Landscaping/flower question...

[Kyra's Mom]

Anybody have Lenten Roses? I have a shady spot and none of the perennials I put in last year were doing really great. Hard to say...they might pop back this year better than last. It's hard to find color for shade areas and the Lenten Roses SOUND great...bug resistant, deer resistant, drought tolerant, etc.

Edited to add what I already have in this bed are 3 different varieties of Hostas, some coral bells, some Jacob's Ladder and a bunch of ground cover. Most of it just kind of sat there last year (planted in the Spring). The hostas did bloom but the actual foliage was pretty puny. Like I said, it might perk up and actually do something this year but I would like to infuse some color.

TIA

Susan

[Alex]

When you write Lenten roses, you're talking hellebores, right? If so, they're wonderful hardy long-lived plants and provide lots of bloom once established. I'm still waiting for the ones I put in my woodland garden to really go overboard w/blooms but it's very nice to see the blooms they do produce. Just remember, if you're talking hellebores, they're extremely poisonous and their foliage can't be handled extensively bare-handed and they can't be divided and transplanted while bare-handed for the same reasons. Still, they're gorgeous when they're in bloom. Enjoy!! Did you buy named varieties or just raise them from seed?

[Woost2]

I had no clue.

[Kyra's Mom]

Yes. Hellebores. Good to know on the toxicity part ...I will wear gloves. I haven't invested yet. I will probably buy plants. I saw them in the J & P catalog and they advertise a Royal Heritage variety. Just looking for something to spark up this patch as what I have put in already is rather...um, underwhelming. Again, last year was the 'plant' year so hopefully things will be a bit more robust this season. The hellebores sound intriguing though and look to add some color.

Thanks Alex.

Susan

[Tuffytown]

Hellebores are great and come in lovely colors. I have an almost black purple and a bright yellow and they have crossed for a dusty purple as they spread. If you want color I would also look at corydalis and hardy fuschias.

[AnnCohrs]

It generally takes perennials some time to settle in.

I was always told: the first year they sleep, the second year they creep, the third year they leap.

So what you already have may look much nicer this year.

I do love hellebores, but for me they are very slow growing.

[WheresMyWhite]

Is the shade from trees or a building? Trees can be hard to get to grow under.

[Kyra's Mom]

WheresMyWhite...yep, it is trees. The soil is very compacted and laced with roots so I am sure that doesn't help. The ground cover is doing it's thing. But, I do have a spot in back that is building shade and the hellebores may do well back there. Previous owner tried columbine but once it is hot here (June), they look very pathetic so I would like to replace them in that spot with some kind of perennial.

AnnCohrs, I have never put in many perennials and I was hoping that they would do better this year. Hostas are usually pretty easy?

Tuffytown, I will look up those 2.

Thanks, Susan

[Tuffytown]

Compacted soil is tough. Being under deciduous trees is better, you can trim for some sunlight. Being under evergreens, particularly cedar or firs is much tougher as their root systems consume all water and nutrients and their vegetation fall is very acidic so can make the soil pretty undesirable for other things.

I realize that there are little or no blooms but ferns and natives that normally live in the understory are your best bet for successful growth. Around here that is ferns, oregon grape, salal, native berries, vine maple. You should look into what your forest native are and see if any appeal to you.

You might also look into epimediums, japanese anenomies, astilbe. The hardy fuchsias are wonderful late summer bloomers but you will need to check that they can survive your cold temperatures. Also alpine or other cold temp bulbs would make a great early spring bloom, grape hyacinths, crocus, daffodils, naturalized tulips.

[texsuze]

I use native plants whenever I add anything to our landscape. You might consult your state's native plant society for recommendations on plants for your area. Natives are already adapted to moisture, light, soil types, and although they might not be as "showy" as invasive or non-native plants, they evolved to survive in their specific location.
https://idahonativeplants.org/native-plant-resources

[M&M]

I planted 4 hellebores under a tree. Two thrived, one limped along, and one didn't make it. I also had heuchera and hostas around the same tree, so those things do seem to like the same conditions. (The last 2 h's thrived!)

[Alex]

You can also do a lot of casual (and CHEAP!!!) research by driving around and stopping along the roadside verges when you see thriving, healthy native plant communities. You can note the conditions under which these plant communities are thriving or not thriving and you can perhaps figure out how to achieve similar groupings at home. I've noticed that bloodroot is one of the most common plants in my area in the ditches along with wild American ginger. The bloodroot flowers are beautiful while they last but the leaves, just like those of wild ginger, are elegant and large and make a statement all the gardening year. Another plant that's long-lasting and beautifully airy is thalictrum, meadow rue. It's foliage is also beautiful for the entire year

You can always help compacted soil by periodically topdressing it a few times a year w/lots of new fresh soil as well as aerating it w/one of those aerator spike thingamabobs while trying to avoid the most congested parts of the root balls. Doing several soil tests around every new gardening area will also help you figure out where conditions are good vs where they're poor and you might need to focus on putting in only the toughest plants.

[Kyra's Mom]

I have looked around...before I put in what I have and got professional advice. Southern Idaho is actually desert. It is hard to keep even the shade areas consistently moist. So although it is shady, it still gets hot and dry. Maybe I need to look more to xeriscape plants due to the climate. Previous owner had all sun loving plants out there which were really pathetic...of course the tree (maple tree) was very small when they first built the house and put the tree in. Now it is 25 ft tall and provides a blessed amount of shade on the west side of my house in the summer. It's not going anywhere.

Susan

[heddylamar]

What about sedum? There are several varieties that do well in low light. I've encountered quite a bit growing wild in shady areas. And it's perfect for arid areas -- it grows native in dry central Washington.

I didn't know hellebores were toxic. I'd say that explains the rash I get when clearing out the bed every spring and fall, but I have contact allergies to all plants.

[Alex]

You really don't want to handle hellebore foliage or roots more than briefly. Never let your pets linger in the vicinity of hellebore beds, either.

If you're in a high desert area, kyra's mom, do look more at xeriscaping and native plants. You simply can't keep enough humidity around non-natives in that kind of environment to make them thrive as they would in their native environments. I saw some spectacular xeriscaping when I went down to Tucson, AZ. This was long ago when xeriscaping was just getting started as a national gardening trend. There was one house that had long swales that had obviously been excavated to make a gorgeous pattern of swirling lines. These swales had flowing lines of different cacti and grasses and other ground covers intertwining along their whole length. It was just as beautiful as any more temperate zone garden.

[M&M]

Just a PS to Alex's post above - you don't want to add topsoil around trees.

You see lots of trees with beautiful mounds of mulch around the trees - it's not nice to the trees. They don't like it.