and i've seen i. cristata growing in areas in digs that nothing else would. it's a tough little booger. cyclamens do like the dry shade, but set the snooze for 10 years if you want to see much spread- :). they are slooooow. i'm just now getting some babies 10+ years after i planted my first ones. you know, most folks consider violets weeds, but they can deal with dry shade well. as can epimediums. and i really hesitate to mention that periwinkle does just fine with dry shade once established (and i have lots if you want some- lol). did anyone mention hellebores? they don't seem to suffer when it gets really dry. up at camp in PA, bracken fern spreads really well in the dry shade. not sure where to tell you to get it here, but...

I bought a few packs of bare-root hollyhocks at Walmart during the early spring. I tried starting hollyhock seeds inside over the winter, but my kitten got into the plants. So I decided I would just try out the bare-root plants because I don't have the patience to wait two year for them to bloom. I have a lot of plants that I planted this year that won't bloom until next year. We just bought this house last fall and there is nothing for flowers in our yard other than three tulips. But anyway, while I was planting them along the house, I noticed that all of the bare-roots were in really nice condition. None were shriveled or dried out and they all had growth on them before I put them in the ground. Hopefully they come out nice this summer.

I'm undertaking a massive naturalization project this year. Tearing out the whole back lawn & planting or seeding grasses, forbs, shrubs, & small trees, most at bare root or seedling stage. I'll build around what I already have, which includes a silver maple, a serviceberry (of course!), & a good many arborvitaes. There's also some exotic but harmless stuff (European holly, English yew) that the previous owner planted & I might tear out eventually, but not now. I've been planning this for 2 years & am really looking forward to getting started. I've already ordered a bunch of plants and have winter-sown some of the forbs & subshrubs. Here is a list of the species I aim to plant or sow by this fall: adiantum pedatum andropogon gerardii apios americana aquilegia canadensis aralia nudicaulis asclepias tuberosa athyrium filix-femina carex hystericina carex plantaginea carex platyphylla cornus florida desmodium canadense dicentra canadensis Dicentra cucullaria elymus canadensis eupatorium purpureum eurybia divaricata gaultheria procumbens geranium maculatum hepatica nobilis var. obtusa hibiscus moscheutos ipomoea pandurata kalmia latifolia lespedeza capitata liatris pycnostachya lindera benzoin lobelia siphilitica maianthemum racemosum monarda fistulosa morella pensylvanica ostrya virginiana packera obovata parthenocissus quinquefolia penstemon hirsutus phlox divaricata Physocarpus opulifolius podophyllum peltatum polystichum acrostichoides quercus rubra rhododendron prinophyllum rosa carolina sanguinaria canadensis schizachyrium scoparium solidago odora sorghastrum nutans symphyotrichum novae-angliae thalictrum dioicum thelypteris noveboracensis tiarella cordifolia trillium grandiflorum tsuga canadensis viburnum lentago viola labradorica Viola Ãpalmata viola pedata

Althaea officinalis - Marsh mallow is a beautiful plant. Pink hollyhock like blooms and at home in the flower garden as well as the herb garden. It's not native but it is very resilient, hardy, and it's never been bothered much by pests in my gardens. I have harvested for medicinal rather than edible use. Aralia nudicaulis - Wild Sarsaparilla is a pretty plant. Here's a picture I took of one while out on a hike: I have Aralia racemosa or Spikenard a close relative is in my "woodland" garden. It is a showier plant that has never suffered any pest problems. I think it's too pretty to harvest the one plant I have so no comments on usage. Asclepias tuberosa, edible? Not that I'm aware of. Peterson's edible plants marks it as poisonous. Medicinal, yes it. Edible, no. The only edible milkweed I'm familiar with is Asclepias syriaca. Many like to boil the young shoots in multiple changes of water and eat like asparagus. The folks that eat them, love them. Some eat the flowers and other parts as well. Can't comment on the others. Why not Jerusalem artichokes if you are looking for native, edible roots? While they will spread if the deer don't browse them too much, they are a choice edible. FataMorgana ps....if you want to see the rest of the slideshow that the Wild Sarsaparilla picture is from, you can find it in the link below. Plus there is a wild food slideshow also available in the gallery section of this website. Enjoy! Here is a link that might be useful: True Tale of the Beavers Walk Slideshow