Here are a few more dark plants from the Philadelphia Flower Show. I'm saving the very special one for tomorrow. And I have some pictures that go with it that aren't from the flower show. Meanwhile...
This is another popular and familiar foliage plant to many gardeners. It's Black Mondo Grass, Ophiopogon planiscapus. Sadly for me, it's not quite hardy where I live. People seem able to grow it outdoors even in Ann Arbor, but I've planted it two or three times, and it's never survived. It makes a wonderful edging, or specimen plant in rock gardens.
This is a variety of Heuchera, often called Coral Bells. There are so many variations on this plant it's impossible to track them all. I forgot to get the exact variety name. It's similar to one called Guardian Angel, though, if you really like it. These plants have rather un-ostentatious flowers on tall thin stems. They are almost always grown for the foliage. And they like shade, so they can be paired with hostas and coleus for wonderful displays that last all summer long because they don't depend on the blossoms for the colors.
The last one is a variety of Sedum, Sedum spurium 'Elizabeth.' This is a really common species, but the variety has been selected for a darker color. I've found that most of these revert after a few years to a plain green, but some are probably more stable than others.
OK, that's it for today. But I'm already excited about the plants I have for tomorrow.
 | See Philadelphia Flower Show 2011 - Dark Plants 1 |
6 comments:
a nice selection of plants. Makes me want to go outside and dig in the dirt :) You mentioned hostas which I have always liked but for some reason every one that I have planted in my yard has died.
coral bells in mass make a great flower display. I prefer the green leaved - red/pink blooms for the flower display and the purple leaf - white flowered for the foliage display.
Those new dark colored varieties of sedums are often not nearly as vigorous in our cold climate. I can't resist them but they usually peter out after a couple of seasons.
On the first photo, I thought it was a sea orchin then was thinking, why the heck a sea creature happen to be in a flower show. LOL
I like the look of the coral bells. I can see where they'd make a good decoration.
Ann- I am surprised. If they have shade and not too many slugs or deer in the neighborhood they are usually easy to grow.
Wiseacre- Yeah, I know some people like the blooms in large groups. I'm just not a fan. I love the many foliage options though.
sir rob- That's funny! They look like good candidates though... just the wrong climate.
Ratty- If the few pretty ones I own have survived another winter, maybe I'll show you those this spring.
Since I've been a renter for the past 23 years, I've not been so interested in plants and gardening. My back area now is mostly cement. When I first moved in, I had pots of roses and, every year, I would plant annuals. Then, as I had to be on call more and more and ended up sleeping less and less, my gardening fell by the wayside. Roses don't do that well in this fog belt, either...even those designated for foggy regions.
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