planting - Knowledgebase Question

cape coral, Fl
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Question by smitty324
April 12, 2010
what can i plant in my front yard that faces the west in a planter that is under a eave


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Answer from NGA
April 12, 2010
If the planter is under an eave, it's probably shady. If so, Coral bells (Heuchera) can provide some of the best foliage colors. They can be grown in all garden situations, but are valuable for dry shade. Coral bells can stand alone, act as companion plants, or be massed as a ground-cover. Because they are semi-evergreen they will compliment the garden in spring, summer and fall. They may go dormant in winter but will bounce back in early spring. They are one of the first plants to wake up, and will bloom with the violets and the primrose. The foliage is nearly round and sometimes ruffled. The most popular coral bells are those with red to purple foliage. 'Amethyst Myst' has purple leaves with silver veins. A green-leaved variety, 'Blood Red,' has vibrant red flowers. There are some with unusual foliage colors, for instance 'Lime Rickey' has chartreuse leaves and 'Amber Waves' has peach foliage. Coral bells can have white, pink or red flower clusters. The blooms are held 1 to 2 feet above the low-growing foliage.

Others to consider include Asarum europeaum (European Wild Ginger) with polished, emerald-green leaves; Astilbe which has fluffy flower plumes and ferny leaves; Campanula carpatica (Carpathian Bellflower) has large blue saucer flowers, grows in low mounds; Carex morrowi 'Augeo-Variegata' Mounds of evergreen, yellow-striped leaves; Chrysogonum virginianum (Goldenstar) Long blooming with starry yellow flowers; Convallaria majalis (Lily of the Valley) White, scented flowers; Dicentra spectabilis (Bleeding Hearts) Arches of heart-shaped flowers; Dicentra x 'Luxurient' (Bleeding Hearts) Low ferny carpet, cherry red flowers; Digitalis (Foxgloves) Tall spikes of spotted flowers; Doronicum cordatum (Leopard's Bane) Clean, yellow daisy flowers; Epimedium X rubrum Red-veined/margined leaves, red flowers; Hardy Ferns of all sorts A great diversity of leaf color and height.

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