Shopping for Perennials
Gary Bachman: Now is the time to look at those gardening catalogs for those perennials that are tried and true, easy to grow and to enjoy, today on Southern Gardening.
Narrator: Southern gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University extension service.
Gary Bachman: We all have our favorite go-to perennials, and I would like to share a couple of mine for the shade garden with you today. I really appreciate Japanese Painted Ferns wonderful texture. The frond colors really excite shady areas of the garden and make a superb companion for other shade plants. Japanese Painted Fern provides a nice contrast to other perennials such as Hosta, Bleeding Heart, Columbine, Astilbe, and Coral Bells. Japanese Painted Fern will tolerate droughty conditions. During extreme dry periods the fronds may turn brown and the plant will sit idle waiting for the next rain shower, but for the best growth, maintain even moisture. Japanese Painted Fern makes an outstanding ground cover. Plant on 12 inch centers for the best coverage of this slow spreading Fern or try them in combination containers as filler plants.
Tiarella is another favorite shade garden choice with its early spring blooms and textured foliage. Tiarella is commonly called Foamflower. Is a native woodland plant, and once established is considered low maintenance. Tiarella makes a great flowering ground cover for the shade. It should be mass planted for the greatest visual effect. The foliage is nearly evergreen in Mississippi with heart shaped leaves having three to five lobes. Many selections have the visual distinction of bronze variegation. The pink to white flowers are displayed on 10 to 15 inch spikes above the foliage. During moderate summers there will be continual flowering, but flowering will decrease during really hot summer temperatures. I'm horticulturist, Gary Bachman for Southern Gardening.
Narrator: Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University extension service.