Last month we talked about on-line and mail order sources for plants and supplies. In the next few issues, we will be talking about selecting specific plants that are not only unique and showy but, out perform all others in our gardens. This month we will look at “Plants for the Shady Garden.” Our selections are based on personal experiences in hardiness Zone 5, growing in heavy clay soil amended yearly with compost, and with heavy to partial shade. We think no shady garden should be without the following perennials.

1. Epimedium-Bishops Cap- Beautiful light green heart shaped foliage, loose sprays of dainty flowers in late April, 6″-14″ height, Bishops Caps can be used as a ground cover under trees and shrubs. Recommended varieties: versicolor Sulphureum, warleyense, and E. Brachyrrhizum (very rare and showy specimen presented by Plants Delights Nursery).

2. Pulmonaria-Lungwort- A very showy but underused April/May blooming perennial, foliage’s are various shades of green usually with intense fusions of silver-white spots, many new varieties have been introduced recently. Recommended varieties: Spilled Milk, Excalibur, Bertram Anderson, Milkyway, and of course the ever present Mrs. Moon.

3. Polygonatum-Solomon’s Seal- Masses of graceful unbranched arching stems holding clusters of green/white bell-shaped flowers, they slowly colonize even under those trouble spots beneath deciduous trees. Recommended varieties: Variegated Japanese Solomon’s Seal, the very best of them all.

4. Athyrium Fern-Lady’s Fern- All varieties have a beautiful distinctive form, silvery white and green erect fronds tinged red, they tolerate dry conditions. Recommended varieties: Japanese Painted Fern and Brandford Rambler Fern. This last specimen presented by Roslyn Nursery is larger, more vigorous, and showy then its cousin theJapanese Painted Fern.

5. Hostas-Plantain Lily- No shade garden should be without these perennial, they are a topic unto themselves, easy to grow and maintenance free. Recommended varieties:Great Expectations, Frances Williams, Elagans, Samurai, Inniswood, and our favorite Striptease.

6. Heuchera-Coral Bells- No plant has gone through such major change in the last few years thanks largely to Dan Heims at Terra Nova, Coral bells with their showy foliage are unbeatable in the woodland garden. Recommended varieties: Plum Puddin, Pewter Vail, Purple Petticoats, and Regal Robes.

All of the plants mentioned have preformed very well in our shade gardens over the years. Out of over 300 varieties in our private gardens, these are the ones that really stand out. Some other shade loving perennial we have had good luck with are Aquilegia, Primula, Asarum, Tiarella, and Japanese Anemones.

In next month’s Yard Talk we will talk about perennials for the Sunny Garden.

As I sit down to write this month’s Yard Talk, I look out into our woodlot blanketed in Winter’s whiteness and wonder what possible gardening topics are there in January? Then my eyes drift over to the growing stack of seed and garden catalogs and I ask myself, what better time than now to look for those special plants for next season? What would Winter be without our old friends Burpee, Wayside, or Thompson and Morgan. But let’s not forget the world of the Internet. It truly puts the world at our doorstep. Here are a few sites that we have found which are particularly interesting and guaranteed to make the winter go by quicker. Better still, we have had excellent experience ordering from them all. The people at Niche Gardens cannot be more helpful and their plants are of exceptional quality and size. Look for yourself.