Show-stopping rounded clusters of flowers in white, blue, green, pink, or purple, put on a spectacular show in midsummer. This shrub has a beautiful shape that needs little if any pruning, save at season’s end. Acid soils will support shades of blue or purple, while alkaline soils turn blooms pink. Stems of dwarf species are short and green, while others are taller and more woody. Hydrangeas love water and require moist soil and/or regular irrigation. They do best in part or full shade. Ideal for borders, hedges or as a specimen plant. Excellent for along fences and walls. Best used in groups. Flowers are great for drying.
Hybridizing has produced a dazzling array of Coral Bells. Perfect for gardeners who like to express their creativity through foliage color and texture. Heuchera, aka Coral Bells, are native to woodlands, prairies and mountains, so there are varieties suited to any garden. Airy clusters of little bell-shaped flowers add a blush of color in summer. Makes a wonderfully dependable mixed border plant for part-shade. Looks great in woodland settings. Perfectly sized for rock gardens and border fronts.
Bleeding Hearts are an outstanding choice for adding color and texture to shady or woodland settings. All species have charming pink heart-shaped flowers and attractive foliage. Their bloom time is Spring to early Summer. Hybrids of differing sizes have been developed over the years to expand the range of flower colors and bloom time. Plan for them to go dormant during the heat of summer by planting close to other plants that can "fill in the gap" for a while, such as Hosta or Hellebores. This species of Dicentra will return when the weather cools again in the spring.
Autumn reds and oranges look great, but you’ll love seeing a splash of pink through your window this Sept. Large, delicate blooms atop tall stems, brighten the perennial garden and dance with the wind from summer into autumn. These do best in moist part-sun or part-shade areas. Excellent for borders, rock gardens, or mass plantings. Looks great in woodland settings. Perfect for all kinds of containers. Excellent cut flowers.
This reliable ground cover boasts burgundy-red to deep purple foliage, adding rich color to challenging shady locations. Bright blue flowers in the spring provide added interest through the seasons. Cool weather enhances the foliage color. Beautiful contrasted with other plants with silver or golden leaves. Colloquially called ‘Carpet Bugle’, this variety is known as ‘Braunherz’. Perfectly sized for rock gardens and border fronts. Effective under trees where lawn has difficulty establishing.
A real standout in heavily shaded locations. Charming dainty blue flowers and rich variegated green heart-shaped leaves. Early summer blooms provide one of the hardiest perennials for long-lasting interest. Beautiful in shady borders and woodland gardens. Especially nice in waterside gardens. A reliable ground cover for any location. Contraindication: Has a tendency to spread indiscriminately, which is perfect for areas where other plants don’t grow.
Begonias are a classic and colorful choice for annual beds and containers. Ideal for shaded or part-shade areas. They offer bright blooms and fascinating foliage which varies from scalloped and waxy paddles to silvery or angel-wing shapes. The multitude of varieties also offers different flower forms including dainty, simple petaled wax blooms, lush multi-layered blooms, or dangling blooms. A perfect choice for beds and borders. Superb for baskets, containers and window boxes. Wonderful for combination plantings.
Majestic spikes of showy blooms make a bold statement in the landscape. A perfect choice for brightening lifeless shaded areas. The common name for this plant comes from a hood-like sepal on the flower reminiscent of an old fashioned cowl worn by monks. Especially nice in woodland gardens. Makes a dependable mixed border plant. Cut flowers are long-lasting in fresh bouquets. Best planted in groups.
Bright yellow flowers are held high above lush fan-shaped leaves. This plant grows in a shapely rounded style and gardeners adore it for its folded leaves which catch the sparkly morning dew. Its soft green foliage adds interest even when the plant is not in bloom. Easy to care for with low maintenance that lasts all season. Stylishly accents other bright colors in the garden. Best planted in groups. Lady’s Mantle does well in either sun or shade. With it’s happy yellow blooms, this plant is a favorite ground cover for for shady places.
A favorite valued for its delicate blooms and beautiful foliage. Airy light stems are topped with elegant, large flowers available in a rainbow of solid or multi-colors. Attracts butterflies and pollinators to the garden. Best planted in groups for a full-season display of showy blooms. Makes a dependable mixed border plant. Especially nice in part shade gardens. Terrific for hummingbird gardens. Easy to grow and very rewarding. Can reseed itself for a slowly expanding presence if desired.
Stunning feathery plumes of cream colored flowers in late spring or summer make Goatsbeard a distinguished favorite. A shade loving plant, its fernlike foliage and wispy blooms lend airiness to gardens and look especially stunning en masse. Often sprouting up to 4’ tall and spreading to 3’ wide, this shrub is an excellent choice for a stand-out background plant in a border or woodland garden. Often mistaken for its lookalike, Astilbe, Goatsbeard is a plant from an entirely different plant family.
Wild Ginger is a real standout in heavily shaded locations! Grown for its beautiful heart-shaped leaves. Small purplish-russet flowers appear in spring. Combines well with Hosta in woodland gardens or near water. Beautiful and effective under trees where lawn has difficulty establishing.
Sedge forms graceful upright clumps of slender, arching leaves. A beautiful Japanese native, the Carex species are cool season grasses that grow naturally in grasslands and marsh areas throughout the world. They bring a relaxed, unstructured feel to the landscape. Creative gardeners will love the artistic possibilities of this plant for contrasting color, size, and texture. Available in an array of colors ranging from green and bronze to variegated combinations of green, gold, and white. Sizes range from 8” inches to 3’ feet, and textures from whispy to spiky. Many species are evergreen and provide garden interest year-round. Ideal for edging large beds or walkways, great in mass plantings, and adds a soft touch to rock gardens.
One of the best native ornamental grasses, Chasmanthium is valued for its ability to grow in almost any condition, especially shade. Seed clusters arch gracefully from atop the foliage and last into winter. Makes a dependable mixed border plant. Excellent cut flowers for fresh or dried arrangements. Provides dramatic color and form to autumn and winter landscapes.
Campanula, aka Bell Flower, comes in mounding, spreading and upright varieties. Color variations include white, blue, pink, mauve, burgundy, violet, and purple. Bell-like blooms vary from dainty stars to large cups, and may be single or clustered, upright or dangling. With so many options, a choice variety can be found to fit most garden settings. Wonderful for mixed borders and rock gardens. Perfect for all kinds of containers. Cut flowers are long-lasting in fresh bouquets. Best planted in groups. They grow best in sun, but will also thrive in partial shade.
Soft feathery plumes and finely cut foliage add a unique touch of color, light and texture to shadier gardens. Catches the eye when planted in group, providing a spectrum of pinks, purples, or white. Leave dried flowers untrimmed at season's end to provide winter interest in the garden. Makes a dependable mixed border plant. Looks great in woodland settings. Ideal for specimen, foundations, and mass plantings. Especially nice in waterside gardens.
Distinctive rose-pink or white flowers on tall stalks resemble little turtle heads with open mouths. Dense, lustrous foliage looks good all season long. This unique selection is sure to attract attention. Grows well in part shade and moist woodland settings.
Eastern native groundcover produces an abundance of bright yellow 1-inch star shaped flowers that stand out against the low-growing green fuzzy foliage. Excellent for brightening shaded landscapes with its long bloom time. Grow in masses, as edging or in small patches.
Fairy Candles is a summer-blooming shade-loving woodland plant that has played an important role in patent medicine. Known by a long list of common names including Black Cohash, Black Snakeroot, and Bugbane. Green or purple leaves add color and texture to the garden, while a delicate eye-catching display of mauve to white bottlebrush flowers bloom when the shade is at its peak.
Tall elegant stalks display multiple rows of tubular blossoms that would certainly be most stylish on the paws of any woodland fox! Foxgloves are eye-catching in the garden, providing height, vertical interest and a good bright range of variegated colors in shades of pink, white, lavender, and apricot. A perfect choice for beds and borders. Especially nice in woodland gardens. Perfectly suited to informal, naturalized settings. Terrific for pollinators. Does well in part shade. Contraindication: This plant is toxic for pets and humans if accidentally ingested.
Japanese Painted Ferns, of Athyrium ferns, offer a great assortment of colors and textures. This is an ideal plant for adding interest and color to moist, shaded locations where blooming plants may not thrive. A very tidy, beautiful, and carefree selection that adds a soft texture to the garden and great balance when contrasted near plants with large, bold foliage. Deer resistant.