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2007 Introductions That Work In Semi-Shaded Gardens By
David
L. Hill II As a gardener it seems that shaded areas in the landscape are never the primary focus because of chromatic issues that plague the person yearning for beauty. The end result is usually an area littered with the usual humdrum plants that always work yet leave little aesthetic quality or excitement. Luckily for us, there are three new shrubs introduced this growing season that work best in partial shade and are guaranteed to add a splash of color to those bleak areas.
Hydrangea lovers throughout the Tri State now have a new reason for celebration this gardening season. Introduced to the retail gardening world in early 2007, two new cultivars of big leaf hydrangeas are available this spring that will surely become a welcomed feature to any summer garden. These two new species, Lemon Daddy (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Lemon Daddy’) and the Endless Summer ‘Blushing Bride’ (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Bailmer’), have showy large blooms and offer an improved resistance to leaf disease. The Lemon Daddy Hydrangea is the offspring of the common Big Daddy and is one of the most unique shrubs offered this year. One of its greatest attributes is the superb combination of foliage and flowers. The dense chartreuse yellow foliage is breathtaking all season long and acts as a lighted backdrop for the large blue or pink blooms (dependent upon the acidity of the soil) that appear July through September. The Lemon Daddy thrives in heat and humidity, placing it first in performance over many varieties of other hydrangeas. This compact, dense-growing shrub will average 4’ by 4’ and will be a wonderful addition to any part sun to part shade location in the landscape.
The Endless Summer Hydrangea (H. macrophylla ‘Bailmer’), introduced in 2003, has been one of the biggest breakthroughs in hydrangea history. This beautiful cultivar has broken the single bloom barrier by possessing the ability to flower off old growth and new growth, hence making it a repeat-bloomer. Introduced to the gardening world this spring, the new Endless Summer ‘Blushing Bride’ is guaranteed to be placed on the must-have list for any fan of the hydrangea. The Blushing Bride shares the same amazing attributes as the standard Endless Summer with its attractive large dark green leaves and compact growth habit (averaging 4’ x 4’) however the bloom is what sets it apart. The flowers on the Blushing Bride open to display a vivid, pure white that really stands out and as the bloom matures it transforms into a delicate shade of pink blush that is truly a spectacular sight. This plant is guaranteed to give any semi-shaded area a bright burst of color and with its wonderful repeated blooms, the landscape will sparkle all season long.
For the gardener who is in need of color yet lacks the space in their landscape, the brand new ‘My Monet’ Weigela (W. florida ‘Verweig’) is the solution. This variegated dwarf shrub, available for the first time this spring, will truly add a breath of fresh air to the semi-shaded garden. My Monet reaches a mere 18” in height and spreads to a 24” width making it ideal as a mixed border or grouped in mass for a beautiful display of color. The foliage is what sets this miniature shrub apart. The leaves are a delicate mixture of creamy whites, lime greens and pinks that blend together perfectly. One of the best features this shrub offers is the visual transformation the leaves undergo throughout the summer months. The leaves in spring are a soft creamy white with a lime green center but as summer heats up, the leaves begin to turn a delicate pinkish cast that is a spectacular visual display into the fall months. The spring blooms emerge as a cluster of bell-shaped purple/pink pannicles that is a wonderful compliment to the foliage. The flowers are larger and more abundant than the other standard Weigelas and seem to give this tiny shrub even more reason to stand out. My Monet works best when it receives morning sun and shaded by early afternoon, therefore ensuring that the garden will reap every color characteristic this wonderful little plant has to offer.
The semi-shaded areas in the landscape no longer have to be colorless
or faded into the background of the landscape. With the introduction
of these three new shrubs, the garden can come back to life with
the added color and beautiful foliage that are the main characteristics
of these plants. The landscape can become rejuvenated to a whole
new level and once again keep all gardeners of the Tri State smiling.
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