Decorate Areas Under Trees

One of the favorite uses of Hostas is to create a bed of varying foliage in the often barren areas beneath shade trees. This not only adds beauty to the landscape, but makes it easier to mow without time-consuming trimming around tree trunks. Hostas are also excellent for planting in front of Azaleas, Rhododendrons and other shrubs where their broad leaves can cover unsightly lower branches. During blooming season, their tall stems remain upright as they display delicate pale blue-lavender or white flowers in mid to late summer.

Hostas - Perennial Plants for Shade Gardening

Hostas are excellent weed-suppressing ground covers for shade gardening. Hostas are terrific in containers on decks and small patios. These perennial plants are prized for their foliage which ranges in color from solid golds, greens and blues to variegated combinations. And don't forget the variety of textures from smooth, quilted and puckered!

Flowers are of secondary importance in hosta gardening but some blossoms are fragrant and add another dimension to shade gardening. If you have shade and haven't begun to collect hostas, be forewarned, these premier shade-loving perennial plants are addictive! You'll want more!

Light Requirements: hostas prefer shade although some varietes will tolerant sun especially in cooler climates. Generally, the more sun in your planting site, the more compact the plant will be but it will produce more flowers. In more shade, the plant will be larger with more luxuriant foliage.
Soil Composition: hostas need reliably moist, humus-rich soil. Enrich your planting beds with organic matter.
Gardening Zones: USDA zone 3, zone 4, zone 5, zone 6, zone 7, zone 8, zone 9.
Blooming Season: Hostas bloom at various times depending on the cultivar and your lighting conditions.
Care and Maintenance: After you work in organic matter, prepare a hole that is twice the diameter of the plant ball. Loosen any roots that are encircling the root ball, replant at same depth as originally planted. Back fill with the enriched soil. Water well to settle soil. Fertilize with a time-release fertilizer in spring and through out the season. Apply a thin top dress of bark mulch to improve water retention but remember this may encourage slugs. Division isn't really required but can be done in spring or fall.

Alchemillas Mollis

Hosta Pals: combine hosta with astilbes, Alchemillas mollis, hardy Geraniums and other shade perennials such as Acontium, Pulmonaria, Tricyrtis.

Astilbes: Perennial Plants for Shade Gardening
Astilbes are clump-forming perennial plants with airy, feathery plumes that add color to the shade garden, containers, woodland garden or pond's edge. The foliage is fern-like and ranges from green to bronze and may be shiny. Astilbe plumes may be upright or arching, range from 6 inches to 3 feet tall and are available in a variety of colors for your gardening needs. By selecting astilbes with varying bloom times, you can enjoy flowers from late spring through autumn. Astilbes are extremely popular for floral arrangements when the plumes are picked before they are at their peak.

Heuchera (Coral Bells) for Sun or Shade Gardening If you have the hosta fever, watch out, heuchera fever is on its way. These easy to grow perennial plants are extremely tolerant of your playful gardening experiments in sun or shade. Coral Bells are easy to grow and are an excellent addition to your garden.

Columbine

Perennial Plants for Shade Gardening
Shade tolerant, shade-loving perennial plants will solve your shade gardening needs. Select from varieties that grow under trees, at woodland's edge and in your shade gardening border. Add some ferns for texture.

Ostrich Fern




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