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MIKE
NOWAK'S PLANTS THAT (most of the time) WON'T LET YOU DOWN
This
is by no means a comprehensive list. There are far too many plants
that I have yet to get around to acquiring, and many that I haven't
even encountered yet. (That's why you're always welcome to call
the show and tell me about some lovely thing that I should know
about.) Anyway, this is a brief list of plants that I have found
will make you happy with a minimum of effort. And because I have
been wracked with guilt since the K&J Convention, I added a few
shrubs.
Now
bear with me for a quick botany lesson. The scientific name of a
plant consists of two Latin words: the genus or generic name, which
is the first word and is always capitalized), followed by the specific
epithet, which is not capitalized. Together they make up the species
name. For instance, Achillea filipendulina is the botanical name
for Fernleaf Yarrow, which is not actually on this list, but is
a plant I highly recommend, anyway.
I
will usually mention only the genus, often because there are several
suitable plants in that genus, or because the suitable plant is
sometimes the only one you're likely to find at nurseries, anyway.
And just because I told you about a plant doesn't mean that you
should run out and get it without paying attention to the specific
needs of a plant or the specific conditions of your yard. That's
why I've got a list of books and websites later on, so you can check
things out and see if I'm making all of this up.
Annuals
- Alyssum-You
see these tiny blooms mostly in white or pink. They're very hardy.
- Begonia-What
an amazing group of plants. If you have shade, you know about
them and marvel that you can get that kind of yellow, red or orange
without full sun.
- Browallia-Sometimes
called "Marine Bells." Likes shade, which is rare for a blue flower.
- Portulaca-You'd
have to be dead not to like the bright colors of moss roses. They
will tolerate some shade, though not a lot. The upside is their
self-seeding, unless you're a stone-hearted ogre who can't bear
the though of a tiny flower growing in the cracks of a sidewalk.
- Pansies
(Actually, Viola)--I have a soft spot in my heart for pansies.
They love the cold and they are likely the first container plants
you will buy in the spring. Pinch them back and they'll look great
until it gets warm. If they survive the heat, you'll get an encore
in autumn.
- Geraniums-Actually,
their botanical name is Pelargonium, but these are the cheery
red and pink flowers that you think of as geraniums. They are
work horses, blooming all summer long. Don't forget about the
scented varieties, too. (Joe Heidgen made me say that.)
- Zinnia-How
could you not like a Zinnia? Just throw the seed on the ground
and wait for blooms. So it gets some powdery mildew. Get over
it.
Perennials
(In no particular order)
- Allium-Onion
plants. I consider them an underused bulb. Amazing variety of
blooms. Aquilegia-Columbine. Does pretty well in shade.
- Brunnera-Tiny
blue flowers that look like forget-me-nots, but the foliage looks
great most of the year.
- Monarda-Bee
Balm. I've found that it will grow just about anywhere, including
some fairly intense shade. Aggressive, but not invasive, in my
opinion.
- Rudbeckia-Many
varieties, both annual and perennial. Rudbeckia fulgida "Goldsturm"
is the gold daisy-like plant that blooms so long in late summer.
Try the annual Rudbeckia hirta "Indian Summer Daisy" for huge
blooms.
- Echinacea-Cone
Flower. About as dependable as they come around here (being a
native helps). Add a white-blooming cone flower or two to your
pink drift for an accent.
- Nicotiana
sylvestris-Full botanical name here because this particular species
is really fun. It's an annual that can grow to eight feet under
the right conditions, with fragrant, white, pendulous blooms.
Start from seed, or look for small plants at nurseries.
- Hosta-What
can I say? They bloom in shade, you can't kill 'em, and now you
can get amazing foliage, too.
- Dianthus-Pinks.
Dependable, tough, but bright and cute little guys who tend to
come back year after year.
- Hemerocallis-Daylily.
What's not to like? Can be spectacular in the sun, will bloom
pretty well in shade, and provide contrasting foliage shape. And,
like hostas, you can't kill 'em.
- Tradescantia-Spiderwort.
Another plant that will tolerate shade and is tough as nails.
I also like the rich blue and magenta.
- Sedum-Most
people think only of "Autumn Joy," but check out the many great
Sedum groundcovers. Helps to have sun, though.
- Lobelia
siphilitica-Ignore the PG-rated name. While I have trouble getting
its cousin, Cardinal Flower, to return, this Blue Lobelia not
only thrives, but produces many offspring-and in a fair amount
of shade, too.
- Helleborus-Lenten
or Christmas Rose. Beautiful, leather-like leaves and one of the
first, though very subtle, blooms of the year.
- Coreopsis-Tickseed.
"Moonbeam," with small, soft yellow flowers is one. They also
come in bright yellow and gold. Relentless bloomers in the sun.
- Aruncus-Goatsbeard.
Got a big space to fill in the shade? This is the go-to guy. Beautiful,
white plumes, like an Astilbe on steroids.
- Liriope-Looks
like a spider plant got loose from your dining room and took root
in the garden. Happy in shade and produces blue, grape hyacinth-like
blooms in the late summer.
- Epimedium-This
is one of those plants that nobody knows about, so you can get
some and be cool. They bloom early, the foliage often gives a
good spring and fall color display, and they can tolerate shade.
Check them out.
- Euphorbia-Spurge.
Looky here, another plant that most people ignore when they're
at the nursery. Did you know that poinsettias are Euphorbias?
As well as a lot of plants you call "cactus"? The blooms on this
thing are really bracts, but all that matters is that they are
a stunning chartreuse and that the foliage is great all year long.
- Geranium-Cranesbill.
And I'm talkin' REAL Geranium here, not the pseudo, Pelargonium
type. Some cranesbills can grow to shrub-like proportions, with
stunning purple, blue, white, or variegated bell-like blooms,
while tolerating some shade.
- Ligularia--A
plant they never told you about in school. How 'bout a plant that
will give you daisy-like or even spiky yellow flowers in deep
shade? Some varieties have purple-tinged leaves to boot. Too good
to be believed.
- Nepeta-Catmint.
An herb that is a terrific bloomer. Don't confuse it with Catnip.
Your cat will never forgive you.
- Perovskia-Now
that I have sun, one of the first things I'm going to put in my
garden. Another herb, very fragrant, with soft, lavender, ethereal
blooms.
- Platycodon-Balloon
Flower. Behaves better in sun, but worth growing even in part
shade for the balloon-like buds. A silly, lovely plant Rodgersia-Impressive
shade plant whose best characteristic is its leaves, though you'll
get a nice, astilbe-like bloom, as well.
- Pulmonaria-Lungwort.
Lousy common name and I don't know anybody who uses it. Friendly,
variegated, shade-loving plants that produce pink, blue and white
flowers in the spring. One of my favorites.
- Trollius-Globeflower.
Another plant that get short shrift, and I don't know why. Needs
moist soil but that's not so difficult if you keep it in the shade,
which it likes, too.
Shrubs
(I've added this part since the Kathy and Judy Convention, not because
I know so much about shrubs, but because they are the "bones," or
focal points of the garden. I got help on this one from some of
my horticultural friends, and came up with a very short list of
some plants that would look great in any Chicago area garden.)
- Viburnum-Viburnum
is a large and diverse group of plants that are often triple threats
because they provide fragrant spring flowers, colorful fruits
and leaves with good fall color. Give Viburnum carlesii or Viburnum
dentatum a look-see.
- Hydrangea-A
couple of Hydrangeas that should do well around here are Hydrangea
arborescens "Annabelle" and Hydrangea quercifolia or Oakleaf Hydrangea.
If you're looking for something to cover a wall or fence in part
shade, try Hydrangea anomala or Climbing Hydrangea.
- Fothergillia
gardenii "Mt Airy" is a small plant that will give you honey-scented
flowers in the spring and yellow-to-red color leaf color in the
fall.
- Aronia-Chokeberry.
Aronia arbutifolia or Red Chokeberry has (I'm sure you saw this
coming) showy red fruit. But in addition to reddish-purple fall
color, it's a fellow midwesterner.
- Rhus-Sumac.
In case you didn't know, Sumac provides our area freeways with
some of its best fall color. No reason why you couldn't have Rhus
aromatica "Gro-low" in your backyard, as well.
- Syringa-Lilac.
If I had to choose, I think it would be a Syringa meyeri, which
gives you the fragrant flowers of a lilac without taking over
your yard-it might get to five feet high.
- Rosa-It
would be high treason to talk about shrubs and not mention at
least one rose, so I will mention one. I'm hearing great things
about a new shrub rose with bright red flowers called "Knockout."
Apparently it is.
BOOKS
(Again, this is not a comprehensive list, just a few books that
I have found very helpful. None should be difficult to track down,
either at your favorite bookstore, nursery, or online.)
- Sunset
National Garden Book, Sunset Books, Inc. O'Malley and
I agree, probably the best, easiest to use, all-around resource
book you can buy. Normally around $30 but we've seen it for as
little as $5.
- The
American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants,
Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc. A little harder to
lug around, and at $80 costs a bit more, but worth it. A comprehensive
encyclopedia of plants with great AHS advice on garden techniques.
- Continuous
Bloom by Pam Duthie, Ball Publishing. Pam's a local
gal who appears on Let's Talk Gardening from time to time. She
teaches all over the place, and has come up with the blueprint
for how to have blooms from March to November.
- Growing
Perennials in Cold Climates
by Mike Heger and John Whitman, Contemporary Books. Not
as many entries as in some other books, but they spend a little
more time with each plant, covering every area of plant care.
Contemporary also puts out a book called Growing Roses in Cold
Climates.
- Perennials
for Every Purpose by Larry Hodgson, Rodale Press. An
excellent book from the Organic Gardening people. Hodgson divides
his plants into specific types, such as everbloomers, no-care,
low-care, foliage, shade lovers, moisture lovers, etc., which
is very helpful in solving siting problems.
- The
Reader's Digest Garden Problem Solver.
Don't laugh. I got this as a gift one year and I find myself using
it all the time. While not strictly organic, it tends to lean
that way and often employs common sense solutions. Imagine that.
Page 4
MAGAZINES
Here are my favorites: Garden Design; Tauton's Fine Gardening; Chicagoland
Gardening; Organic Gardening; and The Weedpatch Gazette.
WEBSITES
-- The number of gardening websites has exploded over the past few
years. Unfortunately, every now and then a website implodes, or
they change the address or some such thing. Which is another way
of saying that nobody, especially me, is perfect.
That
being said, the first website you should have is Let's
Talk Gardening. Other good sites to visit include:
Sweet
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