Foxglove (Digitalis ) Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia ) Foxglove is an impressive perennial with medium Mountain laurel is a 10-foot tall shrub with glossy, green to gray-green foliage and tall spikes of tubular oval to lance-shaped leaves and clusters of red, pink, or . Flowers are white, yellow, pink, salmon-pink, white flowers that appear in the spring to mid summer. orange, or purple. Foxglove grows 1 to 4 feet tall de- Mountain laurel likes moist, acid soil. pending on variety. Use in mass at the back of the border or in a woodland . Rhododendron (Rhododendron ) Rhododendrons have medium to large leaves and are Ligularia (Ligularia) deciduous or evergreen, depending on species, and Ligularia has large basal leaves, which can be have a wide range of color. Flowers are large, rounded, palmately lobed, elliptic or kidney shaped. tubular to funnel shaped, fragrant and showy. These Tall spikes of orange to yellow, daisy-like flowers ap- shrubs bloom in spring, with some varieties blooming For more information: pear in mid summer to fall. This perennial grows be- later in the season. Only a few types of rhododendron Contact the Master Shade Loving tween 3 to 6 feet tall, depending on variety. are hardy enough for our climate. R. catawbiense Diagnostic Clinic ‘Album’ (white flowers), R. ‘English Roeum’ (lavender May through September for the Home Garden Red Valerian or Jupiter’s Beard (Centranthus ruber) flowers), R. mucronulatum (purple or pink flowers), R. Red Valerian is a bushy, vigorous with alter- ‘Nova Zembla’ (red flowers), and R. ‘PJM’ (lavender- nate blue-green leaves and pink to deep red flowers, pink flowers). Rhododendrons grow 4 to 10 feel tall, Tuesdays 11:30 a.m.. - 2:30 p.m. which appear in spring to mid summer. Plant height depending on variety. up to 3 feet tall. This plant can be very invasive but is WSU Extension Office good for difficult garden sites. Vine Maple (Acer circinatum) 507 N Nanum, Room 2 Vine maple is a bushy, shrub-like , growing to 15 Ellensburg, WA 98926 feet tall. This maple has small, 2 to 6 inch, lobed, light Shrubs green leaves. Small purplish-red flowers appear in the spring, followed by winged seeds. In the fall, vine ma- Phone: (509) 962-7507 Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) ple foliage turns brilliant shades of yellow, orange, and Upper County Toll Free: (509) 674-2584 Highbush blueberries are a deciduous shrub with an red. Ext. 507 upright growth habit and small, elliptic to lance-shaped leaves. Small, white flowers appear in spring and early sum, followed by edible, dark blue fruit. These shrubs http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us/extension/ grow to 6 feet tall and have good fall color, with default.asp foliage turning to bright shades of yellow, orange, or crimson.

Hydrangea (Hydrangea ) Only a few hydrangea are handy enough to be grown in our climate. H. paniculata is a tall, upright shrub, growing to 22 feet tall, with panicles of white to pink- ish-bronze flowers, and dark green, pointed leaves. WSU Extension programs and employment H. paniculata ’Grandiflora Compacta’ is a more com- are available to all without discrimination. pact variety, growing to 5 feet tall. Another hardy va- Evidence of non-compliance may be reported riety of hydrangea is oakleaf hydrangea ( Hydrangea through your local WSU Extension office. quercifolia ). This hydrangea has a mounding growth In Conclusion Trade names may have been used to simplify habit, growing to a height of 3 feet tall and has pani- Although challenging, home can create the presentation of information. No cles of creamy-white flowers in early summer. The beautiful in shady locations, using a variety of endorsement of products is intended. lobed, creamy-white flowers in early summer. The herbaceous plants and various shrubs. lobed, oak-like leaves turn crimson and bronze in the Written by Hilary Foss – WSU Master fall. Gardener Coordinator

April 2005 Shady gardens surrounded by tall, leafy and Shooting Star (Dodecatheon ) Chinese Anemone (Anemone hupehensis ) Hosta (Hosta ) shrubs, under overhead structures, or on north walls These spring beauties are alpine plants with ro- Chinese anemone is a tall plant with light green, Hostas are a mounding plant, with oval, rounded, create a challenge for the hoe gardener. Lack of settes of ovate to lance-shaped leaves and cyclamen palmate leaves, and deep pink flowers. Use Chinese lance, or heart-shaped leaves. Leaves vary in color light and cool conditions are not optimal for many type flowers in pink, purple, reddish-purple, or white anemones in the middle of a border or in a woodland from golden-yellow, medium to bluish-green, or are perennials and shrubs. With a little research and flowers. Shooting star is best used in a woodland or garden. variegated with white or yellow margins. Tall effort, a home gardener can find a number of shade . stalks of laventer, blue, or white, trumpet-shaped loving plants. Listed below are a few of the best Columbine (Aquilegia ) flowers appear in summer. Hostas are nice in a choices for our area. Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia pulmonarioides syn . This spring bloomer has lacy, bluish-green foliage mixed border. Mertensia virginica ) with red, orange, yellow, blue, purple or white, deli- Virginia bluebells grow in erect clumps of soft, cate, nodding flowers with spurs. Flowers are some- Masterwort (Astrantia ) blue-green to gray-green leaves, with nodding, tubu- times two-toned. Columbine grow between 6 inches Masterwort is a clumplike plant with palmate Ground Covers and Short Perennials lar light blue to purplish-blue flowers. Flowers ap- to 3 feet tall. Use in a garden border. leaves and white, greenish-white, or pink 5-petaled Ground covers and shorter perennials are nice pear in the spring. Grow in part shade to deep shade flowers, growing up to 36” tall. Good for a wood- when used to fill in “around the ankles” of taller in a woodland garden. Hardy Geranium or Cranesbill (Geranium ) land garden. perennials and shrubs, and good for containers or G. ‘Ann Folkard’ the front of the border. Use some of the following Wild Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis ) G. ‘Ann Folkard’ has palmatetly lobed, toothed, Siberian Bugloss or False Forget-Me-Not to help “fill out” your garden borders. Wild strawberry is a low growing; compact plant yellow-green leaves and cup-shaped magenta pink (Brunnera macrophylla ) with broad, 3-palmate leaves and white flowers. flowers with dark centers. This perennial grows to 2 False Forget-Me-Not is a spring blooming peren- Coral Bell (Heuchera ) Occasionally bright-red, edible fruit follows the feet tall and blooms for a long duration, during the nial with large, heart-shaped leaves and dainty clus- Coral-bells are low growing, mounding peren- flowers, makes a nice groundcover. summer. ters of blue flowers, growing to 18” in height. nials with round to heart-shaped leaves with wavy Grow in the front or middle of a border. edges. Leaves vary in color from chartreuse, green Hardy Geranium or Cranesbill (Geranium) to metallic red. Airy, bell-shaped flowers are green- G. ‘Johnson’s Blue’ ish-white, white, pink, or red, depending on variety. G. ‘Johnson’s Blue’ has a spreading growth habit, Tall Shade Perennials for the Back of the Border Use coral-bells at the front of a border. medium green, lobed leaves, and cup-shaped, laven- der-blue flowers, which appear in early summer. Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis ) Corydalis (Corydalis ) Medium Height Shade Perennials for the This perennial grows to 18 inches tall. Dicentra spectablis is a tall, clump-forming per- Corydalises are lovely plants with fine, lacy foli- Middle of the Border ennial with finely cut foliage. This bleeding heart age, which resembles bleeding heart. Small, tubular Layering is an important element of , Hardy Geranium or Cranesbill (Geranium) grows to 4 feet tall and has pink or white heart- flowers are borne on short, erect stems. Varieties with shorter plants being placed in the front of a gar- G. phaeum shaped flowers that appear in late spring and early that are hardy to our area are Corydalis lutea , which den border and medium sized plants being placed in G. phaeum or mourning widow is a clumping per- summer. The foliage of this bleeding heart dies has bright yellow flowers throughout the season. the middle. The following is a list of medium sized ennial with lobed, medium green leaves and deep back in mid-summer. Corydalis rutifolia has violet flowers that appear in plants to use in a shade garden. purple or maroon, or white flowers that appear in late the spring and Corydalis ochroleuca has white spring and early summer. This hardy geranium Bell Flower (Campanula ) flowers from summer to fall. Use in a mixed bor- Astible or False Spirea (Astible) grows between 1 and 3 feet tall. Bellflowers come in a number of varieties and der, or a woodland or . Plumes of delicate pink, white, purple, or red, airy sizes. These plants have alternate leaves and bell to flowers appear during the summer. Leaves are oval, Hardy Geranium or Cranesbill (Geranium) star-shaped flowers. Flower color can be white, Grecian Wind Flower (Anemone blanda ) mid to bright green and are divided. Astibles grow G. magnificum various shades of blue, lavender, violet, purple, or Grecian windflower has finely cut lacy leaves, between 1 ½ to 3 feet tall and are best used in the G. magnificum is a clump-like perennial with light pink. Dwarf campanulas are good for rock grows 6 inches tall, and has deep blue, pink, or middle to back border or in a woodland garden. large, medium green, lobed leaves and violet-blue gardens and planting in rock walls, while taller va- white flowers, good for naturalizing. flowers that appear in early summer. This perennial rieties are great for the garden border. Bleeding Heart (Dicentra eximia) grows to 2 feet tall. Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria ) Dicentra eximia (syn. With D. Formosa ), which is Delphinium (Delphinium ) This old fashioned favorite is a spring flowering called western bleeding heart is a spreading perennial Hardy Geranium or Cranesbill (Geranium ) Delphinium has tall, erect stems with supped- plant that thrives in damp, shady conditions. Lily- with lacy, lobed, green leaves that have bluish-green G. endressii ‘Wargrave Pink’ shaped flowers in a wide range of colors (red, pink, of-the-Valley bears, pendant, bell-shaped, fragrant, undersides. Light to deep pink, pendant, heart- G. endressii ‘Wargrave Pink’ is a clumplike peren- yellow, white, blue, purple, and lavender), and pal- white flowers and grows to 9 inches tall. This shaped flowers appears in early spring. Western nial with loved leaves and salmon-pink flowers that mately lobed leaves. Plant height 1 to 6 feet, de- spring bloomer is great used as aground cover or in bleeding heart can be used in garden beds or wood- appear in summer. This hardy geranium grows to 2 pending on variety. a woodland garden. land gardens and self-sow freely. feet tall.