Our Gardens > creating an edge of woodgarden area

the edge of the wood

(1/3) > >>

greenfinger:
In my garden you'll find some borders with mostly sunloving perennials. I've planted them in various places. During the 27 years we live here I kept one eye on a small, rather neglected area at the edge of the garden. It's 26 meters long and 6 meter broad. Fifteen or twenty years ago (time flies) I planted there 5 hazels, 3 willows, 2 amelanchiers. Wild elders and mountain-ashes came uninvited. They are welcome as long as I can handle them. Some geraniums, euphorbia's, saxifraga's, rodgersia's were brought in last 2 years. This fall I decided to take the bull by the horns and to integrate this area in one little wood edge biotope with dappled shadow. The soil is dry and poor. I want to improve its quality to give this project a fine start.
Every few days I'll try to give report about the progress of it.
Good advice is always welcome of course.

ideasguy:
Heres a couple of suggestions André
Brunnera is a shade lover.

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'
http://www.ideasforgardens.net/forumpics/RIMG0009-20070428.JPG

and
Brunnera macrophylla 'Dawsons White'
http://www.ideasforgardens.net/forumpics/RIMG0012-20070428.JPG

I bought these babies last night, and they are really nice.

greenfinger:
I knew of the existence of these plants but didn't plant them yet. Always wondered why that 'Jack Frost'- variety got that particular name. It's not a sleuth?
Another (perhaps somewhat risky?) suggestion for beautiful leaf in the dappled shadow: Cardiocrinum giganteum.
One of the past evenings I took a picture of the "edge of the wood". See the attachment.

ideasguy:
There was a Cardiocrinum for sale at that show last night.
The Nurseryman selling the plants said they are VERY slow growing, and take years to come to flower.
I have some photos - will dig them out.

greenfinger:
7 to 10 years I was told.
Graham Stuart wrote "this is perhaps the most imposing of all hardy flowering plants. Immense leaves lose size the higher they are disposed up the immensely stout stalk, from the top of which hang many long, narrow trumpet-flowers, pointed downwards, of greenisch white, with maroon red in the throat." This seems worth the patience and  efforts to help it through the growing.
This one has already some shoots, but you have to wait to take them after the flowering. The head plant itself dies after flowering.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page