#Heart leaved Foamflower

[faguscarolinensis]

Tiarella cordifolia / Heart-Leaved Foamflower at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC

[vandaliatraveler]

Update on the native wildflower shade garden . . .

Since my last post about the sharp-lobed hepatica several weeks ago, the wildflowers in the shade garden have made a significant push. All of the live plants I put in the ground last fall have made it through the winter, and many of the seeds I planted have germinated and sprouted. Quick survey:

Top: the spreading Jacob's ladder (Polemonium reptans) is mounding beautifully and positively dripping with violet-blue, bell-shaped flowers. The plant lures many pollinators, including bees, flies, butterflies, moths, and beetles. And that foliage is so lush and green . . .

Next one: woodland stonecrop (Sedum ternatum) has established itself in the nooks and crannies of one of my rock features and is getting ready to bloom.

Next two: although the sharp-lobed hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba) has nearly finished blooming, the real joy starts for me when the leathery, thrice-lobed leaves with their often deeply-variegated patterns begin to unfold. This is flat-out one of the most unique and gorgeous wildflowers of North America.

Next one: creeping woodland phlox (Phlox stolonifera) makes for an enchanting ground cover and will spread quite rapidly in the right conditions. I have strong feelings for all the native phlox species, but this one has stolen my heart. It's native to a narrow strip of the Appalachian Mountains from Georgia to Pennsylvania. In the spring around here, it absolutely lights up streambanks with its dainty pink to rose-colored flowers.

Next one: dwarf-crested iris (Iris cristata) is another lovely groundcover but beware - it spreads like wildfire. The lavender and yellow to orange-crested flowers are a treasure to behold from late April to early May. And its arrow-like foliage provides much-needed contrast in the garden.

Next: among the seeds I planted, the yellow pimpernel (Taenidia integerrima) is making the strongest push. The plant produces yellow-flowered umbels similar to golden Alexanders and is a high-value nectar source for many pollinators. It's also the host plant for the black swallowtail and Ozark swallowtail butterflies.

Next two: anyone who visits this Tumblr regularly needs no introduction to heartleaf foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia), my unofficial poster child for Appalachian spring. I simply would not have a native wildflower garden without it. One of my foamflowers is a hybrid (sugar and spice) cultivated for its deeply dissected leaves and intense variegation.

Last (but not least): my eastern red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) pretty much takes cares of itself - it's one of the best starter wildflowers for beginner gardeners, hardy and undemanding. But man, does it produce loads of beautiful red and yellow, bell-shaped flowers.

[kavyaorganicfarm19]

Harmony in Bloom: Pairing Royal Raindrops Crabapple with Complementary Plants

In the world of landscaping, few trees rival the stunning visual impact of the Royal Raindrops Crabapple. With its vibrant burgundy foliage and abundant blossoms, this ornamental tree can transform any garden into a breathtaking display of color and texture. Today, we explore the art of harmonizing this regal tree with complementary plants to create a garden symphony that resonates with beauty and balance.

Royal Raindrops Crabapple Overview

Before delving into ideal pairings, let's take a moment to appreciate the unique qualities of the Royal Raindrops Crabapple. Known scientifically as Malus 'Royal Raindrops,' this deciduous tree boasts deep red, cutleaf foliage that matures to a rich purple hue. In spring, the tree bursts into a profusion of deep pink to red blossoms, attracting pollinators and turning the garden into a visual spectacle.

Creating Contrast with Evergreens

One effective strategy for enhancing the visual impact of the Royal Raindrops Crabapple is to create contrast with evergreen companions. The year-round greenery of evergreen plants provides a stunning backdrop that allows the striking features of the crabapple to stand out.

Consider pairing your Royal Raindrops Crabapple with low-maintenance evergreens like Boxwoods (Buxus spp.) or Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata). Their glossy green leaves provide a perfect canvas for the Royal Raindrops' burgundy foliage and ensure a vibrant display even in the winter months.

Seasonal Drama with Spring Blooms

To maximize the visual interest throughout the growing season, strategically plant perennials and shrubs that bloom in tandem with the Royal Raindrops Crabapple in spring. This creates a dynamic landscape that evolves with the changing seasons.

Celebrate spring with the delicate blooms of Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) or the vibrant hues of Coral Bells (Heuchera spp.). These plants not only complement the crabapple's blossoms but also extend the period of color in your garden.

Understory Planting for Ground-Level Appeal

Enhance the vertical dimension of your garden by incorporating low-growing plants beneath the Royal Raindrops Crabapple. This understory planting not only adds visual interest but also helps in weed suppression and moisture retention.

Opt for groundcovers like Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) or Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia). Their spreading habit and contrasting foliage provide a lush carpet that beautifully contrasts with the crabapple's upright structure.

Fragrance and Texture with Companion Shrubs

Extend the sensory experience in your garden by including fragrant and textural companion shrubs that harmonize with the Royal Raindrops Crabapple. These shrubs add depth and diversity to your planting scheme.

Lilacs (Syringa spp.) or Viburnums (Viburnum spp.) are excellent choices, offering fragrant blooms and appealing textures. Their presence enhances the overall garden ambiance while complementing the Royal Raindrops' majestic appearance.

A Symphony of Colors and Textures with Royal Raindrops Crabapple

In conclusion, the Royal Raindrops Crabapple is not just a tree; it's a centerpiece for creating a symphony of colors and textures in your garden. By carefully selecting complementary plants that span seasons and dimensions, you can elevate the visual appeal of your outdoor space to new heights.

[strawbaleramblynn]

front yard (shade) plant ideas

Carolina Silverbell - Understory tree w/ beautiful white flowers, preferably the “Wedding Bells” cultivar

Dusty Zenobia - Evergreen shrub with beautiful fall foliage

Bleeding-heart - heart shaped hanging flowers in the spring, I’ve loved these since I was a little kid. They thrive on the shady north side of my parents house, hopefully they’d do so at mine as well

Jewelweed - My favorite wildflower, a herbaceous annual with orange flowers and fun tactile seedpods

Common Wild Ginger - low-growing shade loving groundcover with heart shaped leaves

Violets - small low-growing flowers/groundcover, comfortable in similar environments to the wild ginger

Foamflower - lobed leaves, little sprigs of white foamy flowers. Spreads very slowly, but eventually can form groundcover.

Ferns, undecided - can’t have a shade garden without a fern or two

Woodbine / Clematis virginiana - vigorous, shade tolerant clematis for growing over the front trellis. Arguably too vigorous, I might be fighting this plant from taking over the whole yard....

[marybromley]

Brian Minter: New perennials that can add magic to any shade garden

Last week I wrote about some of the trees and shrubs that add quiet charm to shade gardens. There are, however, many new perennials that can add magic to any such garden. I’m a huge fan of year-round beauty, and this is where perennials make such a great contribution.

In coastal areas, evergreen euphorbias, with their unique foliage, are just now coming into bloom. Their vibrant, hot lime flowers will last for weeks. Euphorbia characias Glacier Blue (rated Zone 7) has those much-coveted blue-toned leaves edged in white. Ascot Rainbow is one of the hardiest, and its green, yellow and red-tinged new growth is particularly attractive. One of my favourites is Shorty, a compact, pure-blue-foliaged variety with lime flowers that pop in spring. Euphorbias prefer dappled or lighter shade, and they’re also a great choice for containers.

Evergreen heucheras provide, by far, the widest range of colours. From the hottest limes and the darkest burgundies to beautiful caramels and everything in-between, they’re the colour stars. The more native heucherellas are a little tougher (hardy to Zone 5), and they develop magnificent colour patterns on their foliage. The darlings of containers, heucheras and heucherellas flower in spring with tiny, spiky, white or pink double flowers on long stems, and remarkably, all their foliage changes colour throughout the year, especially when temperatures fluctuate from warm to cool. Also part of this same family, hardy native tiarellas (foamflower) tolerate Zone 4 climates. Current breeding programs are developing beautiful colour patterns on the foliage of new tiarellas. All these plants need well-draining, light soils with a little bark mulch worked in. They don’t perform well in heavy, clay soils.

Folks often forget about using grasses for shady locations, which is a shame because the huge carex family will provide year-round beauty. Some of the most popular varieties have been branded appropriately with the term Evercolor. Growing 18 inches wide and tall, in winter the hot lime foliage of C. Everillo glows like sunshine. Evergold, with its soft yellow and green-edged leaves, is the most well-known variety, and C. Everlite has cream coloured leaves with dark green edges. These grasses are hardy to Zone 5, and like heucheras, are best planted in groupings of three or more. They also make fabulous container plants.

Although not evergreen, Japanese forest grass (hakonechloa) is in a class by itself. It grows 18 inches tall and wide, is hardy to Zones 5 and 6, has a soft flowing habit and performs well in dry shade and even in quite dark situations. Hakonechloa All Gold and H. Aureola add golden colour to lift shady areas. Sunflare, discovered in B.C., has rich golden foliage with burgundy tips.

Columbines have a long history in shade gardens, but they’re also more sun tolerant than most folks realize. The tall, older varieties have been replaced with more compact (14 to 18 inches) options. The Aquilegia Winky series offers exceptional, longer-lasting double, semi-double and single blooms, and the colour range and number of bicolours is outstanding. My other favourite is the Kirigami series. It’s more compact (12 inches), comes in double, single and bicolour upward facing blossoms and blooms far longer. Pollinators are highly attracted to these new varieties.

No old-fashioned English garden would be complete without the magic of foxgloves (digitalis). Today, they too are changing. Growing anywhere from two to three feet, the Dalmation series, an introduction from Kieft Seeds, has won top awards in German trials for their strong habit, long flowering and distinct pure colours. Candy Mountain, with its speckled rosy-pink blossoms, is the first foxglove from seed to have upward-facing flowers. This year there are lots of new varieties.

Bleeding hearts are another old-fashioned charmer that has come a long way. I love the golden foliage of the pink flowering Gold Heart. The new Dicentra spectabilis Valentine, originally bred in B.C., has puffy, pure red, heart-shaped flowers with white dangling tips. King of Hearts is one of the new sun and heat tolerant varieties, but it’s still quite at home in partially shaded areas. Dicentra Luxuriant, D. Fire Island and Dicentra eximia all have beautiful fern-like foliage to enjoy once the flowers have finished. A collection of different varieties makes a wonderful addition to shady or partially sunny locations.

I’ll never forget the late-renowned British gardener Christopher Lloyd coming to our garden and making the statement that he, unequivocally, didn’t like astilbes. Unfortunately, it was June, and we had hundreds of them in bloom throughout the garden. I was quite relieved and delighted when, at the end of the tour, he said, “You’ve changed my mind on astilbes.” Today, with so many varieties, sizes (from ground covers to tall forms) and differing bloom times, astilbes are a must for shady spots, where they will perform longer if they get lots of water. I particularly love the Visions series for its compact growth (15 inches), its Zone 4 hardiness, its light fragrance and its very full, robust clumps of flowers in many colours.

Brunneras are some of today’s hottest shade plants. From the original B. Jack Frost, with its speckled silver and green foliage, and the vibrant silver of B. Silver Heart, many new introductions continue to impress. Last year’s new introductions (both hardy to Zone 3), B. Jack of Diamonds and Queen of Hearts, with their enormous, impressive leaves, have really changed the game. These dry shade jewels, with their early flowering, blue, forget-me-not type flowers and silver leaves, add vibrancy to shade gardens.

Our grandmothers had old-fashioned pulmonarias in their gardens that had speckled green and silver leaves and bloomed early with pink and blue flowers. Unfortunately, they were susceptible to mildew. New varieties, like P. Majeste, Pretty in Pink and Mrs. Moon, are mildew resistant, hardy to Zone 3 and keep their impressive foliage all summer.

Another forgotten favourite is barrenwort or epimedium. One of the best collections I’ve seen is at Van Dusen Gardens where it’s used as an underplanting to accent many of their shade-loving shrubs. Hardy to Zone 5, they have tiny, starlike flowers in pink, red, white and yellow, and beautiful foliage that turns a lovely bronze later in the season.

If it’s a showpiece you need, the larger ligularias, with their huge leaves in green or burgundy and striking yellow flower spikes or clusters, are ideal candidates. Hardy to Zone 3, they make a spectacular wow display.

One of the shining beacons of colour in any shade garden is the 2020 Plant of the Year: Aralia cordata Sun King. Growing up to three feet and hardy to Zone 3, Sun King is a huge, tropical-looking, golden foliaged wonder that lights up any shady corner.

As we move into late summer and fall, we tend to lose a lot of the colour in our gardens. That is when Japanese anemones play such a key role. Hardy to Zone 4 and coming in shades of pink and white, they begin to flower in August and continue well into frost with massive displays of colour. The older varieties grow three to four feet tall and are still one of the best garden plants. More compact varieties are available, but the larger varieties carry the day. Pure white A. Honorine Jobert is my favourite.

This is just a partial list of the many stunning perennials that will light up any shade garden. The old concept that shade can be challenging is dispelled by these and many other magnificent shade-loving perennials. All the pollinators, butterflies and hummingbirds will be grateful if you can add these special plants to your shade garden.

Brian Minter: New perennials that can add magic to any shade garden published first on https://weedkillerguide.tumblr.com/

[rabbitqueen]

I love native plants and I love talking about plants, so here are some asks about plants!

Coreopsis: if you could have any plant you wanted, what would you have? Beardtongue: have you had any cool nature experiences? if so, what were they? Coneflower: do you prefer to have house plants or a garden outdoors? Senna: what kind of plant is your favorite? Gayfeather: what critter is your favorite garden visitor? Foamflower: with unlimited resources, how many plants would you want to have? (ie a few window plants, acres of greenhouses...somewhere in the middle...) Coral Bells: what is your favorite plant-related memory? Jack-in-the-Pulpit: have you ever had a bad plant experience? Trillium: what is the coolest plant you've seen in the wild? Heart-Leaved Aster: top three favorite flowers? Spring Beauty: What flower do you look forward to the most in the spring? Violet: what flower/plant would you give someone as a gift? Canada Lily: have you ever received a plant as a gift? Hibiscus: do you know any fun plant facts you'd like to share? Milkweed: have you ever been able to interact with butterflies? (had them land on you, raised one, stuff like that) Goldenrod: what is your favorite flower-color? Wild Ginger: share a story about flowers/plants/nature Woodland Sunflower: do you prefer bigger plants or smaller plants?

[kevinscottgardens]

30 April through 4 May 2018

This week’s medicinal plant is Valeriana officinalis. I really like how it puts me into a very restful and deep sleep. I took a teabag to work so everyone could smell the unique aroma. My favourite is Dr. Stuart’s.

This was a fun and varied week. Monday, with incessant drizzle, I cut a new edge to some grass, making it look much better. There is a dip in the level, which gives the appearance of an indent, which I measured several times to ensure it is in fact parallel to a nearby edge.

Tuesday I had my first go at building supports for some of the larger plants, to prevent them toppling over under their own weight and ensure the best show possible of the impending blooms.

Wednesday was my office day. In the morning, during my glasshouse time, I planted some Marsilea quadrifolia, an aquatic fern, along the edge of one of the ponds in the fernery. I’m hoping it takes off quickly. I think it will look great.

This week Joe announced he will be leaving the garden at the end of June to do some travelling and working in Australia for a year. Whilst this will be an amazing opportunity for him, we will miss him.

Thursday I constructed more supports with hazel canes, almost finishing the job. Friday, after helping Ruari and Joe extricate the citrus trees from their winter home in the orangery, I applied new gold-lettering to the medicinal information boxes.

There is no new ident this week because it is Ruari’s last week and the new trainee, Charlotte, will start on 14 May.

I made my way to Heathrow directly from work for my flight to Delhi and a week’s holiday in Uttarakhand, the area regarded as the seat of the Hindu god Shiva.

Plant of the week

Saxifragaceae Tiarella cordifolia L.

common name(s) - “foam flower”,  “coolwort”,  “false mitrewort”, “white coolwort”, “heartleaf foamflower”, “heartleaved foamflower”,  “Allegheny foamflower” synonym(s) - Tiarella cordifolia var. cordifolia; Tiarella cordifolia f. cordifolia conservation rating - none native to - eastern North America location - world wood North America; accession _____ leaves - three to five-lobed, broadly ovate leaves becoming bronze-tinged in autumn flowers - erect stems bearing open racemes; small, creamy-white habit - clump-forming, deciduous, stoloniferous herbaceous perennial to 300mm in height habitat - native to damp, wet woodland of eastern North America pests - generally pest-free disease - generally disease-free hardiness - to -15ºC (H5) soil - cool, humus-rich, moist and either well or poorly-drained; protect from excessive winter wet sun - full sun to part shade propagation - seed in pots in a cold frame as soon as seed is ripe or in spring; division in spring pruning - remove spent flowers and leaves as required nomenclature - Saxifragaceae - saxifraga - stone-breaker, saxum-frango, living in rock cracks, had the signature for medicinal use in treating gall-, bladder- and kidney-stones; Tiarella - little turban, τιαρα, for the shape of the seed capsules; cordifolia - heart-shaped leaves NB - lacks invasive tendencies of many more-common ground-covers; listed in herbology as a tonic and a diuretic. It has been used for kidney problems, liver problems, and congestion of the lungs

[therightnewsnetwork]

Hardy Orchids Grow Well Planted in a Perennial Shade Garden

Bletilla to Spiranthes, hardy orchids grow well in woodland gardens. Shade-loving perennials like hosta, foamflower and Solomon’s seal are good mixers.

Gardeners, looking for a challenging plant, will find it among some orchids tough enough for outdoors. Able to thrive in environments where cold winters are the norm, gardeners who grow indoor orchids will easily recognize the beloved flower forms. Gardeners can turn to Bletilla, Calanthe, Cypripedium or Spiranthes for inspiration, both in species plants and hybrid cultivars.

Hardy orchids are not for the faint-of-heart gardener but those who love plants have found success growing them as natives among a wildflower planting, in a shaded garden or as a cherished, and protected, specimen plant. Gardeners will want a well thought-out site, taking into account the expense, when choosing where to plant these woodland perennials.

Spring Blooming Ground Orchid Bletilla

Bletilla striata, called the Chinese ground orchid, is hardy in zones 5 – 9. As its name implies, Bletialla is a native of China and Japan. Issuing up from the center of the plant, the long leafless stems are lined with quintessential orchid blooms flourishing in spring. The foliage in mass, which reaches approximately 12” – 24” tall and wide, looks like swords of grass but more papery than the leaves of bearded iris, for instance.

  Although Bletilla striata may tolerate a full sun location in a northern garden, a partly shaded planting bed is best for plants to thrive long term. The soil should be well amended with organic matter if a humus texture is missing. Mulch is wise to use for protection against drought conditions in summer and freezing temperatures in winter.

Old and new Bletilla striata cultivars include:

B. ‘Albostriata’ has a strip of white edging the margins along the leaves. The flowers are the usual purple color.

B. ‘Alba’ has white flowers.

B. ‘Big Bob’ has lavender sepals and petals but the lip has a hint of white.

Bletilla striata grows from pseudobulbs. Like other hardy orchids, more plants can be had by digging up and dividing the plants or, in this case, dividing the bulbs. Overwintering and growing the bulbs indoors as a houseplant is another way of saving these orchids until the next spring.

Calanthe Hardy Yellow Orchid

Calanthe is another hardy orchid genus from which to choose. Calanthe discolor and Calanthe sieboldii, a hardy yellow orchid, is limited to zones 7 – 9. Gardeners who wish to push the boundaries of hardiness will consider late spring frosts their enemy; something to guard against.

Calanthe orchids have very vertical racemes, up to 15” tall, on a plant whose leaves are more oblong than narrow. This hardy orchid likes shade in a wooded environment and makes good companion plantings for blue hosta and Solomon’s seal perennials.

Cypripedium Called Lady’s Slipper Orchid

Cypripedium, called lady’s slipper, is an orchid with a hardiness range of 2 – 7. Cypripedium has species native to southern areas of eastern North America, making it ideal for woodland wildflower gardens. This orchid plant benefits from leaf mold mulch under a canopy of trees and prefers acidic soils.

The Cypripedium plant grows up to 24” tall with leaves that have an accordion appearance resulting from the vertical veining. Each spring flower is made up of three petals and an exaggerated lip called the pouch, also an iconic feature of many orchid species.

Fall Blooming Spiranthes Chadds Ford

Spiranthes cernua is a fall blooming hardy orchid, which is more reliable for northern gardeners. The native orchid ranges from Canada to the southeastern United States, from zones 4 – 8. The common name is ladies tresses and has a fragrant flower.

Spiranthes cernua f. odoratea ‘Chadds Ford’ was rescued in the 1960s in Bear, Delaware, that since has been bred into cultivation. The hardiness range, distinctive flower spike and native plant distinction makes Spiranthes cernua f. oderatea ‘Chadds Ford’ a good choice for native gardeners looking for autumn flowers.

Protecting Wild and Hybrid Orchids

Protecting the hardy orchid should be part of a maintenance care plan, first consider the site of the planting bed. Culprits that threaten orchids outside can come in the form of two-legged Homo-sapiens or four-legged mammals, as well as insects who want to feast on the succulent plant.

Hardy orchids can be sited as a specimen plant in a private garden to keep it safe from theft or as a collection surrounded by less favored plants to deter wildlife. Slugs like orchids outside, as well as hostas, so use strategies to dissuade slugs from chewing up the foliage.

Although there is an increase in hybridizing orchids, the cost of a hardy orchid is still prohibitive for many. Plant lovers know it is no less dangerous for wild orchids threatened in the native plant world so gardeners must recognize they are the orchids’ first line of defense, by not creating a market for species harvested from the wild.

Shady Loving Perennial Plants with Outdoor Orchids

Gardeners can successfully grow orchids outdoors as long as the correct habitat is provided. Whether a species or hybrid plant, the hardy orchid makes an excellent singular choice for the north side of a building or several planted among like-minded shade-loving plants.

Tiarella, Heuchera and Lilium Martagon perennials and woodland ferns are more plants that, combined with hardy orchids, will grow to make an interesting landscape.

The post Hardy Orchids Grow Well Planted in a Perennial Shade Garden appeared first on All around the house.

from http://allaroundthe.house/hardy-orchids-grow-well-planted-perennial-shade-garden/

[vandaliatraveler]

Heartleaf foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia), also known as false miterwort, is a captivating, clump-forming perennial whose massed, graceful spikes of white, star-shaped flowers possess a hypnotic allure in the damp, shady woods where they appear in mid-spring. Even after the flowers have died away, the plant’s heart-shaped, three to five-lobed leaves hold fast through the fall, lighting up the forest floor with their mesmerizing, velvety-green glow. Tiarella is closely related to alumroot (Heuchera), but while the latter will tolerate sunlight and thin, rocky soil, foamflower needs shade and moist, rich humus to thrive. The photos above were taken on the Mon River Trail.