Our Shade Garden

Unlike yesterday's pictured plants that were all photographed as they are growing in the wild, today's plants were all transplanted in our shade garden.  Sharp lobed hepatica has a rather unruly nature,  Petal colors range from white to purple with a wide variation in color intensity.  The number of petals on an individual flower can vary from five to thirteen.  This plant prefers limestone soil so I must remember to mix limestone pellets in the ground leaves that will soon be placed here.

Early Meadow Rue was newly purchased last year.  This plant exists as either male or female and perhaps this is the female form.  Its nearby companion is just now breaking the surface.  That difference may be gender related or simply depth when planted here.

We are rather loose in our definition of native plants.  This California Trout Lily bears leaves that strongly resemble our New York native Trout Lily but its flower colors range from pink to purple.  These plants are rugged beyond belief and deserve regular dividing.

Six days ago many of these plants were freshly transplanted here.  An amazing amount of new growth seems to indicate that they approve of their new location.  We mix our woodland soil in a wheelbarrow and this was laced here last Fall and given a generous cover of ground fallen tree leaves scavenged from nearby village streets.  That time and effort seems to be paying generous dividends.

This plant was a gift from a village resident.  It is called Trout Plant because of its speckled leaves.  It is not native to our continent but it has several characteristics that earned it a place in our shade garden.  It is both rugged and civilized.  A tenacious survivor, its spread is rather well behaved.  Encroaching new growth is simply broken off and discarded with no apparent damage to the old plant.  The two color blossoms are unique and attractive.  Newly opened flowers are pink. They change to blue rather quickly. 

We have been looking for Bloodroot plants.  Last year our new transplants experienced a great growing year and we were expecting them to return.  Cavorting deer trampled both the Bloodroot plants and the nearby Jack-In-The-Pulpits last Fall.  Bloodroot is usually an early appearing plant but so far no trace of them has been seen here.  We were unable to find any growing in Irma's woods yesterday so perhaps a little patience is needed.  I guess I am acting like a little kid on Christmas morning.