Wednesday, January 21, 2009

A Taste for Tiarella? (A little more Heronswood Mist)


Do you have a taste for Tiarella?

These are my Tiarella plants. I discovered them in "Taylor's 50 Best Perennials for Shade" during my winter research/reading just after we moved here in October 2002.

'Black Snowflake'

Yes, this little gem is right at the base of an oak tree.

'Heronswood Mist'

I really love the foliage on this little plant!

I've just added another couple of photos, to show the Spring to Summer progression. :-)

This picture was taken April 17

This picture was taken April 27

This picture was taken June 29

This picture was taken July 23

'Iron Butterfly'

'Neon Lights'

I planted Neon Lights during the Spring 2008.

This photo was taken from Nature Hills Nursery site..

'Pink Skyrocket'

Pink Skyrocket is one I purchased Last Winter and planted this past Spring (2008) due to huge accolades by Kylee at Our Little Acre. I'm really looking forward to our Spring 2009! :-)

This photo was taken from Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc. site.

These may be found shady areas, but they're never a shady subject! ;-)

14 comments:

bobbie said...

A pretty little plant. I have seen it but have never grown it. It's an idea. I have a shady area. Thank you.

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

Well, we definitely have similar taste in plants. I have a few of these growing near a rhodie. They seem to take a bit to get going in my yard though, it may be a bit dry where they are. Have yours begun to spread out at all?

Gail said...

Hi Shady, I dearly love these plants...I have Iron Butterfly and the species tiarellas...and now must have that pink one! Beutifl flowers and the species is making a nice ground cover for me. They look very happy in your shady garden. Gail

Shady Gardener said...

Hello! :-)

Bobbie, I'm glad to pass along some inspiration. Let me know if you get one!

Catherine, Mine take awhile to spread out. In fact, some of them don't really spread, but "clump." :-) They're very sweet though, aren't they? I'm sure they'd be pretty under a rhododendron!

Gail, Yes, they're happy. Last year was such a wonderful growing year for everything in our backyard. I only watered twice all summer!! The rains were perfectly timed. :-)

Iowa Victory Gardener said...

Hi Shady,
I have to admit this is a new one to me, but we gravitate so much toward the ones who like sun. And, as you've seen, our Woodland Garden is pretty small and getting full. These are pretty little ones though ... but you know, if we plug in any more shady plants this year, they will probably be more Ligularia, Hellebores and Tricyrtis! Yeah, we're boring.... :-)

I think planting may be more basic this year because now we have that new pup to learn the garden. We can't wait until she can spend gardening time with us this spring and summer ... she's gonna love it!

Enough proud daddy prattle!

Pat said...

Foamflowers right?
I'm tired...my memory is failing :(
I have some that look great with late afternoon sun. Yes,you still need sun but indirect should work.
Love the pink...have to look it up.

F Cameron said...

I love tiarella! When I had a woodland garden at a previous house, I grew one variety (can remember the name). It was such a rewarding little plant!

Cameron

Anonymous said...

I can't remember which one I have Shady Gardener but I have one that grows well in my garden too. I can see why you'd be partial to them in your garden. They're all so pretty, hard to go wrong.

Shady Gardener said...

IVG, You also will be contending with the lack of your large tree in your backyard. This is just something to tuck into your memory bank. Of course you're a proud papa! Congratulations, again. :-)

Patsi, Foamflowers is correct! I can't believe I neglected to add that in the text. Thank you. You'll have to post your photos someday!

Cameron, I look forward to larger clumps and some spreading over these next couple of years. :-)

Kathleen, They do very well here, and I'm so glad about it. They're very delicate, aren't they? I'm glad you have one. You'll have to post your photos!

troutbirder said...

Interesting. I am always looking for "shady stuff" here among the oak trees.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

I know it's been a couple of months since last I saw it, but I could swear my Tiarella 'Iron Butterfly' looks different from yours. I'm afraid I'm starting to collect them. I have T. wherryi 'Oakleaf' and last spring I planted T. 'Pink Brushes.' (At least I think that's what it was. I'm finding out that many of my plants are not what I thought they were.)

Shady Gardener said...

Troutbirder, these plants are definitely worth your while! ;-)

MMD, I cannot explain it. I have my original tags. I've visited several sites after your comments and have found a variety of photos that aren't all standard. The flowers on both Iron Butterfly and Black Snowflake look pinkish. However, not as brightly pink as true pink flowers... the foliage and flowers at different sites are different. Guess I'm going to leave my tags because I don't know what else to do. Crazy!! But thank you for your comments. I've looked up your tiarella posts and see what you mean.

Anonymous said...

You have a wonderful collection of tiarellas. I've been meaning to try some out, but haven't yet.
I like the deeply lobed leaves of 'Iron Butterfly'. The gradient shadings of 'Heronswood Mist' are very colourful. Is that from the fall, or is the foliage the same colour all year? The two-toned flowers on 'Pink Skyrocket' are striking. I wonder if the average one in the garden gets that many blooms?

Shady Gardener said...

Northern Shade, There are many varieties of tiarellas. I think that Pink Skyrocket is suppposed to flourish easily, from all I've read! Heronswood Mist is this color early on, and then turns greenish/whitish later. I just found another photo. Perhaps I'll add it at the end!