Golden Green

Elisabeth — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:16:00 GMT

I wouldn't wear chartreuse, that yellow-green shade that is identified with a French liqueur and the psychedelic sixties. I would not use it in my home decor, except as an occasional accent. Why then, do I use it in the garden?

Because it lends sparkle and surprise, not to mention lightening up dark corners.

Other gardeners evidently agree with me, because chartreuse plants, including many new hybrids as well as old favorites, are everywhere. If you are partial to annuals, you can install 'Envy' zinnias or some of the many coleus varieties that are entirely or partly chartreuse. Almost every category of perennial plants features at least one species or variety with golden green leaves or flowers. Think of the sprightly Heuchera 'Lime Rickey' or Echinacea 'Coconut Lime'. Lots of sedums contribute to the parade of golden green, including the lovely Sedum repestre 'Angelina'. Even good old 'Autumn Joy' bears chartreuse flower heads in early summer. By late summer and fall those same flowers darken to shades of rose.

In recent years, hydrangea enthusiasts have been able to buy and enjoy an outstanding chartreuse-flowered variety called 'Lime Light'. George Washington planted tulip poplar at Mount Vernon (where one of the general's original trees still stands) and undoubtedly enjoyed the chartreuse and orange flowers that bear a resemblance to the tulips for which the tree is named.

Like me, you may never wear chartreuse or its close relation, lime green. Accenting your garden in that shade, however, is a completely different thing!

Flowers in the Shade

Elisabeth — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:47:00 GMT

Some people think it's hard to grow flowers in the shade. Success or failure depends on two factors: the amount of shade and the varieties of flowering plants.

First, let's get real about the amount of shade. In deepest darkest shade--say right by the trunk of a full-grown Norway spruce--there is very little that will grow, let alone flower. I have seen Vinca minor grow in that situation, but the number of spring flowers was relatively small. Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata), sometimes known as spotted wintergreen, has small, nodding white or pink flowers. It grows in dense shade, but spreads slowly and is anything but showy.

When plant vendors tell you that a specimen "thrives in shade", what they usually mean is that it thrives in partial or dappled shade. Most of the spring-flowering bulbs, like daffodils, tulips and hyacinths, bloom like a charm, especially if they are planted under deciduous trees, which are just beginning to leaf out as bloom time arrives. Brunnera macrophylla or false forget-me-not will also provide lovely true blue flowers in the spring. Foxglove (Digitalis spp) will give color in light shade in mid spring. Aconitum or wolf's bane provides height and color (usually shades of blue, white or pink) in the late summer. Cyclamen hederifolium (below, left) is a ground-hugging plant with silver-mottled leaves. Its pink, butterfly-like flowers can light up the partially shaded garden in the fall.

I especially love tuberous begonias in shady spots. These plants, which are not hardy in cold winter climates, are colorful, easy to grow and very floriferous. They are also relatively cheap, so you can treat them like annuals if you are so inclined. They can be planted in garden beds, but they also work particularly well in pots. The only problem with tuberous begonias is that too much dampness can cause rot, which makes the stems break off from the tuber. Water sparingly, support the flower-heavy stems with short stakes and protect from excessive rainfall.

For flowers in dappled shade, you might also want to try some of the smaller hydrangea varieties. You get all of the color of big hydrangea in a smaller space.

Growing Wise : color in shade

Golden Green

Flowers in the Shade