Shady Lady

For all of the attention "sun gardens" receive, I have to tell you something- my heart belongs to the shaded beds. I love the smell and the quiet and the dampness that these gardens hold more than all of the sunny showy blooms combined.


Give me some shade and green, green, green.


These are "Sum & Substance" hosta and they are living up to their name this year (its their fourth year in the garden, I think) they are at least 20 inches across! Hello yummies!

We are going to expand the shade bed this year. You know, there is nothing like starting a new project before an old one is finished.... Grass doesn't want to grow in this particular stretch. Lily of the Valley and Sweet Woodruff seem to be slowly creeping their way into the tangled weedy mess- so it might as well become something fantastic. No?
My friend Mandy's mother has the most AMAZING gardens- and has offered for at least the past 10 years or so- plants- for me to dig up & bring home to my wee piece of earth...THIS IS THE YEAR I SAY YESSSSSSSSS! (I'll bring my camera along, just so you can see how delicious her gardens are!)
My garden has gone mad for May Apples- silly umbrella plants...

with a teeny tiny surprise flower bashfully hiding underneath.

Oh, sweet wild geraniums....

And here they come- delectable Lily of the Valley. (I have to say- these are everywhere in my garden- they don't care if its sunny or shady)- they just want to be front & center for a short while. I'm not complaining.

Belles of the ball? Little faery caps? I can never decide.


Shady lady indeed.