Plants for deep shade - Hydrangea arborescens

Smooth hydrangea is usually proposed for sunny places or part-shade, but in such spots we never can provide it with so much water that it does not get discomposed and ugly. It is quite frost-hardy, and plants like this usually do not like our continental hot summers. However, it works well in deep shade, although even there it is among the most water-demanding plants of the garden.

Two autumn pictures of a Hydrangea arborescens 'White Dome' still in development. It is to the left, next to the wall. Here, under the Turkish haze tree it lives in almost complete shade.

When fully grown, it is about 1-1.5 meters high and large.

Unfortunately it is not sold in Hungary, but you can always order or buy it in Praskac.

On the other hand, the 'Annabelle' sport can be always found even at us. Its shrub is similar to the previous one both in shape and size, but its flower is fuller.

You can also often find the sport 'Grandiflora' which is larger than 'Annabelle', but nurseries usually confuse them, and you will see what you had bought only when the plant has reached its maximum size.

All these sports get beautiful yellow in the autumn, and their flowers can be easily dried. If you cut them while white, they remain white even if dried, but in my opinion they are also very attractive when cut in early winter, when they are rather brownish.

In late autumn or early spring I usually cut them back to the soil. This makes them more compact and hinders them in spreading too aggressively.

Early spring walk

Plants for deep shade - Prunus laurocerasus 'Mari'

It belongs to those extremely few cherry laurels which are frost-hardy even at us (Z5). It grows 1-2 meters both in height and width. It lives on all kinds of soil. And it tolerates deep shade – we have one under each walnut tree – as well as dryness..

Publishing on the garden all over the year

In the last autumn the largest Hungarian gardening magazine Kertbarát Magazin contacted me through the blog, and we agreed that in 2010 we would publish a series of articles on our garden.

In number 1-2, published now in February, Wendy Algeier made with me an interview on the garden, and in each of the next issues I will write an article on a selected topic.

In April, in number 3-4 on the ground covers blooming in springtime. I have selected primarily such plants that grow well also in dry part-shade or shade.

In June, in number 5-6 I will write about – guess – roses.

In number 7-8, in August I will give an overview on the garden in summer, and I will present some of my favorite flowers.

In number 9-10, in October my topic will be alternative fruits as well as trees and shrubs getting colors in the autumn.

And finally in number 11-12 about the garden in wintertime.

I do this series with a great pleasure. I hope the readers of the Magazine will also find delight in it.

A preview of summer

If winter is already as burdensome for you as for me, here you are some preliminary images of this summer: my order of this year from Köstritzer Dahlien.

Ordering of them is absolutely not more expensive than buying dahlias here at home.

But, in contrast to the dahlias bought in Hungary, theirs are always of good quality and you get what you see on the photo on the bag. Just to compare: in the last year I purchased seven dahlias in Budapest’s “New Garden”. One of them has not even sprouted, and one bag contained a plant completely different from what was written on its bag.

Unfortunately I can only maintain small-flowered sports as our garden has not enough sunshine. But they also have fantastic dahlias with 25-30 cm large flowers.

Dahlias are simple to care for: they need much water and you have to pole them, especially those with large flower.

They are beautiful on the table not only when freshly cut, but also dried. They are very easy to dry: compose a bouquet, hang it on an airy but not sunny place, and wait until it dries.

Snowfall

Two feet of snow has fallen since last night.