
A villosa hybrid with glowing
peach colored foliage that has silver overlay and white flowers. Pair her
with ‘Blackout’ and ‘Obsidian’ for unbelievable impact!
This one has very marbled green and white foliage and deep red
flowers….strong grower (what else would you expect?!) and forms a good sized
mound.
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.
This hot new Coral bell has bright red spring foliage
that matures to deep maroon. Heavily ruffled and with great texture, it has
masses of white flowers late spring to early summer! 
This ‘Obsidian’ sport is a 
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 is on 
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! 
This has young foliage that is ginger colored with a silver overlay,
with mature foliage that is smoky rose with a silver overlay and purple
undersides. Cream flowers too! 
A villosa hybrid, it has lime
green to chartreuse large foliage and cream flowers. EXCELLENT with
‘Obsidian’, ‘Mocha’, and ‘Blackout’! 
I used to carry this one and it was one of my faves (and a GREAT performer too!). It has large, plum
purple foliage with dark purple veining and dark undersides; white flowers. 
How could you not LOVE this yummy Heuchera with young foliage that is
yellow with red centers, maturing to chartreuse with a silver overlay! White
flowers. 
This villosa hybrid has very
large, deeply cut brilliant gold foliage with red veining; may lighten as
weather warms up. White flowers; more tolerant of heat and humidity. Looks
great well into winter too!
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!
Groundcover creeps and glows yellow (see photo in 
This rare foliage plant has fan shaped foliage that start deep green and develops deep red edges as it ages.
In the fall, foliage turns a brilliant fire engine red. Also produces starry
white flowers in spring. Needs bright to partial shade; VERY limited!
This Pink Wood Sorrel has vivid green clover foliage and bright pink
flowers all summer if kept moist (not wet!)! Does not set seed; butterflies
love it!
This is a cousin to Jack-in-the Pulpits, and has
arrow-shaped foliage and long, bizarre spadixes. A
reseeder; guaranteed to draw your garden visitors
and elicit comments!
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. 
This Jacob’s Ladder has ferny green foliage that has deep purple
highlights in spring and fragrant blue flowers. Likes partial shade best;
deer resistant!
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!!
This sport of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ has lacy green foliage with bright
white edges and pink buds that open to pale blue flowers from early to mid
summer. 
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 great VARIEGATED Solomon’s Seal, it has elegant, arching
green leaves with white edges and dangling white flowers. Foliage turns
golden in the fall and is a real eye-catcher in the woodland garden. Reputed
to be deer-resistant, and hummingbirds love it!
A fantastic Lungwort with narrow, silver-grey foliage that
REALLY stands out in the shade.
This native Bloodroot is a member of the Poppy family and
blooms from March to May in the woods. It has a solitary white flower with a
golden-orange center and bluish-green, palmately scalloped, unique leaves. A
must for a native shade garden! 
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! 
This NATIVE Celandine or Wood Poppy has large, lobed,
Oak-like foliage and produces showy, poppy-like, clear yellow flowers
primarily in spring, followed by light green spiny fruits. Will re-bloom in
fall if given adequate moisture and will also colonize. If too dry it will
go summer-dormant. Nice plant! 
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! 
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.
This toad lily has bright green leaves edged with a thin white
line and pinkish flowers with dark spots in the fall.
This NATIVE has lemon yellow flowers above silver and bronze mottled
foliage! 
This produces a TRUE black flower with a bright yellow
eye in spring, re-blooming again in fall if deadheaded. A clump former that
is NOT invasive! 
Another little charmer with LARGE (2”) lemon yellow
flowers that have lavender purple and orange eyes and are sweetly fragrant. Will
bloom all summer!