Ok, Katy. Just making sure but you knew already.
Sales are good! I am always looking for a good sale!

Other alternatives to mix in with hostas are small grasses (e.g. Carex snowcap, Carex banana boat, or black mondo are personal faves), brunneras (also known as bugloss), vincas (vinca illumination is a great flashy groundcover), and the heucheras that interested you. Oh, and astilbe, those are awesome (astilbe colorguard or astilbe colorguard lime are my faves due to the leaf color). Some non-invasive violas or primroses may be nice on your shady side.

The only possible problem with the vinca, is if it finds its happy spot, it really takes off.

crawgarden said:The only possible problem with the vinca, is if it finds its happy spot, it really takes off.

Yeah, for regular vinca which is invasive. But the newer varieties are far less invasive.

It is not as aggresive as the standard vinca minor, but I have been pulling it out for the last several years.

crawgarden said:It is not as aggresive as the standard vinca minor, but I have been pulling it out for the last several years.

Good to know. I am surprised. That said, I am actually hoping my illumination is a good spreader for the area I have it in (indeed I have been growing cuttings to make things go faster). I am sorry it took over your plot.

I also have illumination. It isn't as aggressive as another one I have but it does spread also. Plus it can revert. I wish I never planted any vinca.

NMoasis said:Katy, from your description, it sounds like your side yard runs east/west. Yes? If so, that shadow from the house next door will gradually diminish in width as we approach the solstice. Between roughly mid-May and mid-July it will be in full sun all day. If it runs on a diagonal there will be a different sun dynamic.

Yes, I think in June, July, August the shade plants will get a shade cover. Might be a bit inconvenient looking. I was thinking about that. I have some 50% or thereabouts.

I have a real problem w variegated plants reverting to all green. I don't know why; but I tend to steer clear of them when I can.

Many do revert , you need to stay on top of removing the solid green since they are stronger and will just take over.

Yeah but it is so hard to remove vinca.

Ajuga is better to control than vinca and spotted dead nettle. It can also grow in full sun to shade.

I do grow ajuga and I like it but as soon as I get good coverage, it rots away. I suspect the Asian Jumping Worms are eating the roots. The telltale coffee ground-like dirt is left and the plant is healthy one day and suddenly rootless.

LorettaNJ said:I do grow ajuga and I like it but as soon as I get good coverage, it rots away. I suspect the Asian Jumping Worms are eating the roots. The telltale coffee ground-like dirt is left and the plant is healthy one day and suddenly rootless.

Loretta ~ I'm sorry that has happened. My ajuga has gotten crown rot in the past from excessive amounts of rain. My shade garden has spots that make shallow puddles, and some of those puddles have had ajuga in them. So there are always spots of ajuga that look more patchy than others.