Perennials - page 3

If you love a good mystery, you'll love Arum italicum in your garden. This fellow is just plain fun to have around. He's one of those amazing plants that is still putting on a show in my late November garden.

There is year-round entertainment with Arum italicum. The spring show is a flower with a 'Jack-in-the-Pulpit' (Arisaema tryphyllum) type, erect spath, cloaking the spadix sort of like a hood. (That's how I know he's male.)

After bloom, the spring performers die back leaving the thick spadix which develops red-orange berries/seeds in summer. The spadix methodically goes soft and dies back. A-I (not artificial insemination) disappears hiding until summer's final curtain falls.

Encore performance in autumn presents thick substanced, arrowhead shaped, beautiful deep silver veined leaves as a solo act. They remain evergreen in warmer winter climates. Normally, here in Iowa they die back when it gets really cold, emerging again in very early spring.

I don't know why I didn't have this guy around a long time ago. He's a good time. Very easy to grow. Just enjoy it.

All parts of this plant are toxic. My pets do not bother it at all.

In late spring, Italian Arum produces little green Jack-in-the-Pulpit-like blooms, brown-spotted with yellow pistils. These are followed, summer through fall, by clusters of showy, orange-red berries on strong stems, creating a spectacular display in the garden, also suitable for indoor arrangements. In late summer through winter comes the foliage show - 12" waxy, arrow-shaped leaves marbled in silver. Intriguing in beds or rock gardens. Plant top quality bulbs 4-6" apart in full sun to shade. Grows 10-15" tall. Zones 4-9. 4+ cm bulbs. Breck's Bulbs

Learn more about Arum italicum.

Viola 'Mars'

To tell the truth, I never thought I would pay real money for a violet (I mean they grow like weeds) but when I spied Viola 'Mars' I knew I had to have it! Secretly, I hoped I wouldn't be sorry in the end. Wild violets have been known to be invasive in my gardens thus being deemed weeds. Yes, remember, one definition of a weed is "a plant out of place".

I didn't notice 'Mars' blossoming after I brought it home & stuck it in a shady spot in bed #12. I thought maybe I had just missed it for the season. However, with just a little research I learned the blooms are underneath the leaves which may make them difficult to appreciate. I don't know, hopefully I will learn the real story next season if I take the time to pay attention & keep an eye on this little fellow.

Violet flowers are so sweet & precious to behold, I would love it if this little plant would "bloom its fool-head off". But I was attracted to Viola 'Mars' just for its striking foliage, nicely substance, ovate, green leaves with contrasting dark red-purple, finger-like veins, streaking upward like miniature bolts of lightening, zipping to the pointed leaf-tip. How cool is that!

Tricyrits - Toad Lily

As you may have gathered by now, my garden is really more of a perennial foliage garden than anything else. If a perennial plant has a beautiful blossom it is certainly a plus but often flower shows are short-lived. Some plants are nearly non-stop bloomers but not many in the shade garden hold true to that premise. I'm not saying I don't appreciate flowers! I do! But I want plants in my garden with 'staying power'. I admit there are some perennial plants that are worth growing just for their flower-power such as roses, clematis, lilies, etc. And I do grow annual flowers also. Annuals fill-in gaps in the perennial garden & are a joy in their own right.

So when I came across this little toad lily with its fantastic colored leaves, I knew it had to come home with me. I don't know if it is a dwarf variety or just has not grown-up yet. It would be fine with me if it never grew 'up'. This plant had the tiniest, daintiest, sweetest flowers late this summer. They were just the best! But again the foliage is what persistently adds interest, color, shape, & texture to the garden. Perseverance is the key to success in life & in the garden. - MM

Tricyrtis (Toad Lily)

"Toad lilies are sort of like Smuckers™ jellies...with a name like that, they gotta be good. For late summer and fall flowering in a woodland or light shade garden, there is nothing better. In late summer, they burst open with orchid-like blooms that last almost until frost in some varieties. We feature some new varieties this year, with many more exciting ones in the future!"

"If you have purchased or see a nursery offering T. 'Raspberry Mousse', discard it immediately as it is heavily infected with Tricyrtis floral virus."

Plant Delights: Toad Lilies

Tricyrtis Virus by Chris Wilson 'Hallson Nursery'

Ketzel Levine's Talking PLants

Toad Lilies: The Genus Tricyrtis by Barry Glick

Heuchera 'Chocolate Ruffles'
2007 - new in Marlys' Garden

For additional info about heucheras, tiarellas, & heucherellas see the Woodland Plants page.

Pulmonaria 'Silver Shimmers'

See Woodland for details on Pulmonaria.

Blanket Flower - 'Gaillardia'

Indian Blanket Flower has self-seeded itself in very hot, very arid spots in our yard. This one cropped up beside Ron's top pond in the gravel. They seem to like growing along the perimeter of our gravel driveway. Apparently a tiny seed floats through the air, lands in an untraveled spot then away it grows. The flowers are beautiful and blossoms long into late summer / early fall. As you may know, this plant fmly may be very aggressive, self-seeding and spreads by rhizomes. Not as means as rudbeckia or Echinacea (cone flower) but could be close in less stressful growing conditions. Remember: One definition of a weed is a plant out of place. Some weeds are beautiful - like Canadian Thistles but who wants them in their garden beds?

See more info Bed #10 / Wild flowers / Native Plants.