| I live in massachusetts and i have a lot of trees on my property. I do not have a green thumb and would like to know what types of flowers I can grow in my yard. Thank You. Shannon Goddard |
| Shade gardens are spectacular if you remember to add plants with variegated foliage (such as hostas) to add interest. In addition to hostas, consider planting Rheinland Astilbe (Astilbe x arendsii 'Rheinland'), with clear pink plumes in June. Reaches 24? tall. Purple Lance Astilbe (Astilbe chinensis 'Purple Lance'); Violet-purple, lance-shaped flowerheads. 40? tall. The Rocket Ligularia (Ligularia stenocephala 'The Rocket'); Yellow flower spikes. 4? tall. Pink Turtlehead (Chelone lyonii); Rose-pink blooms in late summer. 30? tall. Fairy Candles (Cimicifuga racemosa ?Atropurpurea?); Purple-veined leaves and stems, white wandlike flowers. 5' tall. Golden Corydalis (Corydalis lutea); Bright yellow flowers, ferny foliage. 12? tall. Fernleaf Bleeding Heart (Dicentra eximia ?Zestful?); Pink blooms, ferny foliage. 12?-15? tall. Barrenwort (Epimedium x youngianum 'Roseum'); Pink flowers, heart-shaped leaves. 10? tall. Spotted Dead Nettle (Lamium maculatum ?Chequers?); Silver foliage, pink flowers. 8? tall. Elegans Hosta (Hosta sieboldiana 'Elegans'); Large frosty-blue leaves, mounded habit. 30? tall. Desdemona Bigleaf Ligularia (Ligularia dentata ?Desdemona?); Yellow daisylike flowers, mahogany leaves. 36" tall. Blue Wedgewood Hosta (Hosta 'Blue Wedgewood'); Very blue, wedge-shaped leaves, lavender flowers. 18? tall. Bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla); Blue forget-me-not-like flowers. 12? tall. Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum); Whorled leaves, tiny fragrant blooms, spreading. 6? tall. Bertram Anderson Lungwort (Pulmonaria longifolia ' Bertram Anderson'); Violet-blue flowers, narrow spotted leaves. 12? tall. Dwarf Goatsbeard (Aruncus aethusifolius); Compact foliage turns burgundy in fall, feathery white flowers. 12? tall. Japanese Toad Lily (Tricyrtis hirta 'Miyazaki'); lilac-spotted white flowers in fall. 30? tall. Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea); Upright fronds. 3? tall. Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium nipponicum 'Pictum'); Fronds mottled in gray, green and burgundy. 18? tall. Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica); Blooms are purple, lavender or white. 2'-3' tall. Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis); White, teardrop-shaped flowers in very early spring. Plant bulbs in clusters of five. 4" tall. Minnow Daffodil (Narcissus 'Minnow'); Tiny white-and-yellow blossoms, borne three to a stem, early spring. 6" tall. Actaea Poet's Narcissus (Narcissus poeticus 'Actaea'); White flowers with dainty yellow cups in mid-spring. Fragrant. 16" tall. For bright patches of color, plant impatiens and lobelia. Enjoy your shade garden! |
