For most of the year both brunnera and pulmoneria will be mottled green leaves. The Jack Frost will take the sun better than Mrs. Moon.
Frankly I would plant another medium sized hosta....perhaps something like Fire and Ice or maybe even June.
Linda C

I was trying to stay away from hostas but only because I have several throughout my yard. If I saw a really unique variety, I would consider it. For example, I almost bought 'Praying Hands' several times the last few years, FWIW. The coloration of Fire & Ice is cool, but next to the variegated 'Grand Tiara' would it clash?

Have you ever grown Pulmonaria 'Majeste'? Very pretty. Like a small silver leaved hosta.

I love my Jack Frost - looks good all season. Mrs. Moon's leaves get a bit dried out and crispy later in the season.

Pulmonaria majeste is another stunner, not a spreader, and you couldn't go wrong with either majeste or JF.

For me, Brunnera would win hands down as they have a much longer season of interest. Most Pulmonaria, generally end up mildew here at some point in the summer.

Have you considered a few caladiums? A nice bit of color.

I have 3 Jack Frost Brunerra. I would describe them as "small hostas". Given the price, I would rather have hostas June or Paul's Glory, personally. My brunerra have not spread a bit in 3 years.

Hope that helps.

I *love* brunnera. Agree with Coolplantsguy re: choosing brunnera over pulmonaria because of mildew.

Brunnera leaves are outstanding all season - if given plenty of moisture, the leaves become large (in diameter) and lush. So, use it like you would a hosta. The plants gradually become wider over time as they mature, and reseeding occurs if not deadheaded.

The Brunnera is neat looking, but I didn't want a plant that self-sowed or spread a lot. I DO like the spreading habit and lack of self sowing (for me anyways) of hostas. Some have already suggested June and Fire & Ice as possibilities. What others do you like? Maybe a heuchera?

It will be between a bleeding heart Luxuriant and a grand Tiara hosta (variegated) and in front of dark-colored tall astilbe 'Superba'.

Any other suggestions for a mounding shade-happy perennial?

My Brunnera have never re-seeded, although I've seen gardens where they have. It may be function of dead-heading as mentioned (although I didn't think mine were), or the amount of mulch typically used in the garden.

In any case, I would not consider Brunnera to be a "prolific" self-sowing plant.

jtmoney,

The Brunnera does not self sow prolifically. My one plant has 6 seedlings this year and that's it. If I mulched my beds, those seedlings would not exist. It also doesn't spread a lot. Definitely gets my vote. Deer resistant and the slugs don't go after it either. The leaves have good staying power all year. Plant doesn't flop, flowers are bright.

Between those two choices, I would choose the Brunnera. Both are worthy of a spot in any garden, but the Brunnera holds up better over a long period of time. I find the foliage of the Pulmonaria gets ratty after it booms; the foliage will often scorch too. I also find I need to divide it every few years to keep it from rotting at the center. It forms a 'colony' more than it spreads.
Brunnera foliage can burn a little later in the season, but you can just nip those back and new growth will cover it. It does reseed some, like Tiffy said, but not in an aggresive way.

I don't know if you grow it now, but Tiarella (Foam Flower) is another good choice if you decide against both Lunwort and Brunnera. Some are spreading, but others are 'clumpers', like my 'Spring Symphony'. Reblooms well if deadheaded.
CMK

Here is a link that might be useful: Tiarella 'Spring Symphony'

I wouldn't go with Fire and Ice. It's not too vigorous in my experience.

I have Trevi Fountain pulmonaria and it does not mildew. However, it would spread to probably 18 - 24" wide.

Deanna

Well, I ultimately decided to go with a 'Frances Williams' hosta - I think that the lighter margins will echo the foliage of the 'Grand Tiara' on the one side, make it 'pop' against the dark astilbes, and the cooler blue colors of the 'Frances Williams' will also give a nod to the blue-gray of the luxuriant.

However, a lot of love was shown on this thread towards the Brunnera 'Jack Frost'. I'm wondering if maybe I shouldn't try to find a nice little spot to squeeze one in to. I have heavily mulched the bed, so perhaps that will keep little Brunneras at a minimum.

Thanks for all the advice. I love this site - I can always find helpful people here!
Cheers!

Ummm...Perhaps I spoke to soon about the France Williams...

Beautiful hosta, but the plant tag said it only got 18" x 18". After I looked online, it seems that those dimensions are severely low-balling its mature size. So I may exchange it for something else.

The Lowe's I got it at also had Great Expectations (huge plant), Halcyon, Patriot, and Christmas Tree.

What do you all think of these other varieties? I considered a Halcyon to show off the Grand Tiara, but would the bluish Halcyon clash with the blue-grey of the Luxuriant Bleeding Heart? Is the Halcyon even noticeably blue? (I have two Blue Cadets that look more grey-green then anything).

Who knew one plant would turn into such a project!

Wow, you guys are kidding!?! The plain 'ol green brunnera re-seed *a lot* in my yard if I don't deadhed. Cr*p this year they're even in the lawn!!

"Halcyon" is outstanding! It is a lower-growing hosta and the mounds are always lush and a lovely blue in my garden. Good vigor, too, in my experience. If you really want a pop of foliage, try "Patriot" - a sport of the good 'ol standby "Francee".

"Frances Williams" can get pretty big - probably not what you're looking for, but a nice hosta nonetheless.

Just to clarify - I have the regular green no-name brunnera, not one of the cultivars (e.g. "Jack Frost"). I have no clue how prolific seeding is with the cultivars.

Hosta 'Halcyon' is outstanding, I agree. One of the best looking, fastest growing, medium sized blue hostas. It will work with the Dicentra foliage. H. 'Frances Williams' gets much bigger, over time, and has a tendency to show signs of "burn" as the leaves expand in the spring. A much better choice is H. 'Paul's Glory' that does not seem to show this "burning" of foliage.

Brunnera 'Jack Frost' is a great choice, not invasive at all, and early blue flowers. Some Pulmonarias do not look as ratty as P. 'Mrs. Moon' at the end of the season. P. 'Excaliber' is one that looks good all season for me.

Heucheras will also work great, and there are many green, bronze, varieagted, and purple leaved ones to choose from with white, pink, or red flowers.

Have you considered ferns as an option to contrast with the mound shape of the Hostas and other foliage textures that you already have in the bed?

Looks like I'll trade up the Frances Willimas for a Halcyon then. The discrepency between the sizes listed on the tag and online really shocked me!

John 4b: I do have a small Japanese Painted fern tucked away next to the side of this bed (which is next to the patio in back). I put it there to brighten the corner, and make a nice little highlight for people walking out of the back door. I'll have to see where else I can put it...

For the Halcyon - do you think I should get two, and place the grand tiara in between, or would next to the tiara be fine? Everything is laid out in straight lines running left to right in this bed (not very imaginative of me :) )...

Thanks!

Brunneras definitely seed around. In my experience the plain green ones seed much more than 'Jack Frost'. You will love J. Frost. It grows in a clump and looks lovely for such a long time and with many different plant companions. If you get a few babies, your friends will gladly take them from you. I grow Hosta Halcyon and would recommend it over Frances Williamson. Frances gets burnt edges on its leaves. There are many newer cultivars better than Frances now.

Brunnera 'Jack Frost' makes a great companion for Japanese painted ferns.

As for using two Hosta 'Halcyon', it depends on the space you have to give them, without crowding out the 'Grand Tiara'.

What's the best amount of sunlight to give Halcyon to really show off it's blue color? Would a bit of midday sun for 2-3 hours burn off the waxy glaucous? It would be in shade the rest of the time on the north side of the house.

The Lowe's I got the Halcyon from had kept it out in the sun and it (as well as all of the others) didn't look the least bit blue - just dark green and slightly singed :(

Lowes is not noted for accuracy in labeling and in good care of their plants. I wouldn't buy a halcyon that didn't look a little bit blue, sun or no sun.
Halcyon should be blue with a couple of hours of midday sun.
How about Blue Wedgwood?

That shade would be perfect conditions for H. 'Halcyon', mine get a few hours of dappled midday sun and they retain their nice glaucus blue color all season long.
Immature hostas do not always look like, or have the leaf shape and coloring of, their mature selves, but the leaves should at least have some glaucus look to them. Keeping them out in the full sun could cause them to look green, and have burnt edges.

I would go to a good reputable nursery if I wanted to be sure to get the plant I wanted, but take a chance, and you can always move it somewhere else in your garden if it is not the right plant for the right place.

Have had trouble with brunnera keeping their color all summer. All of them tend to go to green as the season progresses so that only in the spring do the beautiful variegations show up to best advantage. That said, the leaves are a good size, shape and texture always while pulmonaria do look ratty after bloom for a while. Very few seedling brunnera for me even from the green-leaved macrophylla but a good number of pulmonaria seedlings. I move them to a holding bed at 2-leaf size and keep to see what they turn out. A few fabulous most medicre and good for give-away or compost.

For a great hosta try "Great Expectations". "Fire and Ice" is about the poorest growing one I have.

George

Geoforce, you can cut your Brunnera right back to a few inches from the soil in the late spring (for me about mid-June) and they will grow lovely new leaves in no time. That might solve the problem of the leaves losing their color for you. You can do the same for Pulmonaria, especially (for the Pulmonaria) if the leaves are showing mildew.

OK, this time I think I've got it: I went to a local nursery today and saw a 'Silver Bay' hosta. It has nice thick leaves, doesn't get super big, and the silvery coating on the leaves is a real standout in the dark shade bed. Hopefully this will be a winner for me since I really like the foliage.

BTW - I kept the Halcyon too. I divided it into two plants since it was outgrowing its gallon pot like mad, and plopped the divisions into some deep shade areas as a reprieve from the full-sun the Lowe's workers had so kindly left it in. We'll see how these new hostas fair in the next few months.

Thanks for all the advice!