Stump the Flower Chump!

Have a question for The Flower Fanatics?  Post it here!  Farmer Bob, Saffie, and Cammie are all eager to hear from you and answer your questions.  What kind of questions can we answer?  Well, we'll do our best with anything garden related but our passions are for the flowers and the trees.

Want to play Stump the Chump?  If one of us can't answer the question we promise to take a picture of the chump holding a big chump sign and post it here......The Garden Chump, The Flower Chump....who will it be?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Cammie

Ask The Flower Fanatics: A north-facing patch...

Have a question for the Flower Fanatics?  Post in the comment section or send it to us via FB or Twitter. We LOVE hearing from you! 
~ Farmer Bob, Saffie, Cammie...and the occasional mysterious guest.

Question:  I have a "what can I plant here?" question. We have a deck with trellis attached.  We planted fuscia colored morning glories on the trellis last year.  I understand they will come back?  What can I plant in front?  It's probably 10" from the mulch line to the trellis.  It wraps around in an L-shape and is north facing.  Partial sun.  I'm open to buying plants but prefer things I can grow from seed (cheaper, more fun).  We're zone 7 (north Alabama) and humid.  Would love to hear your ideas! ~ Carrie N.  

Answer: (from Cammie)

Dear Carrie N.,

I hope you saw my post yesterday about the Morning Glory.  Hopefully what you have are the good guys.  If you planted them you should be fine but take a look and be sure first...

The first thought when you mention shade is some beautiful old moss-covered stones tucked into the landscape.  A walk in the woods with a strong friend should produce a good stone of two.  Just keep a look out and you should come across some.  The moss itself grows best with moisture, shade (although there are some mosses that enjoy sun), and without competition (a clean surface with no debris).  I also really want to say you should add a sitting bench in there but if that is cost prohibitive it is not necessary.  

So, flowers.  If it's shady and zone 7, please plant Lily of the Valley.  There is nothing sweeter than this tiny bell-shaped bloom and what a bonus that you can cut them and bring inside to enjoy.  One of my favorites (in the upper half of my top 100 favorite flowers).  Here's a picture:

Lily of the Valley

Another good shade choice is the hellebore.  Take a look at our post from a few weeks back and you will see some lovely hellebore photos and advice from Farmer Bob on how to grow them.  They are a great choice.  

Next, bleeding heart.  This is another delicate bloom great for cutting and so lovely in a shaded spot.  I prefer the pink (even though they look like little rotisserie chickens!)  I especially love this bloom cut and placed in a vase with snowball viburnum....so pretty.

Bleeding heart

Finally, trycertis, also known as Toad Lily.   This one will bloom a bit later than the others I mentioned and once established will be quite prolific.  Another great cut and you simply can't convince me that there aren't fairies living in these little beauties.  Just wait....you might just agree.  

Trycertis

I'd really love to add a couple hosta's to this mix as well as a vine of clematis to your trellis but for a start the above choices should set you in the right direction.  

A few overall design suggestions; plant in clusters with a separating focal point (either the mossy rocks I mentioned or a mounded ground cover (thyme is a great one) or a bench).  Good design needs dimension.  Some of these flowers are tiny and low to the ground so planting around a collection of great looking stones will give them an atmosphere that makes you want to bend down, snap some photos and inhale the beautiful perfume.

Thank you for your question and let us know how it all turns out!

Cammie

Ask The Flower Fanatics: A post answering your flower and garden questions.

Have a question for the Flower Fanatics?  Post in the comment section or send it to us via FB or Twitter. We LOVE hearing from you! (Farmer Bob, Saffie, Cammie...and the occasional mysterious guest)

Question: What is the best plant to grow indoors (I live in a small apartment)....clincher, I DO NOT have a green thumb! ~ Cara in Phillie

Answer: (from Cammie)
Dear Cara,

Well, I had a few ideas...monstera plants are really nice, showy and easy. 

Monstera deliciosa

Palms and peace lilies (spathophilum) are about the same in terms of care.  

Finger Palm, Rhapis multifa

Peace Lily, spathiphyllum

All these plants pack a punch of green (and clean air!) into a room. Except for an occassional need to repot and fertilize they are low-maintenance and lovely.  BUT....than I remembered something I saw in a catalog over the holidays and just loved.  It may be small but the cute factor is off the charts.  Take a look at these.....

Shane Power Glass Pendants

Glass pendant with air plant

via West Elm 

The glass pendants are available at West Elm and the air plants are available at a variety of on-line sources.  One great place to find the air plants in great variety is the Philadelphia Flower Show which is coming up in just a few weeks.  Being from Phillie it would be a great show to check out!  I'll be there:)

Hope this helps and thanks for stopping by!

Cammie

Ask The Flower Fanatics: A weekly post answering your flower and garden questions.

Question: What is the best flower to grow in an area that is dry and shady? 
~Angela in Albuquerque

Answer: (from Farmer Bob)
Dear Angela,

How to translate ideas here in Jeffersonton, Virginia to Albuquerque, New Mexico?   Dry shade is a serious challenge anywhere so here is my opinion.  

My very favorite early season flowering perennial is Hellebores, commonly known as Christmas rose or Lenten rose.  They are starting to bloom for us now at the end of January, and they will keep blooming into April.  Since we are in zone 7, same as Albuquerque, you should be able to grow them.

If you can't find a local source of Hellebores or if you want to know more about them or want plants from a most enlightened and interesting Plantsman, than look up Barry Glick at Sunshine Gardens in Renick, West Virginia.  If you email him I'm sure he'll send you all kinds of information on how to grow them.  His hydrids are beautiful and are the highlight of our earliest perennial cut flowers.  

Happy Growing!

Farmer Bob

P.S. Here are a few great photos to make your mouth water....

Helleborus argutifolius

Helleborus orientalis