New Hybrid Bleeding Hearts

Dicentra 'Luxuriant' 

Bleeding hearts bloom in April into May (in Tennessee - zones 6 and 7). In cooler northerly locales, flowering may continue into summer.  The bright red, pink or white, heart-shaped, pendant flowers are supported on arching stems.

Bleeding hearts (Dicentra spp.) are truly one of nature’s glorious delights in the spring - early summer garden (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). Old fashion bleeding hearts (D. spectabilis), indigenous to Asia, grow taller and wider compared to their North American counterparts wild bleeding heart (D. exima) and Dutchman's breeches (D. cucullaria).

A number of new cultivars have been released in recent years that are hybrid crosses between D. peregrine (native to Japan) x D. exima (native to eastern North America) x D. formosa (native to Western U.S.). These bleeding heart grow more compact and robust, are longer flowering, exhibit blue-gray foliage, and offer more floral color choices.

Four notable hybrid cultivars include 'Luxuriant' (D. eximia  x D. formosa  - deeply-cut,  grayish-green foliage and cherry red blooms. ‘King of Hearts’ (D. peregrina x D. formosa subsp. oregana x D. eximia) - very compact grower only 9 inches high and 14 inches wide. 'Fire Island' (D. peregrina x D. exima) - white tipped magenta red flowers from late spring into midsummer and 12 inch x 20 inch mound of frosty blue foliage. ‘Valentine’ - a vigorous hybrid form with showy cherry red/white tipped flowers.

New hybrid forms tend to grow more vigorously and are spaced 24-36 inches apart. Good soil drainage is essential for bleeding hearts. Plant in a humus-rich mildly acidic soil along with more hours of sunlight, preferably in the morning. Lightly mulch around plants in a woodland garden. In late winter feed a slow-release fertilizer at the low package rate.

In southern locales hybrid forms generally die back (go dormant) by mid-summer unless regularly irrigated. Crowded clumps should be divided either in very early spring or after flowering.

Spring flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Aphids, slugs and snails occasionally feed on the leaves. Plants are deer and rabbit resistant.

Bleeding hearts are great companions with other woodland plants such as ferns, lungworts (Pulmonaria spp.), brunneras, coral bells (Heuchera), and foam flowers (Tiarella).

Note: in recent times the genus Dicentra has been changed to Lamprocapnos.

Four Easy To Grow Ferns

Northern  maidenhair fern

Ferns add a delicate touch to your shade garden. Their foliage is very fine textured. Group three or more ferns 2-3 feet apart. Select the specific fern for the garden site, e.g whether it is likely dry or moist soils. Some grow surprisingly well in full sun, but most prefer partial to full shade. Select ferns according to their light and soil moisture requirements.

Here are four species which are easy to grow:

• Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)
• Autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora)

  

  Autumn fern

• Lady fern (Athryium felix-femina)
• Northern maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum) - (pictured)

All four ferns prefer a well-drained, highly composted soil and supplemental moisture during long summer dry spells. Keep soil near pH 7.0 (neutral) by occasional liming every few years if soil pH drops.

All four are not finicky, demonstrate good drought tolerance and grow in soil with little to no additional soil prep. Ideally, you should grow ferns in a richly composted garden soil along with adequate moisture over long dry spells. Bi-monthly feeding with a water soluble fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro™, Jack’s™, or Nature’s Source™ from April thru August will get all off to a good start in the first year.

Multi-Purpose 'Evergold' Sedge

'Evergold' sedge

Japanese sedges (Carex oshimensis)  are fine-textured variegated sedges that typically grow as low, grass-like mounds or clumps. They are found in woodlands and rocky slopes throughout Honshu Island, Japan (USDA hardiness zones 6-8).

Japanese sedges are long-living and foliage is evergreen through most of their growing range. Narrow grass-like variegated leaf blades are upwards of 16 inches long by 5/16 inch wide. Brownish flower spikes appear on triangular stems in spring and have zero ornamental value. 

There are many fine cultivars. I recommend starting with an outstanding cultivar named 'Evergold'. It grows 12 - 18 inches high and 12-18 inches in spread in full shade to partial sunlight and in moist to average soil well- drained soil. Water well after planting and regularly until established after one year. Foliage color is richer in part shade. Plants spread slowly by short rhizomes and can be propagate by rhizome division in early spring.

Space plants 10 inches apart. Group or mass as a ground cover for edging along paths or sidewalks. Utilize as a specimen accent plant in a woodland or a rock garden. Evergold sedge can be planted in low spots and along the edges of a stream, pond, or a water garden. Evergold sedges make perfect additions to mixed containers and window boxes. The leafy mounds spill over the edge of containers. 

Trim back all last year’s growth around the start of spring. No serious insect or disease problems trouble sedges and are deer resistant.

Golden Hakonegrass Lights Up The Shade Garden

Light up dark areas in your shade garden with this wonderful golden ornamental grass from Japan. Golden hakonegrass (Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola') grows 12-18 inches tall and 18-24 inches wide with a mounding cascading form.
Very thin green stripes (veins) flow the length of the ½ inch wide golden leaf blade. The cool nights in the fall adds a pink to reddish tinge to the blades before all dies back for a long winter’s nap. Tiny, relatively inconspicuous, floral spikes appear for a short time in late summer.
Golden hakone prospers in moist humus-rich, well-drained soil. Contrarily, it grows poorly in compact heavy clay soils. Hakone prefers a partially shaded garden spot, receiving 2 hours of early morning or 1/2 day of dappled sunlight.
Golden hakone grows slowly, spreading by stolons and rarely trespasses spaces occupied by neighboring hosta, astilbe, heuchera and other companions in the shade garden.
Golden hakone is rarely bothered by disease or insect pests and is not troubled by deer. 'Aureola' hakone grass was selected the Perennial Plant of the Year in 2009.