Lots of Changes this Spring: Part 5 - Shade Bed W

The title is Spring, and this post and photos taken are in June.  So noted.  I took all the photos at the same time I did the other beds then I replanted the entire area.  I imagine this bed getting much bigger than what it is now, because I love love love all the Hostas, Astilbes, Heucheras and ground covers.  I love shade beds.  I had to start small.  My plan is once it gains some height and maturity and can slowly pull the border out little by little.  Pinterest is both my inspiration and enemy here!!  Here we go.

Shade bed:Year 1

New Perennial Shade Bed

The Hosta in front came from Barb this Spring.  It grew in very well.  It was growing in the wrong direction for my master plan so I divided it and reset it's path.  It looks a little better, but not as good as it did.  I need to be mindful of which way I put the plant in the hole!!  Or, maybe stop trying to control and let things grow.  Nope - that won't happen. The two darker plants behind are Brunnera that bloom delicate blue flowers in early Spring (also from Barb).

Hosta, Brunnera and Lambs Ear

Since I was gifted this small blue hosta, I don't know it's name.  It's small mounding with blue leaves.  It stays very compact.

This Lambs Ear came from Amy's garden early this Spring, but it's not doing well.  It hasn't grown much, it's not standing tall and it has yellow spots all over the leaves.  I did some reading to see if this is a contageous disease that would require me to remove the plant from the bed, but it seems like the Lambs Ear is just too wet.  It's in a shady spot that takes a while to dry out and we have had a lot of rain.  I'm going to leave it in the bed, but continue to read.  If anyone knows anything about this I'd like to hear from you.  If I can solve that problem, the silvery leaves would look great with it's neighboring plants.

Lambs Ear

Behind the Lams Ear is a Fern from Amy's Garden.  She's given me quite a few over the years.  Her ferns seem to grow up EVERYWHERE!  They are so nice and flush, while mine always look newly planted and in shock.  I will not move them.  I promise I will not move them for at least 2 years to see what they will do.  I 'd love a few waves of dense ferns.  That's the look I'm going for.

Next to the Lambs Ear is Hosta 'Pariot'  Love the variegation and the name.  This one I bought for my daughter who has joined the Army National Guard!  Wonder if it would look good next to Fireworks….. In the far right corner is a Sedum ground cover

Hosta 'Patriot'

Behind the Patriot is one great hosta I picked up from Barb's garden this spring.  I took less than 1/2 of hers.  I'm so happy with the size of this guy.  We are pretty sure it's a Big Daddy.  I'ts the biggest one in there for now.  Solomon's Seal (from Amy) is poking through in front, then Ginger (more from Barb) in the lower right corner.

Big Daddy Hosta, Solomon's Seal, Ginger, Brunnera and other hostas

On the other side of Big Daddy: is Ginger in the left corner, Brunnera in the middle, another Hosta behind the rock (no name - from Barb) and then a Heuchera 'Caramel' from the old house.  The colors have faded and are not near as pretty as the picture when I bought it. It is so boring it may loose it's place next year.

Big Daddy Hosta with Ginger , Brunnera and Heuchera

A close up of the Ginger.  I know this will get much bigger, so I wanted to remember where we started.

Ginger

I would love to plant waves of Astilbes in all colors.  I just love them.  These are Astilbe 'Fanal' with a new Hydrangea behind it.  I am watching for a bright red plumes from these two.

Astilbe 'Fanal'

Endless Summer Hydrangea.  The tag says The Orginal.  More specific name is Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bailmer'  It's supposed to be BLUE.  You can see a pink bloom peaking through.  I need more acid.  Wondering if coffee grounds would be acidic enough….. time to experiment

Endless Summer Hydrangea 'Bailmer'

Next to the Astilbe and in front of the Hydrangea is another nameless Hosta and 3 pieces of Sedum from Barb.  I took two large chucks of Sedum, then divided them because I know they grow fast.  Two pieces are in the West bed and 3 are here.  Not a very good picture here. Sorry

More gifts from Amy's bed.  2 Astilbes.  They look like they will be red.

2 Astilbes

For the colors and for the name, because we love it.  Heucherella 'Sweet Tea'.  There is a piece of a bleeding Heart in the background.

Heucherella 'Sweet Tea' aka Foamy Bells

Taking another step down the path is an unnamed Hosta (two of the same from Barb) and a newly purchased white Astilbe 'Vision in White'

Hostas and Astilbe

Middle of the left side you see the Vision in White Astilbe poking through (why did I buy only 1?).  In front was my husband's pick.  The bright chartreuse color of Heuchera 'Citronelle'. 2 un named Hostas, but the blue one in back is for sure 'Big Daddy.'  I tired to brighten this area up again by adding Lamium maculatum aka Spotted Dead Nettle 'White Nancy.'

Heuchera 'Cintronelle' Hostas and Spotted Dead Nettle "White Nancy'

loveIn front of the pot (which holds my Hosta Hospital) is the Hosta 'Big Daddy'.  The Lamium will bounce off the Big Daddy's blue very well once grown in.  Then I have a Japanese Painted Fern.

Big Daddy Hosta with Lamium 'White Nancy' and Astilbe

Just behind the Japanese Painted Fern are 2 mystery Astilbes from Amy.

Astilbe's from Amy, I hope they are pink

I mentioned before my issue with Ferns.  This is my proof.  I planted these early Spring.  Thought they would be lush and green but no.  

Fern

A little further down and almost to the end is another Heuchera 'Caramel' with faded colors, a small un named Hosta with yellow centers and Knotweed.  I didn't know the name of that plant for several years. A client gave it to me after we sold his house and he always called it the "Batman plant,"  It was very invasive for him.  I may regret it.  I had it a pot for 3 - 4 years and it came back every year no matter what I did to it.  Both Batman AND Knotweed will rise again

Heuchera 'Caramel' with tiny Hosta and Knotweed

I have to admit, I'm excited about this guy.  My Ligularia 'The Rocket' boasts that he can get 8 feet tall.  I'm standing by with a yard stick!  I hope it will fill the space from the fence to the flagstone (if not, I'll get him a room mate to help fill the gap) and give me tall yellow stalks of color.  My husband would have the bed end here….but the shade plants and I have other ideas…. 

Ligularia 'The Rocket'