Temperatures and falling and so are the leaves. But there is still plenty of time to get in the garden before the first …
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Plant Spotlight: Hostas and Ferns
Both Hostas and Ferns will add texture, shape and variety to your landscape, while remaining easy to care for. Looking for low-maintenance plants? Look no further!
Here’s a selection of Hostas and Ferns you can add to your landscape:
Hostas are a durable and versatile plant, with endless varieties to choose from. This tough, shade-loving perennial blooms with white or purplish lavender funnel-shape or flared flowers in summer.
August Moon Hosta
Spread: Three Feet
August Moon Hosta features dainty spikes of white bell-shaped flowers rising above the foliage in mid-summer. Its attractive textured heart-shaped leaves remain yellow in color throughout the season.
Blue Angel Hosta
Spread: Three Feet
Blue Angel Hosta features dainty spikes of white bell-shaped flowers rising above the foliage in mid-summer. Its attractive enormous textured heart-shaped leaves emerge blue in spring, turning bluish-green in color throughout the season.
Blue Cadet Hosta
Spread: Three Feet
Dainty, lavender spikes of flowers rise from lush, blue-green foliage; great impact when planted with finer textured plants. Blue Cadet Hosta features dainty spikes of lavender tubular flowers rising above the foliage in mid-summer. Its attractive small textured heart-shaped leaves remain bluish-green in color throughout the season.
Crusader Hosta
Spread: Three Feet
A dark green leaf center with narrow creamy margins; leaf is a rounded heart shape and lightly corrugated when mature; spikes of lavender flowers in mid-summer; a beautiful addition to the garden or border.
Earth Angel Hosta
Spread: 24 Inches
Earth Angel Hosta features dainty spikes of lavender tubular flowers rising above the foliage in mid-summer. Its attractive textured oval leaves remain bluish-green in color with showy creamy white variegation throughout the season.
First Frost Hosta
Spread: Three Feet
First Frost Hosta features dainty spikes of lavender tubular flowers rising above the foliage in mid-summer. Its attractive textured oval leaves remain blue in color with showy gold variegation and tinges of white throughout the season.
If you have lots of shade, but there are too many deer in your neighborhood to grow Hostas, rely on Ferns to deliver welcome color and texture, especially when blended with other flowers:
Northern Maidenhair Fern
Spread: 24 Inches
Northern Maidenhair Fern’s crinkled ferny compound leaves are light green in color. As an added bonus, the foliage turns a gorgeous gold in the fall. The black stems are very effective and add winter interest.
Rough Maidenhair Fern
Spread: 12 Inches
This interesting crinkled fern creates a beautiful effect when massed with new growth emerging reddish-brown, later becoming green; this fern will remain evergreen in zone 7 and up and winter deciduous from 6b down to 5. Rough Maidenhair Fern’s crinkled ferny compound leaves emerge brick red in spring, turning grayish green in color. As an added bonus, the foliage turns a gorgeous yellow in the fall.
Lady Fern
Spread: 24 Inches
Lady Fern’s ferny bi-pinnately compound leaves remain green in color throughout the season, and form attractive clumps of feathery fronds – new fronds appear throughout summer giving it a fresh look all season.
Hay-Scented Fern
Spread: 24 Inches
This graceful fern has lacy, arching fronds, fully grown by June, and soft yellow color in fall; foliage is distinctively hay-scented when crushed; a habitat for birds and bees; prefers dappled shade instead of dense shade.
Dixie Wood Fern
Spread: Three Feet
This tall fern is a great vertical accent; has graceful, arching fronds; keep evenly moist, provides habitat and shelter for birds and bees.
Japanese Tassel Fern
Spread: Three Feet
Japanese Tassel Fern’s ferny pinnately compound leaves emerge light green in spring, turning forest green in color the rest of the year.
Japanese Painted Fern
Spread: Two Feet
There are several Painted Ferns and they all share the silvery foliage with burgundy highlights. Some are short like the Pictum Fern, while others get up to three feet tall, like Godzilla. Painted Ferns add a grace and delicacy to the garden.
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