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- From: "Gene Bush" <genebush@otherside.com>
- To: "gardenwriters-on-gardening" <gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org>
- Subject: Re: [gwl-g] shady rock outcropping
- Date: Sun, 13 Jun 2004 06:37:43 -0400
Hello Nancy,
No need to take out a second mortgage on the house to purchase Hepatica.
You probably have the Japanese hepatica in mind with their extensive
breeding lines and history. We have two local species of native Hepatica
that are just as attractive. Look for either H. americana or H. acutiloba.
The sharp lobe hepatica is the larger of the two at about 6 to 8 inches.
Both can be found in bloom colors of white, pink and some shade of blue.
Foliage mottling can be plain to super showy. There are also named forms and
doubles out there for around $35. Among the European species H. nobalis is
probably the easiest to locate. A bit larger than acutiloba in size, quite
nice. They are out there, you just have to look. Hepatica are small, so with
having to be seen from a bit of a distance, think in drifts when
transplanting. Early blooming trilliums make great companions.
Right now Silene virginica, Fire Pink/Mountain Pink, is in full bloom
and has been for about two weeks. If you want a plant than shows up for a
distance here is one for you. Evergreen clumps of foliage that appear to be
on fire this time of the year. Bright, deep, red above green leaves with
touches of bronze. I have mine along an upper level path in a drift of 6
plants.
The dwarf or mini Columbines are wonderful. Several named seed strains
of those out there. Many named cultivars of Dicentra exima, the fernleaf or
everblooming dicentra is a "backbone" plant for the shade garden. Helleborus
x hybridus for winter color. Mitchella repens or Partridge Berry for an
evergreen groundcover that blooms and has red berries in the winter.
There is no shortage of nice small plants for your shaded rock garden.
Gene E. Bush
Munchkin Nursery & Gardens, llc
www.munchkinnursery.com
genebush@munchkinnursery.com
Zone 6/5 Southern Indiana
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nancy Stedman" <stedman@rcn.com>
> Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to plant in a shady rock
> outcropping? I've been pulling ivy off this outcropping and have
discovered
> several small ledges that seem to cry out for small plants. There are
> limitations: the area is really dark, except in the winter and early
> spring; it is difficult (though not impossible) to water, and it is about
> 20 feet from the sidewalk, which means that the plants have to "read" from
> a distance. I have already planted some creeping campanula, some white
> corydalis and a hellebore, and was thinking of putting in some variegated
> miniature hostas. Any other ideas? Are there epimediums that need fast
> drainage (now that, for the first time, I actually have it)? Hepaticas
that
> don't cost $65 a plant? Something so sweet that, as Dan Hinkley once
wrote,
> you want to slap it?
> Thanks,
> Nancy Stedman, NYC
-
[gwl-g] Childrens' gardens,
Larry Maxcy, 06/12/2004
- Re: [gwl-g] Childrens' gardens, tloallergyfree, 06/12/2004
- Re: [gwl-g] Childrens' gardens, Margaret Lauterbach, 06/12/2004
-
Re: [gwl-g] Childrens' gardens,
Melanie, 06/12/2004
-
Re: [gwl-g] Childrens' gardens,
Margaret Lauterbach, 06/12/2004
-
[gwl-g] shady rock outcropping,
Nancy Stedman, 06/12/2004
- Re: [gwl-g] shady rock outcropping, bbmackey, 06/12/2004
- Re: [gwl-g] shady rock outcropping, Melanie, 06/12/2004
- Re: [gwl-g] shady rock outcropping, Gene Bush, 06/13/2004
-
[gwl-g] shady rock outcropping,
Nancy Stedman, 06/12/2004
-
Re: [gwl-g] Childrens' gardens,
Margaret Lauterbach, 06/12/2004
- Re: [gwl-g] Childrens' gardens, Jeff Lowenfels, 06/12/2004
- <Possible follow-up(s)>
- Re: [gwl-g] Childrens' gardens, KTCopsey, 06/12/2004
-
Re: [gwl-g] Childrens' gardens,
fran gustman, 06/12/2004
- Re: [gwl-g] Childrens' gardens, Lazy Gardener, 06/12/2004
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