Gardening hipster

I have been a reader of the UK magazine "Gardens Illustrated" since it was first published. My garden girlfriends all read "Fine Gardening," so I subscribed to it and have been very pleased with the content and photos. Garden legend Dan Hinkley was recommending 9 lesser-known shade plants we should all grow in the latest issue.

Imagine my surprise when I realized I've been growing five of them for years. Made me feel really cool. Of course, when I double checked my plant id notes, I discovered that I'm not growing exactly the ones he mentions, but close-enough relatives that I'm giving myself a pat on the back.

Here's the five cousins in my garden:

Begonia grandis 'Heron's Pirouette' is Dan's choice, but I planted my Begonia grandis (above) long before his own variety reached the market. This is a great plant to put in an area where you have spring ephemerals that leave a gaping hole come summer as it comes up late. You can't tell from this photo, but the reverse of the leaves is red and creates a stunning foliage effect when hit by the western sun. 'Heron's Pirouette' has redder stems than the variety I'm growing but that seems the only difference.

Delavay's mayapple (Podophyllum delavayi) is another great foliage plant. It has been a very slow grower for me but last summer it put out a baby leaf. I am looking forward to see what it does this summer. I think it wants more moisture than it may currently get but I am nervous about moving it.

Anemonopsis macrophylla is a late summer beauty whose downward facing flowers are difficult to photograph. But it's swirling stems and delicate flowers are a contrast to so many big bright summer flowers that I wouldn't want to be without it. I mention that because I moved it in late summer 2021 and never saw it last year. If I don't see it this summer I will have to buy another one. 

Hinkley suggests Cypripedium formosanum as an easy lady slipper Orchid to start with. I'm growing two different varieties; one planted in 2008 and the other in 2011. They barely hung on until I decided to move them. That was the charm; I found the spots they wanted and they've done beautifully with no help from me ever since.

I planted two others in recent years and both died almost instantly. So I planted another last autumn and we'll see if that one even makes it through the winter. I am probably going to look for the one Hinkley suggests as it has pleated foliage. That means it wouldn't even have to flower to be a great plant. (Cypripedium 'Hank Small', above)

I am growing a wide variety of Hepaticas but not the one Hinkley suggests, H. transilvanica. I will be searching it out as it is stoloniferous rather than clumping; meaning it would form an impressive display much more quickly than almost every one I am growing. I've opted for Hepaticas with attractive foliage rather than paying attention to growth habit. 

I'm not interested in a couple of the other plants Hinkley suggests; one due to its color and the other its size. But his last two favorites have caught my eye; this spring I will see if anyone is selling them locally. 

Comments

[Ginny]

Oh my! That lady slipper is drop dead gorgeous!! The mayapple is great at camouflage and the hepatica is ever so sweet. Excellent pics.

[Linda Brazill]

GINNY — Thanks for those kind words about my photos. My husband is a photographer and I'm trying to improve my skills seeing how good he is. Once you succeed with a lady slipper orchid, you really feel like you know what you are doing right. 

[Ginny]

Ha! Every time we gardeners think we know what we're doing, mother nature throws us a curve, doesn't she?

[Linda Brazill]

That's for sure!

[danger garden]

Podophyllum delavayi is such a gorgeous plant. Sean Hogan gave me one years ago and I planted it near my other podophyllum. Unfortunately it was never as vigorous and has slowly gotten smaller and smaller. I was afraid I'd do damage to the others trying to dig it out so I haven't. Perhaps I just need to buy another!

[Linda Brazill]

LOREE — ​Now I don't feel so bad that mine is nowhere as vigorous as 'Spotty Dotty.'

[Kris P]

I could tell that you're a cool gardener without any reinforcement from Dan Hinkley, Linda ;) How I wish I could grow any kind of lady's slipper, or a mayapple for that matter.

[Linda Brazill]

KRIS — I am always swooning over Loree Bohl's mayapples. But I keep trying some of these more unusual plants as they have such lovely foliage. 

[Beth@PlantPostings]

Very nice. Yes, you deserve a pat on the back. :)

[Kathy from Cold Climate Gardening]

I haven't yet read that article but I'm glad to hear of your experiences with lady's slippers. So far I'm 0 for 2 and found #3 uprooted on a December walkabout. Not encouraging! I have seen Cyp. formosanum in photos and wondered if it would be hardy in Zone 5. I guess I should read the article, huh?

[Chavli]

The buds on Anemonopsis macrophylla are even more enticing than the flowers! Not familiar with this plant, I looked it up online. The famous Edelweiss? I will try and find this one, while singing a medley from 'The Sound of Music"!

[Chavli]

I guess it's not Edelweiss. :-D
(that was the nursery's name... Dah!)

Though I still love this plant.
chavli

[Linda Brazill]

KATHY — I was frustrated last time I bought lady slipper orchids — one was bare root and did not make it and the other looked half dead when it arrived and then died. I complained to the one nursery but they did not do anything. So we will see if the latest one I bought last fall comes up this spring. I am hopeful but prepared for disappointment.