RICK'S PICKS FOR SHADE

Ricks Picks for shade  include old fashion favorites like columbines and hostas as well as newer varieties of shade tolerant plants like coral bells (specifically the villosa hybrids) which can handle our summer heat and humidity. Most shade loving plants can tolerate, and some even prefer, a few hours of morning sun.
 

Anemone 'September Charm'
This vigorous branching perennial of the buttercup family  bears cup-shaped, single, rose-pink flowers in late summer and early fall. Its delicate blooms, late into the season, make this hardy plant well worth adding to your garden. 2-3 ft.

Columbine Clementine Mix: Single 1- to 1 1/2-inch Clematis-like blooms of blue, deep purple, red, rose, pink, and white.

Columbine 'Clementine Mixed' 
Double upward facing flowers resemble a  miniature clematis. Stunning flowers in a mixture of rose, salmon rose, blue, dark purple, red and white. Ideal planted in clumps in the mixed border, containers and large patio pots.
Blooms arise for many weeks attracting butterflies.
The best for cutting -over and over!

Columbine Clementine Salmon Rose: Single 1- to 1 1/2-inch Clematis-like blooms of rosy-pink.

Columbine 'Clementine Salmon Rose'
These big, double-flowered, blooms hold their heads up high over a long mid-spring through midsummer season. They open a dark, rich shade of salmon, then gradually mature to a softer lavender-purple. A fully-blooming plant contains half a dozen or more differing hues, for a lovely display over a long season.

Aquilegia chrysantha

 Columbine 'Denver Gold'
Huge 3" yellow flowers with exceptionally long spurs that bloom heavily in spring and often rebloom summer through fall if flowers stems are cut back. Columbine is easy to grow in loose, average to rich, well-drained soil. 30 inches tall. Morning sun is ideal.

Astilbe 'Visions'
Visions is a colorful feathery flower with raspberry blooms and lacy blue-green foliage. The flowers contrast wonderfully with the glossy foliage. Astilbe ‘Visions’ blooms in mid summer and are 15” tall and have a plant width of 12-18”. Astilbe ‘Visions’ is more sun tolerant, but is most successfully grown in a shady area. A moist, well-drained area is key for this plant.

Jacob's Ladder 'Bressingham Purple'
Highly decorative. Beautiful spring flowers of deep electric lavender-blue above decorative mounds of fernlike foliage. The leaves take on a rich, dark purple hue in spring and again in fall. In between, they turn somewhat greener in summer depending on light intensity. 15 in tall. Cool moist soil, afternoon shade.

Jacob's Ladder 'Stairway to Heaven'
Outstanding and colorful - green leaves with white leaf margins that are tinged with pink. Pale lavender blue, 3/4 inch bell-shaped flowers in spring. This selection is larger and has a looser habit than the other varieties. Cool moist soil, afternoon shade.

Coral Bells 'Caramel' (Heuchera villosa)
A robust grower with fuzzy, bright yellow-orange leaves and purple-red undersides. It has much brighter coloration than 'Amber Waves' and has a fabulous compact habit, forming a tight mound. 12 in tall.

Coral Bells 'Citronelle' (Heuchera villosa)
Citron yellow leaves and silver undersides. Since the leaves are so light in color, this variety appreciates more shade than some of the other above featured villosa hybrids. Morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal. 12 in tall.

Coral Bells 'Pistache' (Heuchera villosa)
Large, light lime green to chartreuse-yellow leaves depending on the sun exposure. The color is a perfect with blue-green hostas or purple-leaved heuchera. However, since the leaves are so light in color, this variety appreciates more shade than some of the other villosa hybrids. 10 in tall.

Hosta 'Francee'
Medium to dark green, somewhat glossy, heart-shaped leaves have narrow, clean white margins. Forms a wide low mound of foliage making it ideal for use as a groundcover. Lavender flowers appear on 30" scapes from early to mid summer. Sun tolerant. Plant height 14 in.

Hosta 'June'
Pointed, ovate leaves have distinct, beautiful variegation. Leaves have wide, streaked, blue-green margins and chartreuse centers in spring. Leaf center becomes medium to light gold in summer with enough sun exposure, but will remain chartreuse in full shade Leaves are of heavy substance and are slug-resistant. Pale bluish-lavender flowers appear on 20" scapes in early to mid summer. Plant height is 15 in.

Hosta 'Krossa Regal'
Frosty blue-green leaves and a graceful, vase-like habit distinguish this fine hosta from all others. Wavy leaves are of good substance and are very slug-resistant. Lavender flowers appear on exceptionally tall 4-6 foot scapes in early to mid summer. Plant height is 40 in.

Hosta 'Patriot'
Ovate leaves have dark green centers and outstanding, crisp white, streaked margins (margins are creamy-yellow in spring). Leaves are of good substance, are slightly wavy, and display good sun tolerance. Lavender flowers appear on 30" scapes early to mid summer. Plant height is 22 in.

Hosta 'Stained Glass'
Huge, 10 -11 in long, brilliant gold leaves with wide, dark green margins. Variegation appears early in the season and prominent veins throughout give it the look of "stained glass." Large, fragrant, pale lavender flowers appear on 30" scapes in late summer.

 

Hosta 'Sum and Substance'
One of the largest hostas available today, with 16", broadly ovate leaves and a huge, mounded form. Leaf color varies with the amount of available sun from light green to chartreuse to gold. Leaves are of good substance, corrugated, and glossy, giving them good slug resistance. Pale lavender, bell-shaped flowers on  4 ft. scapes in mid to late summer. Plant height 3 ft.

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