Rodgersia - Bold Look In A Shady Garden

Rodgersia

Rodgersia (two forms) is an outstanding summer flowering perennial grown for its broad foliage and showy flowers. Rodgersia has one key requirement: consistent soil moisture through the spring and summer months. Don’t attempt to grow this bold perennial unless its water needs is totally satisfied. Plants prefer wet, boggy feet (roots).

Rodgersias (Rodgersia pinnata) sport bold pinnately compound leaves that emerge with a dark bronze tint. Leaves measure more than a foot wide and 3-4 foot high perennial. In early summer, white bloom panicles rise 2 to 3 feet above the foliage and bloom over 3 to 4 weeks. 

A secondary species, Chestnut-leaved Rodgersia (R. aesculifolia), is another clump form with bold green foliage and bears creamy-white flowers in mid-summer (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8).

Varieties of rodgersia: 'Chocolate Wing' -- cherry blossom pink and cream blooms); ‘Alba’- white flowers and dark green leaves/bronze veining.

Rodgersia prosper in partial day sun tor light shade all day. Site them nearby water features like within the splash-zone of a waterfall. They grow exceptionally well along woodland creeks.

When properly sited, the foliage remains blemish-free all season long. Disease and pest problems are rare if growing conditions are ideal. Deer and rabbits rarely trouble them

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Planting in containers: plant a single crown into a 3 to 5 gallon size container filled with humus-rich potting soil. To restrict most water loss, line the bottom of the container with plastic shopping bags. This reduces irrigation needs that saves on your monthly water bill.

Aucuba -- the "Holly" of the Shade Garden

On a recent trip to the Knoxville Botanical Garden, I was re-introduced to a shrub, not used as much as it should be - gold dust plant (Aucuba japonica). Hardy to garden zones 6b-10, aucuba is at home in part sun to heavily shaded areas in the garden. Direct sunlight, even in the darker winter season, will scorch the foliage.
I've enjoyed a "plain green" foliage variety in my landscape over the past 16 years. It is tucked among three Japanese maples. Its holly-like leaves and bright red berries (on female cultivars)become more noticeable after the surrounding maples have surrender their fall plumage.

Many gold leaf cultivars sparkle in an otherwise dreary winter garden. Many cultivars abound. I particularly like 'Picturata', exhibiting large bright golden splotches in the center of each leaf and splashed by tinier yellow specks.

Branches on this 8-10 foot tall shrub are upright in habit. Growing culture is the same as hollies - preferring a well-drained, richly composted and moist soil site.