SATURDAY, 4/26 10am-12pm
Inside Hoffman Center
(unless it’s gorgeous, then we’ll be in WG!)
Because we don’t have a whole lot of shade in the WG, we don’t get to introduce you to a whole lot of shade-loving plants. Which is a darn shame.
So we’re going to use this year’s sale to do just that, offer you a selection of dappled-shade to part-sun lovers we would grow if we could grow if a woodchuck could chuck…oh, never mind.
When we say the evergreen perennial Wulfenia x schwarzii has violet-blue flowers, we’re not talking pastel. We’re talking an arresting, sumptuous color that starts showing up in early spring and can continue sporadically for months.
Unlike other shade lovers (think hostas), slugs and snails have zero interest in wulfenia, a tough woodland resident that mixes beautifully with other spring bloomers. To have one is to want a whole lot more.
If your tastes run more towards the demure and ethereal, ask our learned sales force to show you
Dicentra formosa ssp. oregana ‘Langtrees’, a form of the native bleeding heart.
‘Langtrees’ was selected for its icy blue foliage and its pendant white flowers. At its most impressive set loose, leave it room (no, it’s not aggressive. You will beg it to spread). If you want to extend its bloom time, keep it from drying out, but in general it’s a very easy to grow woodland denizen.
Finally, if you’re bereft of fab foliage in the shade – particularly in fall, wowza! – look for Mukdenia rossii ‘Karasuba’. You’ll recognize it at the sale by its lovely maple-like bright green leaves. Come autumn,
this mukdenia goes swooningly red before tucking in for the winter. Rich soil & even moisture will buy you a truly lovely and lush groundcover.
