Plant Profile: Persian Ivy (Hedera colchia)
Karen Native to the cloud forests, stream valleys and mountains of the Near and Middle East, this evergreen climbing shrub is a member of ginseng familia, Araliaceae, that also includes Fatsia…
Plant Profile: Purple Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei ‘Coloratus’)
Native to China, Korea, and Japan, Euonymus fortunei is a woody evergreen or semi-evergreen member of the bitterseet family, Celastraceae, that also includes crucifiction thorn. The species can be grown…
Herbaceous Perennials for Wall Gardens in Partial Shade
Plants that prefer good drainage are excellent subjects for inclusion in wall gardens especially if they are small so they can be tucked into crevices. The plants soften the look…
Evergreen Vines for Shady Sites
Shady wall often offer cool moist conditions that sites in full sun do not. Some climbers can tolerate sun, some full shade, but few thrive in all three equally. Most…
Plant Combination: Azalea (Rhododendron) ‘Delaware Valley White’ and Hosta undulata ‘Albomarginata’
Make spring time special with the combination featuring a white azalea and a hosta with a white edge. This hosta is one of the earliest to emerge so will be…
Evergreen Perennials for Dry Shade
Dry shade is one of the most difficult sites for growing plants. Whether it is on a hill side, under the eves of a house, or under trees where roots…
Plant Profile: Stinking Iris (Iris foetidissima)
Also known as gladdon, Gladwin iris, and roast-beef plant, this rhizomatous, beardless iris is an evergreen herbaceous perennial native to northern Africa and Europe where it grows in open woods,…
Plant Profile: Hairy Alumroot (Heuchera villosa)
Hairy alumroot is an evergreen herbaceous perennial and a member of the saxifrage family, Saxifragaceae, that also includes tiarella, bergenia, and astilbe. It is native to Southeast from Virginia to…
Plant Profile: Northern Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum)
Karen Meyers Northern maidenhair fern is a perennial deciduous clump-forming fern native to North America and Asia where it grows in humusy, moist well drained soils and rocky areas. It is a…
Summer Blooming Blue Perennials for the Garden
As the big splash of spring flowers comes to an end and spring ebbs into summer the challenge of bringing color to the shade garden changes. Blue flowers are always…