I’m definitely in my yellow period now. The blues and purples of Forget-me-nots and Phlox are memories; the pinks of Rhododendrons and Laurels have faded now, too. Every year in June I notice a pattern of yellows across the garden. It brings light and cheer to the yard and draws the eye along. Right now the Ladies’ Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) is at its peak, spilling lemon froth over the edges of the borders. I love this plant for both its rain-catching foliage and its ethereal flowers.

Next are the yellow Foxgloves (Digitalis ambigua), which are peppered around the garden and have been in flower for about three weeks. The Feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium) has opened early, and though its tiny, daisy-like flowers are white, their buttery centers pick up the theme. A sunny sprinkling of Loosetrife (Lysimachia punctata) and Sundrops (Oenothera fruticosa) beckons me further. Sedum acre sprawls across the rock garden and is just starting to become a sea of yellow.

These plants now in bloom tie in with the yellow Corydalis (Corydalis lutea) whose flowers are a given from April to October. And I haven’t even mentioned the golden foliage of the Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’), some of the Hostas (H. 'Guacamole' is a favorite), the Golden Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’) and the golden Chamaecyparis that anchor the beds. One last and lesser known golden shrub is Forsythia 'Gold Leaf'. This cultivar doesn't bloom as generously as the traditional green plant, but its foliage makes up for that.

The yellows compliment the green background, of course, but they also look great with blue, as in the glaucus foliage of Hosta sieboldiana ‘Elegans’ and H. ‘Blue Angel’. And they bring drama to the burgundy of Heuchera micrantha ‘Palace Purple.’ They even flatter the hot pinks of Astilbes (A. arendsii ‘Rhythm and Blues’) and Impatiens. In fact, with yellow foliage, who needs flowers at all?

 

Tags: shade gardening, CT gardening, gardening in zone 6, gardening in the Northeast, Gardening in New England, organic gardening, Phlox divaricata, Myosotis sylvatica, Forget-Me-Not, Alchemilla mollis, Ladies' Mantle, Sedum acre, Sundrops, Oenothera fruticosa, Chrysanthemum parthenium, Feverfew, Chamaecyparis, Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola', Japanese Forest Grass, Corydalis lutea, Hosta 'Guacamole', Astilbe arendsii 'Rhythm and Blues', Astilbe arendsii, Astilbe, H. micrantha 'Palace purple', Heuchera micrantha, Hosta 'Blue Angel', Hosta sieboldiana 'Elegans', Hosta, Digitalis ambigua, perennial Foxglove, Foxglove, Golden Creeping Jenny, Loosestrife, Lysimachia punctata, Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea', gold foliage, yellow Read More

Now is the time to appreciate all grasses, but especially the few that thrive in the shade. While other perennials and deciduous trees and shrubs are in fall decline, grasses shine now, with their mature seed heads and ripe fall color. In my shade garden I am enjoying Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’), Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) and Carex ‘Ice Dance.’

Japanese Forest Grass is a minor miracle, bringing lime-light to dark corners. Its blades are striped with chartreuse and green, forming elegant arches about a foot above the ground. A good cluster of this grass mimics the flow of water in a stream. That’s during the spring and summer. Now it enhances the show with its whispery seed heads and a tinge of pink to accent the surrounding season.

Japanese Forest Grass will tolerate moderate shade but does demand some moisture. Otherwise, it is carefree and pest resistant in Zones 5-9. Of course, it gets along beautifully with hostas. I also like it with Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’—very complementary right now—and Corydalis lutea. No shade garden should be without it. (The one drawback is that it tends to be expensive. This is understandable since it takes time to establish before it begins to spread.)

Whoever named ‘Ice Dance’ knew what they were talking about! Another gracefully arching groundcover, this sedge grass features strappy leaf-green blades with cool white margins. When the tufts rustle together in the wind, it truly is a dance. Because grasses in the Carex family have a course edge to their blades, they are resistant to deer and other threats. And Ice Dance is easy to please. Plant it, water it until it’s established its roots, and cut back the spent foliage before the new blades come up in spring. Otherwise ignore it—except for when you want to treat your eyes to a robust, healthy, unperturbed plant. Right now it looks as crisp and fresh as an October day.

The one pest that I have seen damage both Ice Dance and Japanese Forest Grass is the vole, attacking from below. This  grass recovers more quickly. In fact, it is quick to spread, but is not intrusive. And

There is even a tall grass for shade, and it is a delight. Chasmanthium latifolia reaches 3 feet tall, bowing to dangle its spangly seedheads in the merest whisp of a breeze. The oat-like seedheads are the stars here. Right now they have matured to a golden tan, and the normally green leaves are turning yellow.

Northern Sea Oats is as easy as the others I’ve mentioned, happy in moderate soil and part shade in Zones 5-9. I’ve never seen it suffer from pests or disease. It does tend to seed itself, but is no trouble to control. And what a treat it is to see above the snow!

Tags: Zones 5-9, gardening in the Northeast, CT gardening, Gardening in New England, Corydalis lutea, Sedum 'Autumn Joy', voles, Winter interest, Fall, Fall color, seedheads, easy care perennials, shade grasses, Japanese Forest Grass, Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola', Northern Sea Oats, Chasmanthium latifolia, ornamental grasses, grasses, shade gardening Read More