@tx_flower__child - What did I say? I didn't mention actually taking any action on it did i=I? Because that's where the really bad things start happening.

CarolHB said:IGrows here in coastal SoCal like a weed, roots in water and its wonderful, especially backed up by its green version. Well, that's what I'm trying to achieve - it actually looks really good in my mind.

Basically, you were talking about 'iresine' (of which I know nothing). I didn't paste your entire quote. It's the end of your quote that tickled me. The part about something looks really good in your mind.

It reminded me of all the things that look really good in my mind. And then reality sets in and I realize that my mind was playing tricks on me. So your comment made me laugh at myself.

In no way did I mean that the same thing happens to you and I'm sorry if you or anyone interpreted it that way. (My bad for typing out loud.)

Oh, Flower Child - I do it all the time. If I had the garden my imagination thinks I do, I wouldn't be able to do anything else. My red iresine is just shooting up and out and all over and I really want to get it into the pots and places where its supposed to be, and maybe I actually will do that after next Monday when I finally will get the spinal epidural thing so I can walk without using a crutch or bending over from the waist. I really don't like arthritis, but am pleased with my caladiums:




And I'm starting to like the other side of the porch steps where one pot of iresine lives.

@pearson1662, I was rereading your post. While not natives, hellebores do well in very shady conditions. I have a spot under the canopy, though not quite the roots of an ancient oak. The soil is raised a bit. I don't have many hostas because the deer demolished most of them, but every year my hellebores bloom from late January until late spring. I don't have many photos because I just joined this site recently, but I tried many plants until I found ones that could survive the amount of shade and the wildlife.


The hellebores are in the background. Jack Frost brunnera are new this year. They are doing well. The lady's mantle did not like Arkansas humidity. I think that I've lost them. The purple oxalis was a gift from my husband. Dragon's wing begonias provide a little color in the deep shade.