Regional Picks: Bold Plants for Shade – Northwest

incur plant that thrive in the shade is n’t the challenge . Anyone can find a mess of ferns or a herd of hostas to turn their subtlety garden into a green sea of monotony . The challenge arises when you begin expecting more from those shady spots . You have to first find bold industrial plant that thrive in fond or full subtlety , and then incorporate these show - stopper in a cohesive way . It may take a little more thought and creativity to design a successful shade garden , but who ever complained about expend extra hours toil in the coolheaded solace of the shadowiness ?

If it ’s time to transform those dark corners of your garden , we ’ve knocked the first step out of the mode for you . Whether you ’re a soft touch for hopeful blooms , or unique foliage is more your flair , you ’ll find the perfect bluff shade plant for your Northwest garden below .

1. Chinese Giant Lily

Name:Cardiocrinum giganteum

USDA Hardiness Zones:7 to 9

Size:2 feet marvellous with flower stanch attain up to 8 to 12 feet and 3 feet wide

condition : Prefers full-bodied , dampish ground with plenty of compost or manure in brilliant assailable shade or morning sunshine

“ Unbelievable ” is the only word I can use to describe this robust lily . In late fountain to early summer , mature bulb mail up tall spires reaching 8 to 12 foundation , lead with fragrant cornet - shaped bloom of youth . Once the blossom have faded , clustering of turgid seminal fluid pod substitute the blooms , remaining an attractive conversation piece well into winter . This amazing lily can be arise from seed , which requires seven years of patience while waiting for the showy greenish hostalike leaves to grow large enough to bloom . Starting with a light bulb shortens your wait to three or four long time . After the industrial plant bloom , the bulb dies , but three to five young bulbs imprint to flower in the future . Feed and water regularly during the growing season .

2. Jeweled Chain Fern

Name:Woodwardia unigemmata

Zones:8 to 10

Size:2 metrical unit tall and 4 to 6 feet wide

Conditions : Best in opened to bright shade ; rich , moist soil and veritable fertilizing

This fern inspires immediate plant luxuria . The orotund frond can reach lengths of 4 to 6 feet and emerge a bosom - stopping maroon Bolshevik that tardily fades to a racy bass common . The evergreen plant frond form low , broad arching hill that allow smaller perennials and ground covers to be grown underneath . The common name comes from a individual great bud that forms near the tip of mature frond . If this bud is tucked into loose compost for the winter , a new fern sprouts in the spring .

3. Chinese Mayapple

Name:Podophyllum delavayi

Zones:6 to 9

Size:15 to 18 inch tall and 3 to 4 foot wide

Conditions : Loves rich , damp grease and plenty of constitutional matter

Few plants have a more stunning foliation show than Formosan Podophyllum peltatum . This deciduous repeated erupts from the ground with big leave in a kaleidoscope of earthy colors . tincture of olive , maroon , chocolate brown , and orchard apple tree dark-green point and speckle the leaf . Hidden beneath the foliage are dangling bright , blood - red flowers that , when pollinated , form apple - red , tear - shaped fruit . The rounded leaf are deeply cut and form a luxuriant , centre - trip up piece over time . Chinese mayapple can be heavy feeders , so fecundate regularly .

4. Chinese Epimedium

Name:Epimedium wushanense

Zones:5 to 9

Size:15 to 18 inch tall and 24 to 30 inches wide

Conditions : Bright shade or morning sunlight ; rich , well - drained soil

One of the best fresh epimediums is Chinese genus Epimedium . This species has expectant , showy , spidery , creamy chicken flower prevail in dainty clusters just above amazingly sheer , shiny fleeceable foliage . The challenging leaves emerge brilliantly emblazon , from olive green with sour maroon spatter to impregnate wine-coloured blood-red . As the leaves senesce , they turn dark green and modernise a leathery feel with an attractive , but not painful , bristled edge . Chinese epimedium is a expectant long - lived clumping perennial .

Richie Steffen is conservator at the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden in Seattle .

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Chinese Mayapple

Photo: Doreen Wynja

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