Keywords: Brunnera, Stachys, Liriope, Epimedium, Lamium, Rock garden plants, Shade gardening, Ground cover plants, Geranium
PAL Question:
I've built low, 2 to 2.5 foot brick retaining walls running east to west in my backyard. The walls face north. I'm looking to plant in a narrow strip atop these walls some "spiller" plants which will enthusiastically droop over the walls despite their north-facing nature.
Ideally, I'd like mostly evergreen plants which would fill in fairly quickly,
though I'm willing to plant a variety and carve out space for the slower growing
plants as needed. There's great drainage since I have gravel reservoirs
behind each wall, and the part of the plant above the wall will get part to
full sun, though I could overplant them if necessary for a plant that couldn't
handle full sun.
My biggest priorities are to have evergreen plants with interesting foliage
and form. I'm really looking to soften the look of these grey brick walls, and
so would prefer a furry look to a spiny one. Flowers and fragrance are less
important though always nice, and I'm hoping to have at least 2 or 3 different
plant types with different colored foliage (shades of green are fine).
View Answer:
Some of the plants that occur to me, based on the description of your site, are
Brunnera macrophylla, Epimedium, Geranium phaeum, Stachys byzantina, Lamium
maculatum, and Liriope. Of these, the Geranium and Lamium will trail somewhat, while the others are essentially upright.
These links offer lists of plants that may be appropriate to your site:
From the University of Missouri Extension and Whatcom County Groundcovers.
You could also try entering your site requirements into the plant-finding and
plant selection web pages below:
Great Plant Picks (a local site)
King County's native plant guide
Missouri Botanic Garden Plant Finder
Royal Horticultural Society Plant Selector
The Miller Library has many books on gardening in the shade, so you may wish to
come in and do some research to help you in your plant selection. Here is a
booklist that may be of interest.
Season
All Season
Date 2007-05-21
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Keywords: Failure to flower, Stachys, Pruning shrubs, Leycesteria
PAL Question:
I have a question about cutting back plants. I have some non-flowering lamb's ear that is looking quite scraggly. How far back do I cut these, and when?
Also, how far back should I cut my Himalayan honeysuckle? We planted it 2 years ago, and last summer it got 5 feet high!
Also, last year my Hebe plants did not flower. We have Hebe anomala purpurea 'Nana'. I have recently checked the tags they came with, and it doesn't mention that it flowers. Is this a non-flowering Hebe? Although the shrubs are lovely, I was hoping for the type that flowers. If we decide to move them, when would be the best time to transplant them?
View Answer:
Yes, Stachys (lamb's ears) can look pretty ragged after winter. I'm guessing you are growing Stachys byzantina 'Silver Carpet' or a similar cultivar, which doesn't flower. If you look closely, you should see signs of new growth. I would suggest cutting back all the tattered or dried leaves as far as you are able, without injuring new growth. March is a good time to divide the plant if you like. (I have shared this plant
many times and moved clumps to new locations. It is quite tough, and will transplant easily.)
Himalayan honeysuckle, Leycesteria formosa, can be cut back to the ground (or within a few inches of the ground) in late winter or early spring,according to Sunset Western Garden Book. The website of Rainyside Gardeners (a Northwest site) has a useful page on Leycesteria formosa.
According to Hebes: A Guide to Species, Hybrids, and Allied Genera by Lawrie Metcalf (Timber Press, 2006), Hebe anomala 'Purpurea' is a synonym for Hebe odora 'Purpurea' which is supposed to have a lot of flowers. He doesn't mention the dwarf variety, 'Nana,' but I assume it would have similar attributes. Even with the nomenclature confusion, there seems to be some consensus about the floriferous qualities of the plant: Douglas Chalk's Hebes & Parahebes (Christopher Helm, 1988) lists Hebe 'Anomala' as a cultivar of Hebe odora, and he too says it has lots of flowers. Are your Hebes getting enough sun? Some Hebes will flower in partly shady sites, but the flowering will be diminished. Could they have been pruned accidentally, just before flowering? Another possibility is that the plants are not mature enough to flower. The Metcalf book mentions a few species which can take years to produce flowers. He also says that flowers are enhanced by chilling followed by warmth, over a period of about 12 weeks. The number of hours of daylight to which the plants are exposed is also a factor. As far as transplanting, doing it in March should be fine. It isn't too hot, and we are likely to have the occasional rain,but you should still water well when you first move them.
Season
All Season
Date 2008-04-11
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