Hello! I wanted to share some pics of my first shade garden. It is mostly hosta and fern, with some bloodroot, lily of the valley, virginia bluebell, lamium, and lysimachia. I am keeping a garden photojournal from spring to fall, so these are just a couple of pics.
I would LOVE love love any suggestions for my garden. I really am quite new to this. I recently added bee balm and bergenia rose, and in the sunny corner I have sedum and some small juniper things.
One problem I am having is that the hosta have taken over... and I want to dig some out and throw them away, I am so irritated. Turns out I can grow hosta, haha. They are gigantic (but not in these pics, these are when they were cute and little, before they did their 'incredible hulk' thing in my garden)
Very nice, Plalene. Hosta do not do well here, even in shade. It is flat-out too hot and dry for them to thrive. There are people here who may enjoy some of your hostas and pay postage for the divisions to be sent to them.
~Tina
Drama Free Zone. What every gardener loves the most, Begins and ends in rich compost. (Tina)
Beautiful...don't throw the hostas away..you can dig them up and split them in two and replant again..I divide mine every few years. That way they stay smaller and I have many to replant for new beds or to trade with other people. And Tina is so right..some members here might want to trade/swap.
I also grow Astilbes in my shade garden, for color when they bloom..and they bloom til the fall. Not sure on your zone but bleeding hearts do wonderfully in shade as well.
Here's a link you might like to read.. http://www.thegardenhelper.com/fs~perennials.html
~~Tam~ You can bury all your troubles by digging in the dirt.
Thanks! The only thing I'm worried about is messing up the garden by digging them up right now. Here are more recent pics... I really think the pretty little things I snuggled in there would be happier without the monster hostas. Also, I had flowers in the shade garden for the first time today! Lamium maculatum, with lovely purple flowers.
Also, I looked up Astilbe... Wow! That would certainly look pretty in all the green I have going on right now, I really need something! I'll have to look around for some.
Last edited by phalene; Jun 9th, 2010 at 09:15 PM.
No don't dig anything now, take pictures so you can see where you want things moved and do the digging in the spring. I need to move two of mine next spring as well, I missed them this year..
I also have astilbes that have red coppery leaves and they bloom red, a real eye catching plant in my shade garden
~~Tam~ You can bury all your troubles by digging in the dirt.
OK, I will wait. I planted more Bee Balm and Bergenia rose today to fill in some of the empty spaces, but I still need more. My Virginia Bluebells aren't doing very well, I think they are done for, so I might have to plant something there as well.
Phalene: if you have priced Hosta lately, you could sell them at a Yard Sale.
Never throw plant material. Trade with your neighbours. Donate them to a local community group who need landscaping plants. Find your local horticultural society and they will plant in the city or town beds. Divide and transplant, there is always a corner somewhere.
More than once I have given away whole plants only to beg for some cuttings when I see how well they are doing in someone else's garden. I guess I'm a slow learner.
I divided hosta a few weeks ago and it's already getting big. Hosta seems to like certain areas. Do you have other shade areas? Or maybe make a shade area. Isn't the bee balm invasive?
I do have other shade areas that I can work with, but I would like to have other things besides just giant hostas ;) Also, the local Humane Society has a plant sale each spring and they take donations. I was too late this year, but I will have nice donations for next year!
As far as I know, bee balm is indigenous to my area. I love native plants, and try to use them if I can. Of course, I could very well be wrong - anyone know for sure? I camped this weekend and saw some, and it was on the list of "flowers to enjoy" that the state park had posted, so they seemed proud of it.
I loved the way you took pictures of the beautiful sheds garages and the gardens that are near it. The blossoming flowers and plants. I just love them. They have been just fantastic to have a look at.
I hop you dont mind but i saved a few pictures of your garden.
Last edited by Wild Willy; Oct 25th, 2010 at 11:16 AM. Reason: removed spam
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