Shade Tolerant Flowering Ground Covers

 

Shade tolerant ground covers that produce flowers are the perfect way to add color and weed protection to your garden. It can be hard to find ground covers that produce flowers and live in shady areas. Here I will provide you detailed information on several shade tolerant flowering ground covers.

Ajuga

This shade tolerant ground cover is popular because of its ability to grow in sun, partial shade, and shade. This plant is also known as bugleweed, and it produces blue flowers. It is hardy in zones 3-9, and it grows up to 12" in height. This fast growing ground cover will grow up to 4 feet wide and flowers in spring.

Bethlehem Sage

This ground cover is shade tolerant, but will also thrive in partially sunny areas. Bethlehem sage produces white, pink, and blue flowers. This plant needs a moderate amount of water and lives in zones 4-8. This shade loving plant produces flowers in the spring. Bethlehem sage grows from 8"- 12".

False Spirea

This shade tolerant ground cover enjoys thorough watering once a week. False Spirea produces pink and white flowers in summer. The large showy flowers make this a perfect perennial for your shady garden ground. This flowering ground cover enjoys full shade and partial shade, and grows from 6" -24" in height. False Spirea grows in zone 6.

Vinca Vine

This flowering ground cover is also known as periwinkle because of its tiny blue flowers. This popular shade loving plant also produces white, red, and purple flowers. The Vinca vine can be major or minor, and these plants enjoy similar conditions. Periwinkle is drought tolerant as well as shade loving. Another benefit of this popular plant is its resistance to deer. This flowering ground cover grows in zones 4-9. It grows up to 6 inches.

Wild Ginger

This ground cover enjoys full shade to partial shade. Wild ginger produces flowers that are white, purple, maroon, and red. It needs thorough watering and is hardy in zones 5-9. The one of a kind flowers produced by this perennial ground cover are sure to attract attention along with its heart shaped leaves.

Wood Sorrel

This shade loving ground cover can also tolerate partial shade. Wood Sorrel produces white, pink, and purple flowers. It is hardy in zones 7-10, and grows up to 6" high. This flowering ground cover produces tiny flowers that are shaped like stars. The leaves resemble clovers and it is drought resistant.

Try using these plants in shaded spots in your garden. They add the perfect detail with their flowers and foliage and they provide protection from invasive weeds.

Autumn Crocus: History, Uses and Cultivation

 

This pretty plant is not very big, and it has strong medicinal purposes, but it is also so poisonous that it can kill you. This herb flowers in "September," and it has pretty lavender or light pink flowers; it grows to only about "12 inches" in height, and it is native to "Europe and North Africa" (Kowalchik, 1987, p.18). This herb looks very much like a regular crocus, but it is not a part of the iris family like most crocuses; it bears six stamens which is the easiest way to identify it. This herb has strong medicinal purposes, but it can also be deadly.

The history of the autumn crocus started way back in the time of the "Egyptians;" they used this herb to treat "gout 4000 years ago" (Kowalchik, 1987, p.18). The healing popularity of this plant decreased when people started to recognize the deadly powers of this herb. The powder of the bulb f this plant is ground up to create a poison, and it is said the "Greek naturalist Theophrastus wrote that when slaves became angry with their owner, they ingested tiny bits of the corm to make themselves ill and thus unable to work" (Kowalchik, 1987, p.18). This plant was widely used in history as a poison, and the ground up bulb was often added to wine.

This plant is a great healing herb, but it is better not to be experimented with. The most common use of the autumn crocus is still for the gout; it is taken in a "tablet form or intravenously," but this is the only form of arthritis that this herb is used for; the active ingredient in this plant is "colchicines," and this chemical "inhibits cell division" (Kowalchik, 1987, p.18). In the 40's colchicines was considered a possible cure for cancer, but the toxicity level appeared to be too high to be safe. An overdose of this plant will cause "nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, purging, extreme thirst, weak pulse, coldness and pain in the extremities," and this plant can also cause "damage to the kidneys and blood vessels" (Kowalchik, 1987, p.18).

Autumn crocuses easily grown from bulbs, and they enjoy moist, loamy soil. These plants are accustomed to full sun or partial shade, and they live in "zone 5" (Kowalchik, 1987, p.18). The autumn crocus is planted in early fall like many other bulb plants. They enjoy enriched soil, and they like to be planted two to three inches deep. This plant can also be planted from seed, but they will not bloom for several years if started this way.

The autumn crocus is a lovely plant that has an interesting and slightly criminal history. Its medicinal properties do not outweigh its toxicity so leaves this plant out of your
medicine collection.

Perennial Vegetables for Your Garden

 

Pulling up the annual vegetables plant at the end of the growing season can be disheartening, but there are perennial vegetables for your garden. Growing perennial vegetables in your garden is a great way to grow crops that will produce without effort for years to come. This article ill discuss several perennial vegetables you can grow in your garden easily.

Asparagus

The perennial vegetable that most people are aware of is asparagus. Asparagus is a great perennial vegetable for your garden that comes in a wide variety. White, purple, and green asparagus are common types of asparagus that can be grown. Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that can be started indoors from seed or crowns can be purchased and planted 3 or 4 weeks before the last frost. Asparagus will not yield for the first 2 or 3 years, but it will produce a bountiful harvest for decades once it has established itself. Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that needs room in your garden to spread.

Rhubarb

Rhubarb is another delicious perennial vegetable for your garden. Rhubarb is one of the few vegetables that need cold weather to produce and thrive. Rhubarb needs temperatures below 40 degrees to grow well in the following season. Rhubarb does not do well in warmer climates because it stops growing when temperatures reach 90 degrees. Rhubarb enjoys rich soil and excellent drainage, and should be spaced a few feet apart to provide room for expansion. Rhubarb is a wonderful perennial for your vegetable garden.

Sorrel

Sorrel is a great perennial vegetable for your garden. It can be grown easily and with little care. This perennial can be sown and harvested in roughly 2 months. Sorrel is a leafy green herb that needs little maintenance. Weeding and moisture are beneficial to this perennial vegetable. Growing sorrel in your garden is simple and the leaves should be harvested young. Plants should be placed at least a foot apart, and thinning can be eaten as well. Sorrel is a great addition to any perennial vegetable garden.

Sunchokes

Another perennial vegetable for your garden is the sunchoke. This plant is also known as the Jerusalem artichoke, and it produces tubers that look similar to potatoes. These low starch tubers will grow quickly in an 18 inch space around the original tuber. Sunchoke need good drainage to prevent tubers from rotting. This perennial vegetable can be planted a few weeks before the last frost, and they take over 100 days to harvest. Leave tubers in the ground to produce new sunchokes in the following growing season.

Artichokes

A tasty perennial vegetable that is very popular is the artichoke. Artichokes are tender flower buds that have yet to bloom. This perennial vegetable will grow up to 6 feet wide and 4 feet high. It will provide you with many vegetables, and it enjoys full sun in your garden. Rich soil with good drainage is important. Artichokes prefer warmer climates, but they can be winterized in cooler zones using a heavy application of straw mulch and coverage.

These perennial vegetables make a great addition to your garden. Try growing these vegetables this year, and the following years you will be supplied with a bountiful harvest with very little effort or cost.

American Hellebore: History, Uses and Cultivation

 

American hellebore is a plant that has a rich history in medicinal use, but it is not a plant that should be used for such purposes. This plant has the ability to make you very sick if ingested. It can grow up to "eight feet tall in the wild," and it flowers in "midsummer" (Kowalchik, 1987, p.8). This plant is a perennial that has greenish-white flowers. It lives in swamp land, woods, "wet meadows, stream edges," and it is "indigenous from Canada to the Carolinas" (Kowalchik, 1987, p.8). This plant grows well in nature, but it should be left there.

This plant was used for many different medicinal purposes in the past. The root was ground into a powder by the "American Indians" and the "early colonists;" this powder was then used to treat wounds and cavities (Kowalchik, 1987, p.8). This plant has serious side effects and using it for toothaches can produce fatal effects. American settlers boiled the sliced root with vinegar and used it to treat "rashes and sores," and they also used it to remove "head lice" (Kowalchik, 1987, p.8). This plant has very strong implications for poisoning, and it amazes me that people used it so much in the past. This plant was even used to treat "epilepsy, convulsions, pneumonia, and peritonitis" (Kowalchik, 1987, p.8).

The toxicity of American hellebore is so high that it should not be used by the home herbalist. There are some medicinal purposes of this herb though; it contains "alkaloid" that slow down blood pressure, heart rate, and stimulate "blood flow to the kidneys, liver, and extremeties" (Kowalchik, 1987, p.9). The uses of his plant unfortunately do not outweigh the toxicity level of the plant. The toxicity level of this plant is so high it should not be used at home. American hellebore can cause "abdominal pain, nausau, diarrhea, faintness, shallow breathing, spasms, loss of consciousness, paralysis, and sometimes death," and one of the only reasons it is not more fatal is because it quickly induces vomiting (Kowalchik, 1987, p.9). This plant is a serious herb that should not be ingested.

Although the American hellebore is a plant that can dangerous results when consumed; it is a very striking plant to have in a garden. These plants enjoy shade, and they grow very tall. The flowers form beautiful "panicles", and the foliage is a bright green color that is very attractive (Kowalchik, 1987, p.9). This herb enjoys moist soil and a hardiness zone of 4.

The American hellebore is an herb that is rich in medicinal history, but it has such a strong level of toxicity that it should not be used for its medicinal purposes. It is great for growing in the shade, and it is lovely as an ornamental plant.

Herbal Plants with Medicinal Properties

Many plants have medicinal properties that should not be taken for granted. There are many methods of preparing herbs that can make them easily consumed by people who are sick. These herbs can be prepared easily and grow without much effort. Here is a list of common herbs that can be used for many different ailments.

Aloe is a very useful plant that has many beneficial properties. Aloe is useful for many skin conditions, and not only prevents infections, and helps heal wounds. This plant can be used to treat burns and moisturize skin.

Chamomile is a common herb that can be used to relieve migraines. It is also helpful with insomnia, anxiety, skin infections, and digestion. Chamomile is also known to help with the common cold, eczema, and gastrointestinal conditions.

Dandelion is a common weed, and many people do not realize how useful a dandelion is. Dandelions are everywhere and can be used to treat liver and spleen problems. These flowers are also helpful when treating kidney disease and heartburn. Dandelion roots are also good for treating appetite loss, and these flowers are used to detoxify the gallbladder and liver. 

Flaxseed is a plant that can be grown very easily and has many advantageous properties. Flaxseed and flaxseed oil is useful for a healthy diet and health conditions. It can help with high blood pressure and high cholesterol problems. Flaxseed is also helpful to decrease menopausal symptoms and menstrual breast pain. Flaxseed can be used as a laxative too.

Lavender is a beautiful plant that smells lovely and has many beneficial purposes. Lavender can help with anxiety, hair loss, and depression. This herb is also useful with ear pain, hair loss, eczema, and pain. Lavender is also helpful when added to a bath and used for aromatherapy.

Peppermint is a tasty, fragrant smelling herb that can be used for culinary and medicinal purposes. Peppermint can help with nausea and common cold symptoms. This herb is also used to help ail cramps, headache, joint pain, and stomach problems. Peppermint can also be used to invigorate the spirit through aromatherapy.

Valerian is an herb that is grown all over the world. It is used to treat skin conditions such as acne and sores. This herb is also used for urinary tract disorders, flatulence, digestive issues, and sleep disorders. It is also know to be effective when treating depression.

There are many herbs that are taken for granted, and these herbs should be used and grown for their medicinal properties.