|
|
Caladiums, Impatients, Begonias, Coleus, Caladiums, Impatiens, Begonias, Coleus. Caladiums, Impatients, Begonias, Coleus, Caladiums, Impatiens, Begonias, Coleus. Repeat as necessary :) |
Shade Plants = SP |
Hygrangeas - SP Thirsty, demanding and beautiful. Sounds like some of my girlfriends...wait, did I say that out loud? |
Hostas - SP & DS - They grow over here, they grow over there, they grow just about everywhere. Some are big, some are small, some are petite, some are tall. I like the way a hosta blooms, I like the way it takes up room. I can put it in the ground, I can put it in a pot and every year it comes back 'round. |
Bleeding Hearts SP- It blooms in the spring, but the leaves are so interesting for the rest of the season. But, in really hot weather, it will die back but not gone. Will either show up later on or in the spring. Likes a lot of water, hydrangea envy. |
Leriope SP & DS - This pretty little thang is not very often associated with shade - but it does just fine, thank you very much ;) Evergreen and useful as either a filler between plants or as a border plant. This plant also does well in sun and part shade. Gotta love this one! If you are using leriope as a border plant, how about the verigated kind? My opinion, because you know, I'm so shy about sharing my opinion, is that the solid green leriope used as a border between a lawn and a bed looks like grass that is having a bad hair day. |
Lenten Rose SP & DS Evergreen, and blooms from about late February into May. Actually, some of mine are still blooming and it's June. From the pics I've posted, it looks like a Fatsia - not to worry, only grows to be about 2 foot tall and the same wide. |
Autumn Ferns SP- Evergreen and needs lots of water because...it's a fern! The new growth is brown and that my friends, is how it got it's name. I have a great story to tell about my girlfriend and autum fern...seems she and her neighbor decided that the brown growth was old growth and not worthy of daylight, so they picked off all the new, brown growth and bragged about it! Cute, but don't do that again :) |
Fatsia SP & DS- Evergreen and a shrub. Slow growing but when it's done, it can get to be about 8 foot tall. Great as a natural wall. |
Acuba SP & DS- Kinda wants to make you sing the song from the lion king, right? No? Not even a little bit? Fine! Evergreen and a shrub. Better to buy the gallon size to put in the ground. Trust me, personal experience sharing here :). I got a deal on some Acubas in the winter - $8 for a $50 plant. They're doing ok, but the plants we planted last year that were just a gallon size are doing outstanding. Hey, picture worth 1K - see for yourself! The pic on the right is the plant I bought in the much larger size (on sale). Note the not very upright shape. The one on the left, now that's a good looking Acuba! |
Caladiums - SP & DS This, my favorite reader, is a bulb that, yes, it's an annual so it only lasts one season. And yet again, speaking from personal experience, it thinks like a hydrangea - needs moist soil. If you let it get too dry, it won't come back. But, with some drip irrigation to keep them happy, they are gorgeous. |
Impatiens - SP These little ones grow so fast, but beware of the moisture factor. Thinks like a hydrangea. If you're not into getting up at 5:30 am to water your plants (guilty!) then do the drip irrigation. I am a drip irrigation convert, in-ground and containers. |
Wax Begonias - SP These little wonders come in both light and dark leaves. BUT, so do the sun version of a wax begonia. Sooo, check the labels to see that you get want you want. I like the lighter leaf in the shade and darker leaf in the sun. |
Coleus - SP Here we are again, talking Coleus! Once they have flowered, they kind of wilt away, so don't let them flower. Pinch off the flower and they will last easily into the fall. Pictured is a Coleus flower just waiting to get pinched, it's the one on the right...and the one on the left :) |
Questions? Concerns? petals@mortarandpetals.com |