The Lewis and Clark expedition brought Oregon grape to the East Coast of the United States, where it has been popular ever since. This and related species are among the most adaptable and useful plants for the shade garden. They survive nearly anywhere, most of them in any soil and any degree of shade, and [...]
The cardinal flower is a tall, stately plant with brilliant scarlet flowers in mid to late summer. It is a fine choice for moist, shady spots, especially in natural gardens.
The individual flowers are small and grow in a spike along the upper 6 or 8 inches of the stem. They bloom in late July to [...]
Liriope is characterized by clumps of coarse, mostly dark green, grasslike leaves up to 24 inches long and 1/4 to 3/4 inch wide. Like ophiopogon, with which it is sometimes confused, it is a member of the lily family. One difference between the two is that liriope is hardier. ‘Big Blue’ lilyturf (L. muscari) gets [...]
Large, bold leaves and tall spires of flowers make golden groundsel a useful specimen or border plant.
The small flowers are orange-yellow to bright yellow, about 2 inches across, and appear in large quantities held tightly against the tall flower stalks. They bloom in August. The deep green leaves have a purplish tint. They are broad, [...]
This deciduous shrub has several appealing aspects. In winter, its thin, pistachio-green stems brighten the garden. If planted against a shaded wall or among more rampant plants, it can assume a graceful semivining habit, growing to 6 or 8 feet, and sometimes much higher. Its flowers appear in early spring and continue sporadically into summer [...]
For spectacular white to deep pink flowers and excellent evergreen foliage, this eastern native is an undisputed treasure in any garden where it can be grown. Use it as a specimen and as a companion for azaleas and rhododendrons. Slow growing. in youth it is dense, rounded, and neat. becoming gnarled. picturesque, and open in [...]
Massive, stately foliage and huge, flat blossoms distinguish this iris. It is quite finicky about location, but once established in moist, acid soil, it needs little attention for a long, colorful life.
The flowers are white, blue, purple, lavender, or pink. They are often 6 inches or more across. The three overlapping outer falls are large, [...]
Daylilies are long-lasting perennials with attractive foliage and showy flowers, and are very easy to grow. The individual blossoms last only a day, but are produced continuously over a long season.
Daylilies come in many colors, with flowers in shades of cream, yellow, orange, red, pink, and violet; they are often striped and bicolored. Individually they [...]
Christmas rose produces splendid flowers, often out of the snow, sometime between November and March or April. Its substantial, glossy foliage enlivens otherwise drab garden areas during the bleakest months. Not a rose but a relative of the buttercup, it forms drifts of ground cover. Its clumps enlarge by spreading rhizomes, but are slow-growing and [...]
As a ground cover, ivy does almost everything: stays green the entire year, spreads rapidly. lies flat, climbs and covers, prevents erosion, provides insulation, works in sun or shade. adapts to most climates, requires minimal care, is easily propagated, and—besides all that—can be enormously attractive.
An ivy bed is most easily begun with well-established plants. which [...]
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| By N2H | |||||||