The red polyanthus primrose is still in bloom & lily's of the valley are coming up.

Wow, Dick, that is gorgeous! What part of Northern California are you in? We love that whole area, try to get to Napa Valley each year. I LOVE all those giant trees in your yard! What is that large leafed variegated plant?

Beautiful setting, Dick.

Karen

Thank you everybody
Brenda i live 12 miles south of the Oregon border on the coast on the only undamed river in Calif (Smith River)
we get between 75 & 100 inches of rain a year during the winter and fog the rest of the year for the coastal Redwoods
i live just about at the upper limits of the fog line
the Variegated plants you are asking about are Chinese Podophyllum but the Chinese call them Dysosma
i started with the hybrid Podophyllum spotty dotty in the ground and it was so happy i just kept adding stuff
Arisaema, Farfugium, and more shade plants & most of them thrived
here is the area i first planted with spotty dotty




i just lost my Green house http://www.strever.com/Greenho... and my garage to a 500 year old Myrtle
http://strever.com/surprise/

This isnt a great year for garden losses. Sorry about your greenhouse and garage Dick.
The cold weather in the east is wiping out lilies.

Sorry about the greenhouse and garage. That was a nice greenhouse. But I'm glad that thing didn't fall on you or your house.

Karen

Oh no! So sorry about your greenhouse! Glad no one was hurt, though. I think I've asked about 'Spotty Dotty' before, apparently I need to get some of those! Thanks for the info.

I'm BAAAACK. You'd think the moderator of the Shade Gardening Forum would stop in once in a while... It's all Dave's fault, he did such a great job on the "other" gardening website we all loved at one time or another that I still can't totally give it up. Too many friends still there so I still hang out there mostly. I'm trying to wean myself though and be here more often. A few pics I took on a walk around the garden on Tuesday evening. (OK, a little more than a few!!) The last one is what we've done to our covered patio since last July.

Doug

Doug, what kind of heucheras are they in the first pic?

Berry Smoothie is the red one (Thanks to RCN48!), I'll have to look the other one up.

Lillies of the valley are blooming like mad. 2 clumps of ginger have increased. Small trillium have finished bloom.

I *think* the other heuchera is a Tiramisu.

Very beautiful, Doug! Hang out more often 'round here!

Doug, that's a gorgeous shade garden.

Beautiful, Doug.

Karen

looks great

New garden last year. Hope to expand by a few feet this year. I'd better because I killed a strip of grass.
2011 2012

That is looking great! Love the hydrangea!

Very nice

This (unknown) flower cluster is on a small airy bush type plant in the shade 2 weeks ago. It poses well for the camera.