There's plenty of time left to start lots of things: Bush beans will grow great direct sown now. Peas can be direct sown in a few weeks for fall harvest. Spinach seeds can be prepped now. Wrap them in a damp paper towel and put in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator for a couple weeks until you see them starting to germinate. Transfer the emerging seedlings to the garden, preferably on a cool day and/or in the evening and keep them adequately watered until they get established. Now's the time to start kale seed for fall harvest. Start indoors and transplant out. Direct-sow carrots, beets, turnips, mesclun mix, lettuce, arugula, chard, dill, cilantro now. There's probably still time to start zucchini and cucumbers if you do it right now too. Have fun! -Diggity

A great deal of the variation has to do with lack of knowledge :-) These "facts" get passed on without any real basis or understanding about the plants or their origins and then become the accepted convention, forget whether or not they are true. So nursery people and nursery tags get this less than completely accurate info and it becomes so commonly used, published or discussed it is accepted as fact. Our modern heucheras are mostly hybrids and the parentage of these plants are from heuchera species that are not necessarily woodland or shade plants. They are found in open meadows, rocky outcroppings or at woodland verges. Some species are even native to the Channel Islands of California and to dry Arizona canyons! 'Plum Pudding' is a micrantha hybrid and H. micrantha is native to rocky slopes and cliffs of the western US - not exactly shady locations :-). Why these hybrids would require shade when their parents do not is quite mysterious, eh??

Unnecessary or excessive pruning on an oakleaf will diminish or remove any flowering potential. And even the dwarfs or compact forms can easily reach 4' in height in a suitable climate. But they do not tolerate wet soil well. Nor do they do as well (both flowers and fall color) in heavy shade. Damp/wet soil and shade calls out for Clethra (aka summer sweet)!! And this can be pruned at will in late winter, as it blooms on new wood. Also very hardy - Z3.

I Love the simplicity of your lower shelves....with that said, I would leave your top shelves empty, I would decorate your fireplace with a more layered look. Maybe move that beautiful art to another space and add some vertical art and layer it, so the mantel has something more substantial . Giving the eye a place to land. Not ever spot needs to be decorated. Such as your shelves. I too have only one or two items on my shelves in my living room. Too much clutter makes me uneasy. Here is some inspiration for layering the top of your fireplace.