Yes, I know it’s bit insane when you consider how many new plants I’ve introduced at Sutherland this year. But in my defense, most were on sale, or purchased with my employee discount at the garden center. And a bit of review for the newer readers: we have spent the last several years painstakingly clearing, cleaning, and amending the property and soil so we could at long last begin the fun part– planting! The following concludes my list of shade loving plants that were incorporated into the garden this season. I hope you see something you like, or better yet, have some personal experience with any of them that you can share with me.
Hosta ‘Fire Island’
The brilliant yellow leaves of this Hosta really caught my attention earlier this spring. By summer, the leaves had turned chartreuse and the base of each leaf stained with red from the petioles. As this plant matures, it should develop rippled edges and just a touch of corrugation (already evident on some leaves). I’m a sucker for yellow and chartreuse in the shade garden.
Height: 10-14”
Spread: 15-30”
Exposure: Part shade, Full shade
Bloom time: Midsummer
Bloom color: Lavender shades
Water: Even moisture, regular
Hosta ‘Hollywood Lights’
Whenever I see a pretty green Hosta, I snatch it up. So often, the green plants take a back seat to the blue, yellow and variegated variaties. The asymmetry of the variegation is refreshing after seeing so many “perfect” specimens at leaf shows. Each leaf is distinctive with the interplay of dark green margins and chartreuse centers.
Height: 23”
Spread: 43”
Exposure: Part shade, Full shade
Bloom time: Midsummer
Bloom color: Pale Lavender shades
Water: Even moisture, regular
Hosta ‘Hyuga Urajiro’
I can hardly pronounce the name of this little guy! It’s by far the most unusual Hosta I have in the garden. The top side of the leaves are frost blue with fine yellow streaks while the underside have a metallic silver sheen. The blooms are fantastic on arching stems– white with just a hint of pink. I’m not a fan of streaked Hostas, but I had to give this odd plant a try.
Height: 8-10”
Spread: 14-16”
Exposure: Part shade, Full shade
Bloom time: Midsummer
Bloom color: White shades
Water: Even moisture, regular
Crytomium x fortunei - Fortune’s Cold Hardy Holly Fern
Can ferns be macho? I say yes, and tend to be drawn to those that appear more masculine. Fortune’s has tough-looking woodland style with strong upright form and holly-like leaf formations. A nice departure from the more dainty ferns, which tend to resemble green doilies in the garden.
Height: 18-24”
Spread: 15-18”
Exposure: Part shade, Full shade
Bloom time: NA
Bloom color: NA
Water: Even moisture, regular
Dryopteris erythrosoia - Autumn Fern or Japanese Shield Fern
When I created my first Hosta bed, I envisioned a collection of mostly Hostas sprinkled with an occasional Hellebore and some gold grasses for contrast. As the bed grew, so did my appetite for differing plants, and dare I say color? I really like the contrasting warm tones on the new fronds of the Autumn Fern against the many shades of green, gold, and blue from the neighboring plants.
Height: 12-18”
Spread: 12-18”
Exposure: Part shade, Full shade
Bloom time: NA
Bloom color: NA
Water: Even moisture, regular
Polystichum polyblepharum - Tassel Fern
Maybe what I really want is a fern garden!? Here’s another fern that I’ve introduced to the Hosta garden. The Tassel Fern is all about texture. It’s a sturdy fern with luscious shiny dark green fronds that bend backward after they emerge. The word “polyblepharum” means “many eyelashes.” Oh, and did I mention, deer resistant?
Height: 18-24”
Spread: 12-15”
Exposure: Part shade, Full shade
Bloom time: NA
Bloom color: NA
Water: Even moisture, regular
Euphorbia x martinii ‘Ascot Rainbow’
This was a great find! It looked terrific in the pot and has just gotten better and better since it’s been in the ground– even through the drought. The foliage and bracts are stunning in shades of cream, lime, and green. As the weather cools, the ends should become red, orange, and pink shades. Chalk this up as an excellent heat and drought tolerant plant. Technically not a ‘shade’ plant, it resides in sunny area within the shade garden.
Height: 20”
Spread: 20”
Exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade
Bloom time: Late spring
Bloom color: Multicolored
Water: Low to Average water needs
Heuchera ‘Plum Pudding’
As noted in a previous post, I’ve planted around 40 of these in one mass planting. I’m a big fan of purple/burgundy foliage plants. I find the lovely plum-purple leaves with dark purple veins on this Heuchera quite sumptuous. It blooms in white/cream shades, but I find the flowers on most Heuchera quite distracting, so I cut them off immediately after they bloom. Looking forward to a big batch of plum pudding next spring.
Height: 8-10”
Spread: 12-16”
Exposure: Full Sun, Full shade
Bloom time: Late spring to midsummer
Bloom color: White shades
Water: Average water needs
Heuchera ‘Purple Petticoats’
The photo your are looking at was not taken by me. It’s actually from the Terra Nova website, where I learned that ‘Purple Petticoats’ placed first for winter foliage at a top horticultural show during one of Holland’s toughest winters. The frilly edges of the leaves are accentuated by the clinging frost. I hope to witness this chilly effect in my own garden this coming winter.
Height: 12”
Spread: 24”
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Bloom time: Spring
Bloom color: White shades
Water: Average water needs
May 6. Deep purple foliage.
May 31. Green tones emerge as temperatures rise.
August 1. Green hues shift to red before returning to purple in autumn. The underside of the leaf remains bright purple.
