I have been so busy working in my garden this month that I haven’t had the time or the energy to post more than a couple of times. I’m hoping I’ll have more time now that everything is planted, moved, divided, etc… I have taken a lot of photos lately, and here are just some of the pretty foliage I have around my yard. I love this time of year when everything is still (mostly) fresh and new, before the slugs, insects and heat and humidity of summer takes their toll. Click any photo to enlarge.
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Heuchera ‘Georgia Peach’
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Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’
(I think it’s Silver Scrolls, I have so many heucheras I can’t keep the names straight!) I’m going to make a separate post about these plants soon, and list all the types I have growing right now (many!) in my Secret Garden.
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Various Heuchera
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Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’
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Ferns, hostas and daylilies in the Secret Garden
The tall ferns and hostas in the first photo above help keep
the secret garden hidden from view.
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Miniature Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’
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Hosta and Coleus
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Aucuba japonica
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Green and white Euonymus vine, Variegated Liriope, Elijah Blue fescue
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I’m glad you’ve been busy in the yard and that that’s what has been keeping you from posting. Reading your blog makes me wonder why I would ever need to create one of my own as I sometimes feel you are blogging about my yard!
I never got Jack Frost as I need to reorg one of my shade gardens to fit it in. I need to get rid of some of the non-descrip green hostas and replace them with jack Frost. I think it would be a great addition and would really show up in the dappled light to near full shade. I am so resistant to planting ferns because I need to do my research and be absolutely sure that they care clumping and not running types. This is the first year (out of three) that I’ve gotten rid of some running ferns that previous owners planted. Oh, the first year it lent a lush feel to the spaces. The second year we marveled at how hard it was. Last year I started taking over everything. It was a lot of work but I got it out and put it deep in the woods and let it do its thing there. This year it’s only a little maintenance cleanup with I see a fiddle head here or there pop up.
I’ve gone back and forth on trying Aucuba. I particularly love the mottled variety you have but think it’s northern range is Z6 and it might require a little extra attention during our winters. Not sure I’m up to giving something extra attention. But, as I’m sure you could understand, we all like a gardening challenge from time to time! :o)
Hi Jim,
Yes, it’s definitely my yard/gardens that are keeping me away from posting lately. I’ve had so much to do, so many things to move around and rearrange (due to the trees being taken down).
I think you would love Jack Frost. It’s one of my favorite plants (so far), I just love the way it stands out in my shady garden. I have two of them, and really hope they spread.
Sounds like we have similar gardens, Jim. I also have way too many plain green Hostas! It seems every seed sprouts, plus the clumps get bigger and bigger every year. I have given away dozens and dozens of them and I never miss them.
I’ve been trying to add different and more interesting hostas to my secret garden area lately. I love them, but do hate battling the slugs. I’m trying the new “Slug-eating nematodes” in my yard this year though, an application of that in late April, a little Sluggo here and there and ammonia spray and so far, so good. Not too much damage yet. I’m really hoping these nematodes make a difference — slugs are a -huge- problem in my beds.
The ferns I have are the clumping types, mostly the ones that are native here and I move them from the woods. I know what you mean about the ones that spread by runners — I’m afraid of anything that spreads like that. It’s why I don’t have ostrich fern even though it’s so pretty.
The Aucuba I have had for many years, it’s taller than I am (around 5’4″), and I’ve moved it at least twice in the last few years so it’s pretty tough here. I don’t give it any extra attention at all so it would probably do well for you also. Yes, we do like a challenge :) (These heucheras are my current challenge, I love them so and want to make them thrive here despite the heat and humidity!)
Thanks for your comments,
-Sherry
Oh, and to further add to the evidence that we have similar gardens/yards, would you believe that we also had four trees taken down????
lol Jim, we do seem to have very similar gardens. Taking those big trees down sure changes everything doesn’t it? I have full sun in that section of the yard now and it was always shade over there. I’ve been scrambling all spring, moving stuff around, planting shrubs to try and “shade” the plants that don’t want that much sun. It was good to get rid of those poplars though.
I’m so impressed that you took the time to photograph and name all these plants for us. What a job! Love your work and your garden.
Hi Sara, nice to hear from you and thanks so much for your comments. I do enjoy your work as well.
-Sherry
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