Bleeding Heart

We have encountered at least one picture similar to this one on Google Images but rest assured this photo is ours.  Every now and then our point and shoot simple camera captures magic.  There are about twenty different varieties of this plant that occur naturally in Asia, Europe and North America.  It is easy to see why Bleeding Heart has been a garden favorite for many generations.  I can recall a huge plant like this one placed as a foundation planting alongside of my babysitter's house.  Babysitter is not an accurate term since she covered time after school and before my parents returned home after work.

The relative lack of flowers on these plants speaks of the harsh weather endured this Spring.  We felt fortunate that any blossoms appeared.  Violet Bee Balm is the name of the plants behind the bench.  Their close placement by the bench was deliberate so that we could sit there while hummingbird moths zipped about feeding on the flowers.  These insects are fearless and it is quite an experience to sit among them.

This Fern Leaf Bleeding Heart is a cross between a Japanese native and two American plants.  Its small size makes placement in home gardens easier.  The silver foliage is also a bonus.  Our unreliable memory identifies this plant as a natural replacement for the original mail order plant that died.  This also raises a question of just how the new plant formed since sterile hybrid is listed as a characteristic of this plant.  Perhaps a root offset of the original is the source of this delightful plant.

This white flowered plant is a new addition this year.  Purchased from a local nursery, it looks like a survivor.  Fern Leaf is also part of its name.  It was placed where a smaller plant will look good.  We hope that our collection of Bleeding Hearts will expand and firmly hold their ground without a great deal of effort from us.  One of the Old Fashioned plants by the bench has sent out a daughter plant that will be moved next year.  One simply cannot have too many Bleeding Hearts.