For me the only perennial that exists are Hostas but I do love to add to my gardens with trees and shrubs. When I bought the property there was nothing but VERY large pine trees.

This north bed begins with an Umbrella Catalpa tree,
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then goes onto a Bloodgood Japanese tree, Weeping Crabapple, Soulangia Magnolia,
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In my large fence bed (280 feet long) I start off with a Daybreak Magnolia
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This is the flower from the Daybreak Magnolia (fragrant to boot!)
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Then I have a Tri-Color Beach Tree

Then a couple Everygreen Somethings, a Crimson Queen Maple, a Birtch tree,

then I have more shrubs - like a Holly, Purple Smokebush, Diablo Ninebark, Vaiegated Dogwood, etc and a Randy Magnolia (just cuz that's the name of my DH)
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Then more shrubs. Then a Leonard Messel Magnolia.
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The only planting I love to do as much as hostas is magnolias, but I need more room for them and they are harder to find.

The flower on your Daybreak magnolia is stunning.

First off, I want all of leaflover76s trees. I don't dare spend to much on new trees and shrubs because the deer and rabbits kill them in the winter.

My gardening has pretty much gone full circle. What started out many years ago as a large vegetable garden merged to half flowers when we no longer used all the veggies. Over the years I let the woods grow up around the garden area to the point where there isn't enough sun for vegetables or most flowers, hence the hostas.
I still try to keep some perennials and shrubs to attract butterflies and birds. In the sunniest spots I plant annuals that make decent cut flowers. They grow sparse and spindly but we still manage to get a few bouquets throughout the year.

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I got this thorny, bushy, flowery thing, whatever it is.

Don B.

I have lots of likes, and lots of loves, I tend to lean more towards sun than shade, actually (shhhhh, don't tell anyone on the hosta forum that!). Probably could have figured that out on your own from my username, right? :)

Here are a few of my pics from last year:

I have quite a few clematis:

Lavendar does well for me, despite being under all the wrong conditions, LOL:

Several different varieties of coreopsis, here's one (Cosmic Eye):

Got into Heleniums for the first time last year:

But my all-time two fav perennials have to be Echinacea:

and Rudbeckia:

Thanks for letting me share!

I grow only Hostas and a few Pelargonium, but I like (as many of you) to photograph the whole nature, ...and I am convinced that even the nature likes being observed.

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I feel the same way, LUUK...I seem to have several pics that show "visitors" or as I like to refer to them as cohabitants on my plant life.

Tiger kitten lily

Filipendula

Sweet Kate tradescantia

Chelone aka turtle's head

Crocosmia w bee doing its thing

Lollipop lily...I have finally gotten the beetle under control...this past year I only had to squish about half a dozen. I think they are gone but of course I will keep up with the vigilance. Hand-picking is the only way I found successful to reduce their numbers. Three years ago they appeared shortly after I brought this lily home...voracious little buggers but I've got it under control now, thank goodness.

Hope echinacea...some proceeds go towards breast cancer research

Gold rush leucanthemum plus grasshopper

Creeping baby's breath underneath dwarf Korean lilac

Hungarian speedwell

If you plant your Easter lily, this is what you will enjoy the following year :-)

My $5 Rose from Canadian Tire...it's the small one most folks take home as a houseplant, then chuck it once blooms have stopped...a small one that grows tall each year...now in its 8th year...no feeding, no special treatment except for hand picking of cutworms occasionally...blooms nonstop...last year it was still blooming in January!

Rosy returns lily

Pow wow cherry berry echinacea...a short stubby one but what it lacks in stature it makes up in colour!

Amethyst in snow centaurea

I had better stop but this last pic my daughter took...last spring...this is part of a collection of pictures she took, then presented me with a calendar of pictures of my garden! She even ordered one picture to be made into a puzzle. Ingenious, huh?

This pic is a tad grainy but that's because I took a pic of the calendar.

Spring garden in Colorado.

I love all of the flowers that you all have posted ,but we still need to include the hostas with them.

I seem to love almost all plants. In addition to over 100 hosta varieties, I have more than 300 daylily varieties, 100+ bearded iris varieties, 30+ peony varieties, nearly 2dz clematis varieties, along with an accompaniment of shrubs and flowering trees, such as redbud, magnolia, halesia, cornus kousa, chionanthus, and several other ornamental type trees. I know several of the peeps on here will also be pleased to note that I seem to be developing quite a conifer addiction as well... In fact, it seems the only 'one and only' that I have is my DH!

I have really enjoyed all of these garden photos. You all have beautiful gardens! Thanks for sharing. Lesley

Gorgeous pics, Sunnywood...that is a huge and lovely orienpet lily you have there! Lovely gardens, all.

Gardens1...gotta love your last line!

Lesley...join in the fun...got any pics to share? :-)

I have only one area where daylilies do well in my garden, and strangely it's on the north side of my house. I'm thinking about removing the others, that are in the middle of the yard, and replacing them with, well, hostas of course!

Very pretty pics, everyone!

I have many ferns, and coral bells.

Dozens of clematis and roses.

An unhealthy obcession with daylily

And hardy succulants.

Hydrangea

The Portulaca was not happy last year, too much rain. In a dry year the portulaca bed is solid color as long as the sun shines on it.
Kathy

Love portulaca. My Aunt Florence use to grow it by the bucket. Literally, she used old buckets, pans, etc to grow all of her portulaca. It was always beautiful. She always had a yard full of flowers.

Great pictures, everybody, loved luuk's.

Thanks for the warning about celendine poppies, Tim. They're in a big area that has nothing but hostas and a few huechera, so they can spread wherever they like. The bed is only two years old and pretty sparse, figure the hostas will either win or I'll pull out poppies.

One of the reasons I love day lilies and lilies is because they attract tiny frogs. Wish I had a handy small version of my favorite shot. I like this one, too - just not as much.

Here is a pic from last April,showing one of my bloodgood Japanese maples,looking back into the garden. Tim,I wish I had more open areas to grow flowers,but when you live in the woods,that not an option. I do wish Japanese maples would grow faster,but to get one very large,you'd have to take out a loan! Phil

A pic I've used several times on the forum, but the pic fits this topic, so here it is once again...

I have some ferns, a few heucheras, various lamium, some Asiatic lillies, and creeping jenny located among the hostas. I generally add at least a few varieties of shade perennial after exploring around town at the local garden centers. Planning to add some wild ginger this spring, thanks to Jerry/old_dirt's suggestion.

Probably most of you know this, but if you don't, let me say that Asiatic lilies grow and bloom very well in partial shade. At least in my experience.

Don B.

Tulip bed I put in last winter on a whim, looks OK.

Don B.

Don B.
Just a quick note...Make sure you get the "European" wild ginger. From what I understand common ginger can become quite invasive.

Gorgeous pics, All! I just keep opening this thread and keep admiring...on my 5th run...anyone else have this one saved?

Don...I found out last summer that Belamcanda lily (in this case, the orange with speckles little lily) was very happy on the north/west side of the house...who knew it needed so little sunlight to bloom? I sure didn't.
Learn something every day...

Unbidden...your clematis are amazing! How tall do they climb? Mine are against a 6-ft. Fence and when they get that high, the vine manages to come back down...not that I mind as it gets fuller-looking. :-)

Jo

This post was edited by josephines67 on Wed, Feb 26, 14 at 21:04

Tsugajunkie...my first glimpse at your garden...very lovely and peaceful looking...thanks for sharing.

This post was edited by josephines67 on Wed, Feb 26, 14 at 21:08

I have 42 varieties of clematis...

OK, I'll play.

Pulmonaria Treve Fountain

Hellebore Golden Showers

Peony "Singing In the Rain"

Clematis montana Mayleen

Azalea with variegated Iris

Syringa "Albert F Holden"

Peach Blossoms

Narcissus Thalia with Pink Impressions Tulip

Malus Candy Cane

more later

Steve

Some never get really large

I choose this one because it was large. Prince Charles is Huge. I cut it down mid summer and it grows back to bloom again in fall. Not all of mine grow big, some barely top the fence.

@ josephines67 & timhensley- Thank you both.

tj

Here is a link that might be useful: An old thread

Thanks, Jerry. European wild ginger it is.

Don B.