I have a very large fir tree growing at the south west corner of my back yard near the house. There's a shade bed around it and, going north, the bed turns into a sun bed. The 'sun' bed is mostly a shade bed (mainly reflected light, next to no sun, in the early part of summer but as the sun nears the equinox the bed becomes a full sun bed for about 3 months then back to a shade bed. I have found a number of plants that seem to do well but there's something missing. All of the plants are mainly shades of green. I'd like to add a few smaller plants with dark foliage and lime or gold foliage, with or without flowers to accent the bed. So far I've found sedum and sun tolerant heuchera. Would these plants hold their color and do well with the sun/shade cycles? Sorry this is such a long post.
Your growing conditions (not including the shade situation) are so different from mine, not sure I have any plant ideas that would work. Do you have a garden center or local nursery with employees whose brain you could pick for plants? Or call the County Extension office in your county which is connected with the University of Idaho. They should be able to give you a good list of plants for that area.
2ofus--I love Hakonechloa grass. It has a bright light effect in the garden. While it is a shade plant, it can grow in full sun if you baby it with water the first year. Thereafter it is pretty sturdy. I like it because the swaying, bending grass leaves give motion to the garden, buch like a mini waterfall & the bright lime-green-yellow of the leaves is eye catching. Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola' & Iris cristata ( photo / image / picture from Cayuga Morning's Garden )
At our last home we planted Hostas in the woods and with only a small amount of sun they did alright but they didn't grow big like our other ones by the house. Those come in so many different shades of green and lighter colors. I used to have an almost white one but it didn't make it through the last winter. I don't have hostas anymore here because I have too much sun.
2forus, your growing conditions sun wise are identical to my shade garden, fir trees shading a huge portion of the yard. Here are a few plants. It is really difficult for me to figure out how to show other photos in my garden here at GardenStew. If you have time you can see primroses, hellebores, Hostas, columbines, ferns, BC ginger, ground orchids (may not take your winters) and other plants in my garden View Photo Album: 2014 year 01-02-03-04-05-06. .
I forgot about this post. I have finally decided on a Vera Jamison Sedum. It is the right height and, as I have a tall sedum in the same bed, I know it will take the conditions. Cayuga, I have a Hakonechloa 'Aureola" in my deeper shade area but I didn't realize it could take some sun and I really want to add it also. I can tell I'm going to be re-doing that bed this spring! Thank you all for helping me out.
It's very pretty. I got some seed for astrantia just recently but I read that they prefer a very moist site. I don't know if I can give it what it wants here, the summers are very dry.
