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oft shield fern (Polystichum setiferum, zones 5 to 9) looks especially good planted in a woodland setting. Its shiny evergreen fronds grow horizontally, with a graceful lacy texture. Planting soft shield fern in a pot on the edge of a garden creates a nice transition from a more structured or formal portion of the garden to a wilder area. It grows to 2 to 3 feet tall and wide and prefers full shade and moist but well-drained soil.
Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata, zones 10 to 12) is your good old common house fern. However, it makes a beautiful outdoor container plant when temperatures stay above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. In the Northern Hemisphere, this usually means it can handle living outdoors from about late May through mid-October. Its evergreen fronds stay lush and tropical-looking all season. It grows to about 2½ feet by 2½ feet and prefers moist but well-drained soil. Like sword fern, it goes with any color scheme. As a bonus, rabbits don’t find it appealing.
Hart’s tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium, zones 6 to 8) doesn’t exactly look like a fern. Its wide, strappy fronds unfurl vertically, giving the appearance of an upward-facing tongue. It can be used as the main “thriller” plant, as seen here, or as a filler, taking the place of a plant with a grass-like texture. This evergreen fern grows to about 1½ feet by 1½ feet and prefers regular water and partial to deep shade.
For an even more dramatic burst of color, try ‘Brilliance’ autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’). The new growth emerges a striking coppery orange color that holds through spring. Team it with plants that have flowers in the warm color spectrum (yellow, orange and red), and you’ll have a hot container for the shade.
t you’re looking for color but prefer cool tones, you can’t go wrong with Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum, zones 5 to 9). Its purple stems laced with silvery green add a wow factor. Try teaming it with bold purple or burgundy begonias or heucheras. Japanese painted fern grows to about 1½ feet by 1½ feet and prefers light shade. This fern is also deer-resistant.
Autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora, USDA zones 6 to 9; find your zone) is an evergreen fern with bronze-colored new growth. Its arching habit adds a graceful, soft look to containers. Team it with bold textured plants, such as mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata), seen in this image, or hostas, for added contrast and drama. It grows to 2 feet tall and wide, requires occasional watering once established and prefers light to deep shade. Its deer resistance is a bonus.
7. Trillium (Trillium spp.) Native throughout North America Trilliums are found in forests throughout North America. They are very long-lived but slow to flower — it can take seven years when they are grown from seed. They eventually spread into a clump and add their elegant white flowers to woodland gardens in spring. There are distinct varieties native to different regions. In the West, try Pacific trillium (T. ovatum, zones 5 to 8, shown here); in the East, try white trillium (T. grandiflorum, zones 4 to 9). Where it will grow: Varies by species Light requirement: Shade Water requirement: Moderate Mature size: 12 to 18 inches tall
4. Wild Blue Indigo (Baptisia australis) Native in areas from the central Great Plains to the southeastern and northeastern U.S. This eastern native is becoming more and more common in the nurseries. Wild blue indigo is very long-lived, sending up its stalks of lush oval leaves every year for a decade or more (unlike many perennials that peter out after a few years). It often has stunning indigo-colored flower spikes up to a foot long, or longer, though yellow and white varieties are also available. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9) Light requirement: Full sun Water requirement: Low Mature size: 3 to 4 feet tall and wide
. Scarlet Beebalm (Monarda didyma) Native from Ohio east to New Jersey and south to Georgia and Tennessee Deer don’t give it a second look, but this eastern U.S. native is one of the best plants for attracting hummingbirds. It erupts from the ground each spring and grows up to 5 feet tall before spreading its crimson flowers. Dwarf cultivars are also available. Beebalm grows best in the central and eastern half of the country. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 34 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 4 to 9; find your zone) Light requirement: Full sun or dappled shade Water requirement: Moderate Mature size: 2 to 5 feet tall, depending on the variety
Botanical name: Glandularia rigida (syn. Verbena rigida) Common names: Sandpaper verbena, rough verbena, tuberous vervain Origin: Native to Southern Brazil and Argentina Where it will grow: Hardy to 0 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zone 7; find your zone) Water requirement: Drought tolerant once established but does best when watered deeply twice a month in summer and every three weeks in spring and fall; water monthly in winter in the absence of rain; in low-desert gardens, water weekly in summer and every two weeks in spring and fall Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: 1 to 2 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide Benefits and tolerances: Drought tolerant; attracts bees and butterflies Seasonal interest: Flowers in spring, summer and fall When to plant: In spring or fall from seed or transplants
Botanical name: Glandularia rigida (syn. Verbena rigida) Common names: Sandpaper verbena, rough verbena, tuberous vervain Origin: Native to Southern Brazil and Argentina Where it will grow: Hardy to 0 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zone 7; find your zone) Water requirement: Drought tolerant once established but does best when watered deeply twice a month in summer and every three weeks in spring and fall; water monthly in winter in the absence of rain; in low-desert gardens, water weekly in summer and every two weeks in spring and fall Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: 1 to 2 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide Benefits and tolerances: Drought tolerant; attracts bees and butterflies Seasonal interest: Flowers in spring, summer and fall When to plant: In spring or fall from seed or transplants
6. Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) A classic woodland plant native to Europe with a light, airy feel. The soft, textured foliage has long stems with a unique pattern of whorled leaves. The leaves emit a vanilla-like fragrance when dried and may be used in potpourris. Plant sweet woodruff between stepping stones, among taller perennials or as a mass ground cover in moist, shady areas with rich soil. It will form a dense carpet in ideal conditions, which is difficult to eradicate once established, so consider the location carefully before planting. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 29 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 9) Light requirement: Full or partial shade Water requirement: Moderate to high Mature size: 6 to 12 inches tall
Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium) This West Coast native is related to barberry and has similar yellow flowers in spring, followed by grape-like berries. Oregon grape has an unusual upright growth habit, with the foliage concentrated at the top of stout canes. There is a different but similar-looking species of Mahonia from China called leatherleaf mahonia (M. bealei), which is highly invasive in the Southeast, but Oregon grape is well-behaved. Birds love the berries, but they can be poisonous to humans if too many are eaten uncooked. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 29 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 9) Light requirement: Full sun or partial shade Water requirement: Low Mature size: 3 to 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide
6. Heaths and Heathers (Erica and Calluna spp.) Heath and heather are distinct botanically, though in practice they are used somewhat interchangeably. Combined, they refer to a large, highly unusual group of prostrate shrubs with similar characteristics. All have wildly colorful flowers and scaly or needle-like leaves that take on colorful tones in cold weather. They prefer acidic soil. Technically, heathers belong to the genus Calluna, while heaths are in the Erica genus. The former bloom primarily in summer and are adapted to northern climates, with some varieties that are hardy down to Zone 3. The latter bloom in late winter and are a better choice for Southern gardeners. Where it will grow: Depends on variety Light requirement: Full sun Water requirement: Moderate Mature size: 1 foot to 3 feet tall
Monrovia SaveEmail Fragrant Sweet Box 5. Sweet Box (Sarcococca spp.) This shrub closely resembles doghobble but isn’t native. It is, however, a better choice for the arid West. The white flowers are fragrant, and reddish berries appear in fall. Use it in deep shade where few other shrubs will grow. Where it will grow: Varies by species, but most are hardy to Zone 7 or 8 Light requirement: Full or partial shade Water requirement: Low Mature size: 3 to 5 feet tall
Where it will grow: ‘Corallina Compacta’ is hardy to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 29 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 10); ‘William Penn’ is hardy to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 23 degrees Celsius (zones 6 to 9). Light requirement: Full or partial sun Water requirement: Moderate Mature size: 3 to 4 feet for ‘Corallina Compacta’; 4 to 6 feet for ‘William Penn’
1. Boxwood (Buxus spp.) Boxwood has been a popular landscape shrub for more than a thousand years. It’s featured prominently in traditional European garden designs, but it is equally at home in a modernist landscape. Prune this European native into any shape desired or leave it to grow in its shaggy, but naturally attractive, form. There are varieties for hedges from 10 inches to 10 feet tall. It is at its best in cool, humid climates. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 29 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 5 to 9; find your zone) Light requirement: Full sun or partial shade Water requirement: Moderate Mature size: Depends on variety
Mexican Honeysuckle (Justicia spicigera) Native to Mexico and South America The orange, tubular flowers of this small shrub appear not just in fall, but all year long. Light green leaves add a tropical feel to the garden, and its flowers attract hummingbirds, making Mexican honeysuckle a must-have for gardens where hummingbirds live year-round. Where it will grow: Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 12 degrees Celsius), zones 8 to 10 Water requirement: Low to moderate; water weekly in summer and every two weeks throughout the rest of the year Light requirement: Filtered sun Mature size: 3 to 4 feet tall and wide Growing tips: Plant in well-drained soil amended with compost; prune in early spring to desired size
Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha) Native to central and eastern Mexico Both butterflies and hummingbirds frequently visit the attractive, fuzzy purple spikes this popular salvia produces. Blooms appear in spring and again in fall. In areas with mild summers, flowering can continue throughout those months. In colder climates, it’s sometimes grown as an annual. Where it will grow: Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 7 degrees Celsius), zones 9 to 10 Water requirement: Low; water weekly in summer, every two weeks in spring and fall and every three weeks in winter Light requirement: Filtered shade is best Mature size: 4 feet tall and 5 feet wide Growing tips: Plant in well-drained soil; plants will die back to the ground when temperatures dip into the low 20s; prune back to the ground in early spring, after the last frost date for your area; lightly prune in late summer if needed to control sprawling growth
Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens SaveEmail Botanical name: Liatris squarrosa Common names: Scaly blazingstar, scaly gayfeather, scaly liatris Origin: Native from Texas north to Colorado, South Dakota and Minnesota in the west, all the way eastward to Maryland and south to Florida Where it will grow: Hardy to -30 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 4 to 8; find your zone or find your ecorgeion) Water requirement: Medium to dry Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade Mature size: About 2 feet tall and wide Benefits and tolerances: Very drought tolerant; good butterfly plant Seasonal interest: Blooms in early to mid summer, followed by ornamental seed heads in fall When to plant: Potted or bare-root plants can be put in from late spring to late fall; sow seeds in late fall through winter.
Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens SaveEmail Botanical name: Liatris squarrosa Common names: Scaly blazingstar, scaly gayfeather, scaly liatris Origin: Native from Texas north to Colorado, South Dakota and Minnesota in the west, all the way eastward to Maryland and south to Florida Where it will grow: Hardy to -30 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 4 to 8; find your zone or find your ecorgeion) Water requirement: Medium to dry Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade Mature size: About 2 feet tall and wide Benefits and tolerances: Very drought tolerant; good butterfly plant Seasonal interest: Blooms in early to mid summer, followed by ornamental seed heads in fall When to plant: Potted or bare-root plants can be put in from late spring to late fall; sow seeds in late fall through winter.
Above the main front door are wood beams, with a skylight above the entry overhang. Vertical slats in the exterior wall provide fresh air for Belluschi’s office inside
Sword fern (Polystichum munitum), Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum) and lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) all flourish in Flip Breskin’s yard. But the star of the show is the beautifully crafted topiary stag produced by international artist Oliver Strong.
BEDROOM LIVING OUTDOOR LIGHTING DECOR STORIES ADVICE Gardening Flowers Purple Flowers Mid-Atlantic Gardening Great Lakes Gardening Great Design Plant: Stachys Officinalis ‘Hummelo’ The adaptable ‘Hummelo’ betony adds jolts of color to a sunny border or woodland edge Jay Sifford Houzz contributor and garden designer in Charlotte, NC. I love great design,... More Email Comment6Like22Bookmark36PrintEmbed Click "Embed" to display an article on your own website or blog. Like trendy pop singers and movie stars, perennials come and go, frequently replaced by newer, greater or flashier cultivars. ‘Hummelo’ betony (Stachys officinalis ‘Hummelo’) is one rising star that will undoubtedly earn its place in a hall of fame, as it has in my Southern garden. Rustic Landscape by Heynssens + Grassman, Inc. Heynssens + Grassman, Inc. SaveEmail by Jay Sifford Garden Design Jay Sifford Garden Design SaveEmail Botanical name: Stachys officinalis ‘Hummelo’ Common name: ‘Hummelo’ betony Origin: Stachys officinalis is native to Europe and Asia; ‘Hummelo’ was introduced by plantsman Piet Oudolf and named after his hometown in the Netherlands Where it will grow: Hardy to -30 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zo...
bright red Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ adds contrast to the whole scene.
Plants shown (from front to back): Moor grass (Molinia cv., USDA zones 5 to 9; find your zone), Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia, zones 4 to 9), ornamental sage (Salvia nemorosa cv., zones 5 to 9), great coneflower (Rudbeckia maxima, zones 4 to 9), mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum, zones 4 to 8) and giant maiden grass (Miscanthus giganteus, zones 5 to 9).
Benefits and tolerances: Tolerates well-drained soil Seasonal interest: Bright yellow daisy-like flowers develop in late June or early July; has a sturdy, upright form and long-lasting flowers that provide color for several months When to plant: Spring or fall; potted plants are available from most native-plant nurseries in areas where it occurs
Botanical name: Heliopsis helianthoides Common names: Smooth oxeye, false sunflower, oxeye sunflower, sunflower heliopsis Origin: Occurs in eastern North America from North Dakota east to Pennsylvania in the north and New Mexico east to Georgia in the south; in Canada occurs from Saskatchewan east to Quebec Where it will grow: Hardy to -45 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 2b to 7a; find your zone) Typical plant communities: Dry to mesic prairies, old fields, roadsides and woodland edges Soil requirement: Dry to medium, sandy-loam to clay-loam soil Light requirement: Partial sun to full sun Mature size: 24 to 60 inches tall and 18 to 36 inches wide
Botanical name: Osmunda regalis Common name: Royal fern Origin: Eastern North America, Europe and Asia Where will it grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 3 to 10; find your zone) Light requirement: Partial to full shade Water requirement: Moist to wet soil Mature size: 4 to 5 feet tall and wide Benefits and tolerances: Resistant to deer, rabbits, insects and diseases; performs well in boggy, acidic soil and deep shade but is tolerant of partial sun if planted in wet soil Seasonal interest: The fronds emerge as light green in midspring, darken by the beginning of summer, then turn yellow in autumn as the plant prepares to go dormant for the winter. When to plant: Spring is best
Botanical name: Osmunda regalis Common name: Royal fern Origin: Eastern North America, Europe and Asia Where will it grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 3 to 10; find your zone) Light requirement: Partial to full shade Water requirement: Moist to wet soil Mature size: 4 to 5 feet tall and wide Benefits and tolerances: Resistant to deer, rabbits, insects and diseases; performs well in boggy, acidic soil and deep shade but is tolerant of partial sun if planted in wet soil Seasonal interest: The fronds emerge as light green in midspring, darken by the beginning of summer, then turn yellow in autumn as the plant prepares to go dormant for the winter. When to plant: Spring is best
Botanical name: Osmunda regalis Common name: Royal fern Origin: Eastern North America, Europe and Asia Where will it grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 3 to 10; find your zone) Light requirement: Partial to full shade Water requirement: Moist to wet soil Mature size: 4 to 5 feet tall and wide Benefits and tolerances: Resistant to deer, rabbits, insects and diseases; performs well in boggy, acidic soil and deep shade but is tolerant of partial sun if planted in wet soil Seasonal interest: The fronds emerge as light green in midspring, darken by the beginning of summer, then turn yellow in autumn as the plant prepares to go dormant for the winter. When to plant: Spring is best
Where it will grow: Hardy to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 18 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 7 to 9; find your zone) Water requirement: Low to moderate; can survive on little water, but flowering is improved with regular summer irrigation. Water every 10 to 14 days in summer, every two weeks in spring through fall and monthly in winter for the best flowering. Light requirement: Full, reflected sun to filtered shade Mature size: 3 feet tall and wide Planting notes: Plant in well-drained soil in full sun or filtered shade; cut back to the ground in late winter; apply a slow-release fertilizer in spring.
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