Caladiums- This South American tuber is valued for its beautiful foliage.
With arrow or heart shaped leaves, this wonderful plant has a unique color
which can range from red, green, silver and white, along with different hues of
pink. These plants grow to about 12 inches tall and will enhance any shrub
border or flower bed. They also work well in containers. They grow equally well
in dense shade or in light and prefer well drained soil that is kept relatively
moist. To maintain attractive plants, cut any dead leaves back to the stalk.
This will encourage new growth.
Camellias- The common Camellia, or Camellia Japonica, is a broad-leaved
evergreen shrub. Its attractive dense, shiny, dark green foliage compliments
the plants blossoms perfectly. They blend nicely with other broadleaved
evergreens, and are frequently mixed in shrub borders. Camellias commonly grow
6 to 12 feet tall, but may reach 20 feet tall in old age. From October to May,
depending on the cultivar, these plants are a mass of color. Colors range from
white, to every shade of pink, and also red.
Coleus- Coleus or Coleus X Hybridus, offers and incredible diversity of
foliage colors, shapes and sizes. The leaves may be velvety or rough and
crinkled. They may be one solid color or several colors in varying shades of
pink, red, bronze, yellow, maroon, green and even chartreuse. They grow from 6
to 36 inches tall. Keep the plants full by periodically cutting the stems back
several inches. They grow best in medium to light shade, with rich,
well-drained soil that is kept evenly moist.
Fuchsias- The colorful magenta, white and pink blossoms of fuchsias brighten
any shaded spot. Upright varieties can reach heights of up to ten feet. This
plant is also an attractant for hummingbirds. They prefer dense to light shade.
Most are hardy only in Zones 9 and 10 and require well drained soil that is
high in organic matter. To encourage blooms, remove fading blooms and pinch the
stem tips to keep the plant full.
Hostas- The lush, subtly colored foliage of the hostas makes them a welcome
addition to any shade garden. Hostas, also known as plantain lilies, are
ideally suited to dense to light shade around trees and shrubs. These
perennials are hardy outdoors to Zone 3. They prefer rich, well drained soil
that is kept evenly moist. The leaves of this plant can grow to 2 ½ feet high
and up to 40 inches across. Slugs and snails love to feast on hostas; protect
plants with baits available at your local nursery.