One of the benefits of membership in the Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society is the chance to tour members' garden. I visited Alice Page's westside garden last month. I saw lots to admire in her garden but nothing apropos for my garden — until I was clearing out this space where a large shrub had died. Since the location is right as you enter the back garden, it really needed attention. As I stared at the fence I suddenly remembered how I'd loved the path at Alice's garden awash in Cimicifuga and Thalictrum. I decided to use Cimicifuga racemosa 'Brunette' as the backbone of my design to get a similar frothy, ferny feel.
I have this Cimicifuga growing all over my garden as you can see in the image below; it allowed me to divide a few of them to come up with a row of five plants of varying sizes to get this new bed started.
I added a giant Japanese painted fern 'Godzilla' (center front in the first image) which needed to be moved from its current location anyway. It strikes me as a perfect complement to the Cimicifugas. The 'Godzilla' in the garden area below is starting to mature with vertical fronds that are almost 3 feet tall. It gives you an idea of how nicely the other one will fill in the space in front of the Cimicifugas.
I already had this little treasure from Far Reaches Farm growing nearby in a holding bed, so I just "slid" it over to add to the mix. It's a Chinese false Solomon's Seal (Maianthemum henryi) that I planted late last autumn and have kept caged to save it from the rabbits.
This is what it will look like (below) when it gets to its mature size of 36 inches. Plus it's fragrant! It's listed as needing "shade to part shade" but I've put it in a spot that will get some sun. All of the plants here are shade plants, but I know from experience that my best Cimicifugas and painted ferns all get some sun.
Far Reaches Farm
I've tried to grow this Umbrella Leaf (Diphylleia cymosa) more than once with little success. I've had it in moist and dry shade but nary a flower. So I dug out both clumps and added them to the left of the painted fern in the first photo.
Far Reaches Farm
This is also supposed to get about 3 feet tall, with white flowers and large leaves that look a bit like giant Jeffersonia or Podophyllum, which is clear to see in the image below from Far Reaches Farm website.
These incredible blue berries that are the real reason to grow this plant. I've never managed to get any flowers on either of my Diphylleias, let alone berries. But I'm hopeful that a little more sun is the answer.
Great Plant Picks Photo
While I wait for things to grow and fill in, I am going to add some of this Tiarella 'Running Tapestry' as a ground cover to tie everything together.
This bed does not look like much at the moment but I'm hoping it will begin to make a statement by next year. I am pleased with it on two counts:
First, that I got the inspiration in a garden not far from my own;
Second, that I got all the plants by shopping my own garden. This year I've been able to refine a number of sparse areas with large divisions from elsewhere in the garden. I love being able to instantly fill in an area without having to shop anywhere but in my own garden.
