last update January 2008
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Hellebores: discovered by accident that these plants are generally quite happy in full sun here, and in fact grow somewhat faster and more vigorously than those in shade.
1346B photos: ...flower ...plant ...
(1 gallon pots this year, will be sized up in '08 probably)... Common names: Hellebore. A low to mid-height perennial, hardy to zone 4. LOW MAINTENANCE. Of Upright habit, colonizing mainly by slowly creeping rootstocks. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 1-2', and 2' wide. Species native to Greece and Asia minor to the S Caucasus and Georgia; these plants are a complex hybrid. Recommended site: part shade. Soil: rich mildly acidic sandy, largely organic loam, reliably moist but well-drained. Naturally occurring in scrub, woodland margins and in grassy places in heavy soil. Benefit from a bit of limestone around the root-zone every 3-4 years (not much: pH just on the acid side of neutral is best.) Year-round mulch is recommended. Irrigate during droughts. Will take deeper shade in deciduous woods where they get a good dose of sun in spring before the trees leaf out. Foliage usually evergreen. Lustrous, leathery, finely serrated. To 15" across. May not be evergreen here after some winters. Large flowers are borne in a small cluster in early spring. Flower colour: shades of white to pink with varying tints of green; darker colours to red and purple are possible. Seedlings in the current batch are from seed set by my co-located mid-pink and maroon plants, open pollinated so I'm expecting a darker range of colours than with the last batch. Nodding, 5-petalled. Timing of flowering very much depends on the winter. A plastic cloche to keep snow and rain off flowers will minimize weather damage. Some uses: Borders and Beds, Edgings, Foliage, Cut Flowers, Containers, Naturalizing. Char base of stems of cut flowers to keep longer. Good underplanting amongst deciduous shrubs.
photos: ...flower ...
... Different seed batch as the above, pale pinks to white; in much larger pots for earlier development; these are of flowering size. Too big for shipping, on-site pick-up only.
photos: ...none taken yet...
These are in large (3 gallon) pots. I'm hopeful they will flower this year but might be wrong... Height: to 14in, and 2ft wide. Large red flowers are borne in a small cluster in early spring. From seed; generally 80% of plants should be red-flowered but can't be sure until they flower.
photos: ...flower ...2 months later...
The Christmas Rose. Native to the Alps and Apennines from S Germany to Yugoslavia, growing in mountain woods, sometimes on limestone and sometimes with conifers; and sometimes in open grasslands. Earlier to flower than the hybrids or orientalis, it gets its common name from its habit of flowering around Christmas time-- in England. Some strains apparently flower later, some earlier, but here it doesn't flower until after the snow melts, despite being up against a basement wall. Early to mid-April, 2-3 weeks ahead of the Lenten Rose for me. This species is not as hardy as those above, but is okay here. Leaves are darker, not as serrated, and otherwise distinct from those of orientalis. The flowers (bracts, really) are large and white, changing slowly to green or tan after fertilization. My plants of this selection are not yet potted despite several years in a nursery bed so those who buy in person at the nursery should let me know a few days ahead of time so that I can make sure of having some ready to go (i.e. a reminder for me to get my rear in gear!).
Common names: Daylily. A mid-height perennial, hardy to zone 3 or colder. LOW MAINTENANCE. Of Tufted habit, colonizing mainly by slowly creeping rootstocks. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height varies. Very popular perennial. Tough and reliable plants, a bit coarse for some. Recommended site: sun to part shade. Soil: most any fertile near neutral normal, well-drained, moist to dry-ish. Excessive fertility leads to rank growth, poor flowering. Dense, compact foliage, coarse. Very large flowers are borne on a short Spike in summer. Some uses: Borders and Beds, in Shrubbery, Mass Planting, Kitchen Herb, Steep Banks, Naturalizing (but modern hybrid daylilies may not be sufficiently vigorous for naturalizing, depending on the plant). Buds and flowers edible in any number of ways, also all other parts of the plant!
A large number of my seedlings bloomed in '02 and '03 and most are now for sale (only one of each, mostly)(but the outstanding ones are being grown on for later division). All were given a number and photographed so they are no longer incognito; you can select the flower you want from my daylily Rogue's Gallery. All are $5.75. For a change, the photo gallery is up to date as reflects what is still available.
In 2004 I never got organized enough to get photos of the newly-flowering seedlings, but I needed the field space for peony seedlings. So there are about 80 potted daylilies on site here which are for sale but unknown for now. Same $5.75.
There are also a number of cultivars and species available (more than one of each! and separately priced):
Height: to 2 ft. A re-blooming cultivar. Dormant foliage type; tetraploid. Strongly scented flowers ruffled pink with a red eye. (Some refs say not fragrant; may depend on conditions?)
photos: ...flower ...plant ...
Height: to 8-10in, and 1ft wide. An ever-blooming dwarf daylily with flower stems no taller than the leaves; not the most floriferous variety for me, but still sending up buds into autumn. Dense, compact foliage, of fine texture. Good-sized (but small for daylilies) mid-yellow unscented flowers are borne on a short Spike for 2 months from summer to autumn. Flowers are held at about the same height as the foliage.
photos: ...flower ...
Height: to 1˝-2'. This is a smaller plant (but not dwarf or mini), with finer foliage and fairly late flowering. As near as I can tell from internet photos this is properly named (I had some doubts) OR everyones are mislabelled, so I've upgraded it from 'Sammy Russel' (maybe) to 'Sammy Russel' (probably). Flowers darker brick red, yellow/ orange throat. A nice daylily. Vigorous enough for naturalizing.
photos: ...flower ... another ...
also goes by the name(s) Hepatica triloba; Hepatica trifolia; Anemone hepatica... Common name(s): American Liverwort; Anemone. A Very Low perennial, hardy to Zone Z3 or colder. Of rounded habit, forming colonies primarily by self-seeding. Moderately quick-growing and of long lifespan. Height: to 6in, and 6in wide. This plant grows well and seeds around in my sister's flower beds in Alberta so she has been sending me a number of plants for distribution. They also grow well here, and are starting to seed around modestly for me, when deer don't scarf up the seedpods. Heavy bloomers, and a good pale blue. Light required: Open/Dappled or Partial Shade. Soil: peaty, does best in soil with a large amount of organic matter. Requires reliable moisture, and good Drainage. Best in soil of neutral acidity. Fairly adaptable provided it's shaded. Low Maintenance once established. Densely growing, compact foliage; of fine texture. Usually goes dormant well before autumn. Lobed. Small sky blue flowers are borne as Solitary individuals for only a few weeks in early spring. Blooms here a few days before Hepatica acutiloba. Some uses are: in the perennial Border...as an Edging plant...in amongst Shrubbery...in a Mass Planting...in Rock Gardens... in naturalizing a Woodland setting.
Information general to the all listed forms: Common names: Alum Root; Coral Bells; Coral Flower. A low perennial, hardy to zone 4. Low Maintenance. Of Mound habit, colonizing mainly by forming a very tight clump. Vigorous, fast-growing and of long lifespan. Recommended site for most: part shade; but some are better in sun. Soil: fertile mildly acidic peaty to loam, largely organic, reliably moist but well-drained especially in winter. Some will flower best in full sun or light shade. Susceptible to frost-heaving, so plant with crown buried 1in (I haven't tried this myself because I don't have a problem with heaving), provide a year-round mulch, and plant in spring to optimize root development. Personal experience: mulched, in a raised bed with properly-amended soil, frost-heaving shouldn't occur with crowns at ground level. Protect the patterned-foliage types from mid-day sun to prevent leaves bleaching. Dense, compact foliage, coarse. Usually evergreen. Most of the patterned foliage types have tiny white flowers borne as a long Panicle which are airy and starry in form; a nice effect to set off the foliage. Deadheading will extend flowering period. Some uses: Borders and Beds, Edgings, Specimens, Foliage, Mass Planting, Rock Gardens, Containers, Cut Flowers, Naturalizing Woodlands. I have a number of varieties, mainly with great foliage and some whose main attraction is the flower.
photos: ...flower ... leaf ...
Height: to 2'. Heuchera americana cross. A bronzy-leaf plant for a sunnier spot, and with larger, coral-pink flowers. A plant to be grown more for the flowers than the foliage. Dense, compact foliage, bronze-ish. Foliage mass to 6in tall. Fleshy, purple. Flowers like those of H sanguinea, in rose pink.
photos: ...flower ...plant ...leaf ...in December ...
Height: to 28". Vigorous, a plant about twice the size of H sanguinea. A plant with showy faintly fragrant pink flowers and fresh green wavy leaves softly marbled with traces of silver/ white; here I find the leaf marbling is more apparent in shade while the flowering is better and the growth more vigorous in sun. Foliage mass to 10" tall. Many multi-flowered stalks. Flowers teardrop shaped, and larger than on H sanguinea.
photos: ... none taken yet ...
... Common names: American Alumroot; Rock Geranium. Height: to 1˝-3'. Species has wavy and silver-toned leaves, and is hardy, with excellent insect resistance. Note these are plants from a seed strain, and each will be different in leaf patterns and colours. Recommended site: sun to part shade. Leaves variably patterned / mottled in greens, silver / greys and purpley-red veining. Airy, starry tiny flowers; a nice effect to set off the foliage.
... Common names: Shrub Althaea; Syrian Hibiscus; Rose of Sharon. A really tall shrub, hardy to zone 6 or colder. Upright habit. Slow-growing and of long lifespan. Height: to 8ft or more, and 4ft or more wide. Native to Asia: China and Japan (and India to Syria?) but so long in cultivation that native range is obscured. Naturalized into NAm: Connecticut/ New York/ Ohio/ Missouri/ Texas/ Florida. Fairly erect, but older plants are a bit spreading in form. Recommended site: sun. Soil: any, largely organic, reliably moist but well-drained especially in winter. Slow to start in spring. Foliage may be stripped off by Japanese beetles when they are present. Deciduous. Good-sized flowers are borne as individuals all autumn, in shades of red to pink, single or double, like hollyhocks. Some uses: Borders and Beds, Focus, in Shrubbery, Specimens, Screen or Hedge or Windbreak.
... Common names: [Fuzzy Hawkweed]. A low perennial, hardy to zone 6 or colder. Of erect habit, colonizing mainly by forming a very tight clump. Moderately quick-growing. Related to our hawkweed but non-invasive and with a soft silky foliage. Overwintered here without difficulty. Recommended site: sun to part shade. Soil: fertile sandy loam, reliably moist but well-drained especially in winter. I haven't found any info on cultivating so this is just a guess, as a starting point. Sunny, dryish site, free-draining soil. Or rock garden conditions. Dense, compact softly fuzzy foliage, silvery green. Very attractive. A bit like a small lamb's ear. Yellow flowers are borne in a small cluster. Same sort of flower as the usual hawkweed. Some uses: Edgings, Foliage, Alpine or Scree garden, Rock Gardens.
Common names: Fortune's Hosta. A mid-height perennial, hardy to zone 3. LOW MAINTENANCE. Of Tufted habit, colonizing mainly by slowly creeping rootstocks. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Lavender flowers bloom in late summer on vigorous, medium sized plants. Recommended site: open shade. Soil: fertile mildly acidic normal loamy, reliably moist but well-drained especially in winter. Slow to increase in drier shady sites, more vigorous in richer, moister soil. Almost any soil will do if it drains well but stays moist. Be wary of slugs. Some uses: Borders and Beds, in Shrubbery, Specimens, Foliage, Mass Planting, Rock Gardens, Containers, Waterside, Cut Flowers, Naturalizing Woodlands. Both flowers and leaves can be used in floral arrangements.
photos: ... plant ...
Height: to 1.5ft. Species native to Japan. This cultivar is one of the more commonly grown varieties. Tolerates quite dark shade but also a lot of sun. Dense, compact foliage, variegated; coarse. Thin irregular greenish-yellow margin on a mid- to dark green leaf, to 10in long by 6in wide. Lilac-ish violet unscented flowers are more towards the top of the stems than spread along.
A number of my older stands were divided up in late summer '03 when we decided to create a single display bed area for Hostas. So some of the interesting cultivars which have been asked after by nursery visitors over the past few years are now available in modest numbers.
Common names: Plantain (Lily); Funkia (Lily). Hardy to zone 3. LOW MAINTENANCE. Of Tufted habit, colonizing mainly by slowly creeping rootstocks. Moderately quick-growing and of very long lifespan. Species generally native to the woodlands of E Asia, primarily Japan. Recommended site: open shade. Soil: fertile near neutral good, loam, largely organic, reliably moist but well-drained. OK in sun if well-watered. Watch for slugs. Dense, compact foliage. Some uses: Accent, Borders and Beds, Edgings, Focus, in Shrubbery, Specimens, Foliage, Mass Planting, Waterside, Naturalizing, Naturalizing Woodlands. Small numbers of cultivars not listed here become available from time-to-time over the growing season.
photos: ... none taken yet ...
These are seed-grown plants; each will be different from all the rest although not necessarily in obvious ways. Flower colour varies between plants. 0416D is from seed of no particular pedigee. 0416F is grown from open-pollinated seed of 'Blue Umbrellas', and 0416H is from open-pollinated seed of 'Halcyon'
photos: ... none taken yet ...
(few only) Height: to 1.5ft, and 2ft wide. A decent mid-size plant. This one has grown decently for me in the deep shade on the north side of a dense clump of Rhododendrons, so it will take heavy shade. Fairly sun tolerant plus variegation is best with some sun. Leaves blue-green to green with a chartreuse margin. Corrugated texture. Flower colour: pale lavender, early summer; unscented.
photos: ... plant ...
Height to 15in. Here is a Hosta which will actually cover an area without your having to divide and replant it. The noses emerge some 3 inches or so apart, rather than almost against each other, so there is an appreciable rate of expansion of the clump. Bright, almost yellowey-green leaves. Flowers pale lilac, unscented. Can be a Groundcover.
photos: ... plant ...
Height: to 3', and to 6' wide. One of the largest blue-leaf Hostas on the market (as of a few years ago). Flowering stems to 4' tall. Stunning when grown well. Similar to 'Blue Umbrellas' when mature. White or near white flowers.
photos: ... plant ...
Height: to 15in, and 2ft wide. A good blue among the smaller hostas. Apparently relatively slug-resistant. Open, sparse foliage, blue-ish green. Wedge-shaped, good substance. Mostly smooth, slightly puckered on the larger leaves. Small unscented flowers of pale lilac. This is 'probably' Blue Wedgewood because it's label had disintegrated, so I am going by the list of what I bought when, and process of elimination. So I'm just about positive.
photos: ... plant ...
(few only) This is one of the best small ones, a real mini, which until now I've had hidden away in a bed which folks rarely pass. Height only about 4", leaves blueish silver, about 2" across.
photos: ...none taken yet...
Seeds were open-pollinated in the presence of several cultivars. Seed parent 'Halcyon' has mid-size, pointed, very blue leaves.
photos: ... plant ... another ...
(few only) Height: to 1ft. Excellent foliage colour, always a favourite with visitors. Small to medium in size. Basically yellow-ish green but the colour changes throughout the summer, various shades of glowing chartreuse to golden green. Superb in difuse light. Flowers pale lilac, unscented. Not hugely vigorous so when naturalized may be choked out by weeds.
photos: ... plant ...(a rather slugged-out plant)
(few only) Height: to 10in, and 1.5ft wide. A very small hosta with golden yellow leaves. Thick, roundish leaves with a lovely golden hue. Flower colour: pale violet shades, unscented.
photos: ... plant ...
(few only) A distinctive cultivar, height around 16-20 inches, with large blueish cupped leaves.
photos: ...flower ...plant ... another ...
Height: to 15in, and 2ft wide. A smaller hosta with good-sized sweetly fragrant almost white flowers and good leaf colour: mid- to dark green, glossy; variable off-white margin. Blooms in autumn. Wide-open trumpets.
photos: ... plant ...
(few only) Height: to 10in, and 1.5ft wide. Derived from crossing H. sieboldiana 'Elegans' with H. tardiflora, this cultivar is considered by some as the bluest of all, although I'm not sure I can quite agree. Recommended site: part shade. Leaves wedge to lance-shaped, to 5in long, deep blue-grey; powdery; thick. Unscented pale violet flowers.
also known as Hosta 'Tokudama'... Common names: Tokudama Hosta. Height: to 1.5ft. Species originally native to the woodlands of Japan but seems no longer known in the wild. It has been in cultivation in Japan for centuries and is the parent of many blue-leaf cultivars. Slug resistant. Recommended site: part shade. Survived and even increased slowly here in a very dry site at the base of a few beech trees. OK in sun if well-watered. Slug-resistant. Foliage strongly cupped, deeply puckered, heart-shaped to nearly round. Quite blue. Unscented flowers are very pale, nearly white.
Hosta tokudama cv 'Bruces Blue' 1995E $10.00
photos: ... none taken yet ...
(few only) Height: to 15in, and 1.5ft wide. This cultivar is somewhat smaller than my tokudama, and less blue. Foliage blue-ish green with a silvery caste; leathery; long.
photos: ...flower ...plant ... another ...
also known as Hosta caerulea... Common names: Blue Hosta; Blue Plantain Lily; Dark-Purple Flowered Hosta. A low to mid-height perennial, hardy to USDA Zone 3. Height: to 1.5-3ft, and 2ft wide. Species native to China and is the only natural tetraploid Hosta. Recommended site: shade.Foliage attractive; strong pale yellow margin on a dark green leaf. Large, shiny; heart-shaped, twisted at the tips; deeply grooved. Good-sized unscented rather nice flowers are borne on a moderate Raceme for a few weeks in late summer; white-striped mid-blue large funnel-shaped with a purplish tinge. Flowers self-fertile through agamospermy, which doesn't involve pollen transfer, although they do produce pollen.
Hosta ventricosa 0417A $6.00
photos: ...flower ... plant ...
Seedlings from the above, none of which have ever shown any variegation of the leaf, so they're just a shiny deep green with flowers white-striped mid-blue large funnel-shaped with a purplish tinge..
photos: ...flower ...
formerly named Sedum maximum... Common names: Sedum; Ice Plant; Stonecrop. Just to be inconsistent, I've listed some others of this genus under Sedum. A mid-height to tall perennial, hardy to zone 3 or colder. LOW MAINTENANCE. Of Upright habit, colonizing mainly by slowly creeping rootstocks. Vigorous, fast-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 2-3', and 1˝' wide. Native from Europe to Siberia. Not the most showy of the tall Sedums, but earlier to flower. Recommended site: sun or light shade. Soil: most any fertile to normal, well-drained, moist to dry-ish. Not fussy about conditions. There is a tendency to think that because these plants are succulents they are good in dry areas, but this is not particularly so; this species will get by but will be smaller and less vigorous in xeric conditions. Best in moist, fertile soil; shorter and slower in dry sites. Open, sparse foliage, coarse. Glabrous, fleshy, broadly ovate; usually green, sometimes varying degree of red tint, 2-5" long. Small flowers are borne as a moderate Cyme all autumn. Flower colour: green-ish white shades, possibly pink. Open, loose cymes to 3" wide. Some uses: Borders and Beds, Foliage, Rock Gardens, Decorative Seed Pods, Naturalizing Meadows, Combines well with ornamental grasses.
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