Sunday, November 7, 2010

Cyclamens

For winter color, I've decided to try Cyclamens (Cyclamen persicum) in my front yard, three-tiered bed.  My beds tend to be too shady for pansies, violas or ornamental kale/cabbage.  But on a recent episode of Central Texas Gardener, they mentioned that Cyclamens can handle shade.


To prepare the beds, I removed the existing Begonias (Begonia x semperflorens-cultorum) and then used a garden fork to break up the dirt.  Then, as I came across them, I pulled as many of the oak root sprouts as I could (which was a lot!).  Next, I added some peat moss to enrich the soil and some decomposed granite to keep it loose.  Afterwards, I worked in a generous amount of compost to give the annuals a good boost.


Finally, I planted a mixture of lighter and darker pink shades in the two lower tiers.


Though I planted 20 Cyclamens, I'm thinking I need a couple of more of the plants (darn - another trip to the store).  Hopefully, as they grow, they'll fill in the beds with some good winter color.


Gotta Get:
  • Japanese Root Iris (Iris tectorum): Have considered it for quite a while; finally decided it was one I wanted in my garden.
  • Pittosporum Creme De Mint (Pittosporum tobira 'Shima'): As this variety only grows a little over two foot is size, I'm think having one in a sunnier spot would be great (of course, "sunnier" is very relative in my garden).
  • Golden Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia 'Little Honey'): Have just started playing with the Oakleaf Hydrangeas by having the variety 'Alice' planted.  Really like the chartreuse colored leaves on this 'Little Honey' variety, plus the fact that it tends to be somewhat smaller than many of the other varieties.

8 comments:

  1. Ooooh, your two beds look fantastic with the shades of pink, they really pop in the shade.

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  2. Tina: Thanks - I've always been partial to red, but, in the darkness of shade, pink just seems to show up better.

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  3. I love the two leveled beds like that, what a great composition.

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  4. Let me know where you find your Roof/Root Iris. I'd like to try them too. I saw some at the San Antonio Botanical Garden and I've been thinking about getting them since then. I've never seen them in local nurseries (or maybe I've just never noticed them).
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/13598044@N02/4876061472/

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  5. I like your beds with the rock trim. And they look even greater with those shades pink

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  6. Lisa: Thanks - originally there was a narrow, steep three-foot drop from the top level down to the driveway. So I decided tiers were the way to go.

    Abbey: Your 'Dog Days of Summer' posting is what actually led me to researching the plant! I found it up here in Austin at Barton Springs Nursery. So perhaps on your next road trip...

    fer: Thanks - have always liked pink in the shade. And can't get away from limestone around here.

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  7. The oakleaf hydrangea is on my gotta have list too! Was at BSN the other day and she said they sell them as fast as they can get them...

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  8. Whimsical: Spotted a few of the base (non-hybrid) form at Round Rock Gardens this past weekend (50% off sale!); might check next weekend to see if they have the sale again.

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