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Jul 30, 2011 11:17 AM CST
Garden.org Admin
Name: Trish
Grapevine, TX (Zone 8a)
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Charter ATP Member Region: Texas Roses Herbs Vegetable Grower
Composter Canning and food preservation Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Organic Gardener Forum moderator Hummingbirder
If someone were starting a new shade garden- what is the top 5 shade lovers that should be in every garden?

Show and tell is always fun!
NGA COO, Wife, Mom, and do-er of many fun things.
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Jul 30, 2011 1:05 PM CST
Name: Bob
Vernon N.J. (Zone 6b)
Aquarium Plants Bookworm Snakes Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Heucheras
Echinacea Hellebores Dog Lover Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Hostas Region: New Jersey
I would go with Heuchera for just about any color you could want. Helleborus will flower before most spring bulbs and the flowers last much longer, also it is a nice compact almost evergreen plant. Athyrium ( Japanese Painted Ferns) for texture and silvering color. Hakonechloa Grasses they are compact and have nice coloring and give movement with just the slightest breeze. And Tiarella for unique leaf shape and color, I think it is the most underused of all plants plus it does great in dry shade.
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Jul 31, 2011 6:30 AM CST
Name: Brenda
Santa Clarita, CA (Zone 9b)
Charter ATP Member Cat Lover Region: Colorado Dog Lover Garden Art Hummingbirder
Ponds Region: United States of America Enjoys or suffers cold winters
I'm learning and watching and waiting to hear everyone elses favorite shade plants!
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Jul 31, 2011 2:55 PM CST
Name: Rose
Oquawka, IL (Zone 5a)
Echinacea Hibiscus Dahlias Clematis Charter ATP Member Region: Illinois
Garden Photography Heucheras Hummingbirder Hostas Garden Art Birds
Hostas would be my first choice! Then I would add Heuchera, Ferns, Brunnera and Colocasia 'Mojito'. Unfortunately, in my area the colocasia have to be potted up and kept inside during the winter. Also like impatiens, but that would make it 6 choices! Is it allowed to have 6 choices? *Blush*

Rose
When all is said and done, there’s more said than done.
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Jul 31, 2011 3:51 PM CST
Name: Rose
Oquawka, IL (Zone 5a)
Echinacea Hibiscus Dahlias Clematis Charter ATP Member Region: Illinois
Garden Photography Heucheras Hummingbirder Hostas Garden Art Birds
Here's a picture of one bed with hostas, ferns, colocasia and a shade grass.
Thumb of 2011-07-31/Rose1656/38a5c4

Here's a leaf of colocasia 'Mojito'

Thumb of 2011-07-31/Rose1656/8e90e8
When all is said and done, there’s more said than done.
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Jul 31, 2011 7:36 PM CST
Garden.org Admin
Name: Trish
Grapevine, TX (Zone 8a)
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Charter ATP Member Region: Texas Roses Herbs Vegetable Grower
Composter Canning and food preservation Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Organic Gardener Forum moderator Hummingbirder
You may have 6 Hilarious!

Beautiful!
NGA COO, Wife, Mom, and do-er of many fun things.
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Jul 31, 2011 7:41 PM CST
Name: Rose
Oquawka, IL (Zone 5a)
Echinacea Hibiscus Dahlias Clematis Charter ATP Member Region: Illinois
Garden Photography Heucheras Hummingbirder Hostas Garden Art Birds
Thank you! If I could have seven, I would also suggest the shade grass! Hakench-something or other! 'All Gold'! I can't ever remember the name of that! But it is very pretty!
When all is said and done, there’s more said than done.
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Jul 31, 2011 8:36 PM CST
Name: Sheryl
Hot, hot, hot, Feenix, AZ (Zone 9b)
Region: Southwest Gardening Charter ATP Member Keeps Horses Dog Lover Cat Lover Permaculture
Butterflies Birds Cottage Gardener Herbs I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Irises
I think Bob named just about everything in my shade garden, lol. And Rose got the hostas.

But, here's the *other* 5...
1. Aquilegia - Columbine
2. Pulmonaria - I can't believe how tough that plant is.
3. Trilliums - from a reputable nursery, not dug from the wild, of course. But the whites have the prettiest flower and the yellow has the prettiest leaves.
4. Hydrangea - do shrubs count?
5. Astilbe - if you have a damp-ish spot, they do like their water.

Is this a list for you, Trish, or in general? Another one with both flowers and beautiful leaves are the Cyclamens - the C. hederfolium tops out in 9b, so I would guess it would be fine in your area.
In the end, only kindness matters.

Science is not the answer, it is the question.


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Jul 31, 2011 9:20 PM CST
Name: Bob
Vernon N.J. (Zone 6b)
Aquarium Plants Bookworm Snakes Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Heucheras
Echinacea Hellebores Dog Lover Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Hostas Region: New Jersey
Rose it is Hakonechloa Macro All Gold a kind of Japanese Forest Grass. I have to add Ginger to the list very hard to keep it to only 5.
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Aug 1, 2011 10:05 AM CST
Garden.org Admin
Name: Trish
Grapevine, TX (Zone 8a)
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Charter ATP Member Region: Texas Roses Herbs Vegetable Grower
Composter Canning and food preservation Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Organic Gardener Forum moderator Hummingbirder
It's a great list, Sheryl!

I figure that lots of people would like to find out a good starting place for new shade gardens.

After all, gardeners are awful good enablers Rolling on the floor laughing
NGA COO, Wife, Mom, and do-er of many fun things.
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Aug 1, 2011 10:37 AM CST
Name: Sheryl
Hot, hot, hot, Feenix, AZ (Zone 9b)
Region: Southwest Gardening Charter ATP Member Keeps Horses Dog Lover Cat Lover Permaculture
Butterflies Birds Cottage Gardener Herbs I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Irises
Sheesh, no kidding. Jae Rae has me looking at Fleece Flower all morning, trying to find a good reason not to get it.... Big Grin
In the end, only kindness matters.

Science is not the answer, it is the question.


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Aug 3, 2011 1:17 PM CST
Name: Dahlianut
Calgary, AB Zone 3a
NE Alumni
Garden Ideas: Level 2 Charter ATP Member Seed Starter Region: Canadian Irises Daylilies
Lilies Bulbs Garden Art Birds Hummingbirder Region: Northeast US
dicentra (bleeding hearts)
geranium (cranesbill)
hosta
ferns
aruncus (goartsbeard)
ligularia
aquilegia (columbine)
polygonatum (solomon's seal)
berginia
pulmonaria
viola

that's my five twicely Big Grin
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Aug 3, 2011 4:11 PM CST
Garden.org Admin
Name: Trish
Grapevine, TX (Zone 8a)
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Charter ATP Member Region: Texas Roses Herbs Vegetable Grower
Composter Canning and food preservation Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Organic Gardener Forum moderator Hummingbirder
count on you! Big Grin
NGA COO, Wife, Mom, and do-er of many fun things.
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Aug 3, 2011 7:04 PM CST
Name: Sheryl
Hot, hot, hot, Feenix, AZ (Zone 9b)
Region: Southwest Gardening Charter ATP Member Keeps Horses Dog Lover Cat Lover Permaculture
Butterflies Birds Cottage Gardener Herbs I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Irises
Huh.... the geraniums bloom for you in the shade?
In the end, only kindness matters.

Science is not the answer, it is the question.


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Aug 3, 2011 7:50 PM CST
Name: Dahlianut
Calgary, AB Zone 3a
NE Alumni
Garden Ideas: Level 2 Charter ATP Member Seed Starter Region: Canadian Irises Daylilies
Lilies Bulbs Garden Art Birds Hummingbirder Region: Northeast US
there are cranesbill that bloom in full shade sheryl. This is 'Ballerina' which is my fav. It only gets a couple of hours of late day sun
Thumb of 2011-08-04/dahlianut/4d5767 Thumb of 2011-08-04/dahlianut/67484d Thumb of 2011-08-04/dahlianut/5028fc

I am SO disorganized with my pics *Blush* They are just filed by date. I will put my shade pics in a new 'Shade' folder when I find them and post more geraniums.

A kickbutt columbine to make you smile (and forget that I can't find my geranium pics) Smiling
Thumb of 2011-08-04/dahlianut/b95888
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Aug 4, 2011 6:19 AM CST
Garden.org Admin
Name: Trish
Grapevine, TX (Zone 8a)
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Charter ATP Member Region: Texas Roses Herbs Vegetable Grower
Composter Canning and food preservation Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Organic Gardener Forum moderator Hummingbirder
Both of those are spectacular!!

Green with envy Big Grin
NGA COO, Wife, Mom, and do-er of many fun things.
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Aug 4, 2011 9:46 AM CST
Name: Lucy
Tri Cities, WA (Zone 6b)
irises
Charter ATP Member Cottage Gardener Irises Region: Northeast US Region: United Kingdom Region: United States of America
Enjoys or suffers cold winters
Don't have any pictures.
Bleeding heart
hosta
nursery trillium
Astilbe
Lilies of the valey ( I know they spread, whoopie)
ginger
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Aug 6, 2011 7:21 AM CST
Name: Sheryl
Hot, hot, hot, Feenix, AZ (Zone 9b)
Region: Southwest Gardening Charter ATP Member Keeps Horses Dog Lover Cat Lover Permaculture
Butterflies Birds Cottage Gardener Herbs I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Irises
Wow, Ballerina is amazing, Dnut. I'm going to have to keep my eyes out for that one.
In the end, only kindness matters.

Science is not the answer, it is the question.


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Aug 8, 2011 3:10 AM CST
Name: Jo Ann Gentle
Pittsford NY (Zone 6a)
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Cat Lover Heucheras Hellebores Container Gardener
Birds Region: New York Avid Green Pages Reviewer Irises Garden Ideas: Master Level Lilies
Its hard to choose five but top five I will go with
Astilbe

Thumb of 2011-08-08/ge1836/df33bc
Heucheras

Thumb of 2011-08-08/ge1836/a5fff0

Hostas

Thumb of 2011-08-08/ge1836/523894
Cyclemine

Thumb of 2011-08-08/ge1836/827b34
epimediums
Thumb of 2011-08-08/ge1836/103297
better photo
Thumb of 2011-08-08/ge1836/486cf3
Last edited by ge1836 Aug 8, 2011 3:17 AM Icon for preview
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Aug 8, 2011 2:23 PM CST
Name: Rose
Oquawka, IL (Zone 5a)
Echinacea Hibiscus Dahlias Clematis Charter ATP Member Region: Illinois
Garden Photography Heucheras Hummingbirder Hostas Garden Art Birds
ge,

Your astilbe are beautiful! I have some, but they don't seem to get as big as yours. What's your secret?

Rose
When all is said and done, there’s more said than done.

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