PERENNIALS FOR SHADE

July 15, 2026 Karen Logan

Brightening the Shady Garden with Summer Perennials

Many gardeners feel limited by a lack of sunlight, but a shady yard is an incredible opportunity to play with dramatic textures, architectural foliage, and soft summer colors. If your garden is currently too dark, you don't necessarily need to cut down your beautiful trees, simply "limbing up" lower branches or thinning out a dense canopy can let in the perfect amount of dappled light. Conversely, if you have a full sun bed and want to grow some of these shade-loving gems, planting a few small understory trees or large shrubs will add instant height, visual interest, and the necessary canopy.

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Plants that evolved in the forest understory often sport larger leaves to capture every bit of available sunlight (think Hostas, Rodgersias, Astilbes, and Heuchera). Most shade perennials will actually thrive with a bit more sun, provided they get enough water. The reverse, however, is not true: sun-loving plants placed in the deep shade will quickly grow weak, long, and leggy. For the best results, give your shade plants a rich, moist, but well-drained soil.

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Hosta

Sanguisorba ‘Lilac Squirrel’

Astilbe

Alchemilla, Lady's Mantle

Astilbe Pumila

Anenome

Clematis Boulevard Acropolis

Clematis Sweet Autumn

Ferns

Athyrium Brilliance

Osmunda regalis

Filipendula Kahome

Geranium Max Frei

Geranium Rozanne

Heuchera Dolce Cherry Truffles

Heuchera Berry Smoothie

Heuchera Primo Wild Rose

Heuchera Snow Angel

Hosta Frech Fries

Thalictrum Black Stockings

Thalictrum flavum glaucum

Euphorbia

Foamflower

DEER RESISTANT PERENNIALS FOR SHADE

If deer are a constant pressure on your property, you can still achieve a lush, flowering oasis. These summer-blooming varieties are rarely bothered by wildlife:

Astilbes: Add vibrant pops of color to darker corners with their feather-like plumes, available in a range of sizes and shades.

Heucheras (Coral Bells): While they bloom beautifully for 3–4 weeks in midsummer, they are primarily grown for their foliage. From deep bronzes and dramatic purples to bright lime greens and reds, their color stands out all season.
Everblooming Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra): Unlike their traditional cousin (Dicentra spectabilis), which blooms only in spring and goes completely dormant in summer heat, the everblooming varieties will flower continuously from early summer straight into late summer while gently spreading.
Ferns, Rodgersia, & Thalictrum (Meadow Rue): Outstanding selections that offer structural foliage deer naturally avoid.

PERENNIALS GROUNDCOVERS FOR SHADE

Why spend money on bark mulch every year when you can carpet the bare ground with beautiful living plants? These options thrive and spread efficiently in partial to full shade:

Pachysandra: The ultimate groundcover for deep, dry shade where little else will grow.
Asarum (Wild Ginger), & Epimedium (Barrenwort): Excellent, low-maintenance choices to create a dense green carpet under trees.
Perennial Geraniums (Cranesbill): Incredibly tough and reliable. 'Rozanne' is our top-selling variety for its nonstop violet-blue blooms. We also highly recommend 'Album' (pure white flowers) and 'Karmina' (pink flowers with spectacular, rich autumn foliage).
Bellflowers (Campanula): Campanulas are fantastic choices for partial shade. Depending on your garden's specific architecture, we carry a wide variety of habits.

Our Go-To Shade Favorites

When you stop by the nursery, ask us about any of these favorites, we’ll help you find the perfect match for your garden's unique conditions.

Alchemilla (Lady's Mantle)
Epimedium (Barrenwort)
Ligularia
Anemone (Windflower)
Euphorbia (Spurge)
Pachysandra
Asarum (Wild Ginger)
Ferns (All Varieties)
Polygonatum (Solomon's Seal)
Astilbe
Foxglove (Digitalis)
Rodgersia
Cimicifuga (Bugbane)
Galium (Sweet Woodruff)
Sanguisorba (Burnet)
Clematis (Select Varieties)
Geranium (Cranesbill)
Thalictrum (Meadow Rue)
Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)
Hakonechloa (Forest Grass)

SHADE LOVER: ASTILBE

POLLINATOR MONTH: NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION

SHADE LOVER: HEUCHERA

FILIPENDULA

July 6, 2026 Karen Logan

FILIPENDULA

Meadowsweet / Queen of the Prairie

If you are looking for a perennial that delivers sensational structure, lush foliage, and cloud-like summer blooms all at once, Filipendula is your plant. Valued equally for its deeply lobed leaves and its astilbe-like flower panicles, Filipendula is an absolute must have in the summer garden.

Growing Conditions

Most Filipendula varieties thrive in average, medium-to-wet, well-drained soil and prefer a spot in full sun to part shade. They are particularly exceptional for those troublesome damp areas of the yard where other perennials struggle with wet feet.

A highlight of midsummer!

Filipendula ‘Kahome’ (front) & Filipendula ‘Queen of the Prarie’ (back)

FILIPENDULA VARIETIES

Depending on your landscape, Filipendula offers two completely different scales to design with.

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Filipendula rubra ‘Venusta Magnifica’ (Queen of the Prairie)

This is a bold, architectural plant designed to make a massive statement. In early to mid-summer, it erupts with wide, dramatic panicles of tiny, fragrant, pale pink flowers.

Height: Grows up to 6–8 feet tall (though often slightly shorter in average garden soils).
Bloom Time: June to August.
Sun/Soil: Full sun to part shade; medium to wet soil. While it is native to consistently moist soils, it is incredibly resilient and will still perform well in average garden soils.
Best Garden Uses: Perfect for the rear of perennial borders, cottage gardens, native plant restoration areas, wet meadows, naturalized along the moist banks of streams and ponds, rain gardens or massing.
Native Region of Species plant: Northeastern Highlands of US / Not Ecotypic in New England

Queen of the Prairie is spectacular when planted in large masses. Because of its height, it serves as the perfect living backdrop for mid-sized summer perennials.

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Filipendula ‘Kahome’ (Dwarf Meadowsweet)

If you love the look of Queen of the Prairie but have a smaller garden space, 'Kahome' is your perfect match. This upright, clump-forming dwarf perennial offers the exact same fluffy charm on a miniature scale.

Height: A compact 8–12 inches tall.
Bloom Time: June to July.
Sun/Soil: Full sun to part shade; medium to wet soil.
Best Garden Uses: Front of the border accents, small cottage gardens, and damp rock gardens. Its dwarf size makes it a fantastic choice to mass together as a lush, flowering ground cover.

Ecological Benefits

Beyond its visual appeal, adding Filipendula to your landscape supports a healthy local ecosystem.

Pollinator Magnet: Highly attractive to butterflies, native bees, and other beneficial pollinators during the peak of midsummer.
Deer Resistant: Deer typically pass by Filipendula, making it a reliable choice for properties with high wildlife browsing pressure.

Bring Filipendula into Your Garden

Whether you need an 8-foot focal point to anchor a wet meadow or a tough, 12-inch flowering ground cover for a damp border, Filipendula fills the gap beautifully. Stop by the nursery this week to see their stunning foliage in person and find the perfect spot for them in your yard!

JULY GARDEN TIPS

[PLANT PROFILE] HEUCHERA

June 15, 2026 Karen Logan

HEUCHERA

(CORAL BELLS)

Stars of the Shade Garden

When it comes to perennials that combine beauty and versatility, few plants rival Heuchera, commonly known as Coral Bells. These North American natives are prized for their dazzling foliage and delicate blooms, making them a favorite in shade gardens, woodland edges, and even containers.

A FOLIAGE PLANT WITH DELICATE BLOOMS

Heucheras are known for their foliage. Their rosettes of textured leaves stick around from early spring through late fall. With a low, mounding habit, most varieties reach 8–12 inches in height and 1–2 feet in spread. While many gardeners love Heucheras for their richly colored leaves, from lime green to burgundy and even dark purple, their graceful flowers are not to be overlooked. Each summer, tall flower stalks rise above the foliage, blooming for 3-4 weeks with airy, bell-shaped flowers that attract hummingbirds. The flowers of Heuchera sanguinea give the plant its common name, Coral Bells, with vivid blooms native to warm, dry canyons in Mexico, Arizona, and New Mexico.

There has been an explosion of Heucheras cultivars in the last decade. Hybridization is common, due to the fact that the species often intergrade with one another. The increasingly popular Heucherellas (Heuchera × Tiarella) combine the best traits of both parent plants.

Heuchera americana ‘Dales Strain’, the one we do from seed.

Where & How to Plant

Light:

Most Heucheras thrive in partial shade or dappled sunlight, but many red and yellow-leafed varieties tolerate more sun.
In the Northeast, shade is usually best for optimal performance.

Soil & Water:

Plant in well-drained, compost-rich soil. Keep consistently moist, especially in containers.
Heucheras are ideal for woodland gardens, rock gardens, slopes, and as ground covers beneath trees and shrubs.

Heucheras are DEER REISISTANT!

Design Pairings & Garden Uses

Heucheras are beautiful alone but shine even more when paired with other foliage-rich or shade-loving perennials:

Great companions: Ferns, caladiums, hostas, bleeding hearts, iris, astilbe
Ideal uses: Mass plantings, underplanting for trees and shrubs, borders, container gardens, and ground cover alternatives to mulch
Try replacing traditional mulch with ground covers like Heuchera. Not only are they effective at suppressing weeds, they add beauty and habitat too.

Our Favorites

Heuchera villosa ‘Autumn Bride’: A cultivar with large green leaves and tall white blooms. Especially striking when planted in mass and blends beautifully with other plants.
Heuchera americana ‘Dale’s Strain’: One of several we grow from seed. It’s a reliable, low-maintenance ground cover under shrubs.

The diversity of Heucheras is greater than ever. There are 37 species of Heuchera and dozens of cultivars now available. Their ability to hybridize easily has led to a stunning array of colors and leaf textures, so whether you're designing a shade garden or a beautiful container, Coral Bells deliver beauty that lasts well beyond their bloom.

PERENNIAL GROUNDCOVERS

June 15, 2026 Karen Logan

Virginia Bluebells [photo by keith kurman]

LIVING MULCH:

Perennial

Groundcovers

When it comes to creating a low-maintenance landscape, low-growing, ground-hugging perennial plants are nature’s best defense against weeds. Instead of continually buying and spreading mulch every spring, planting a "living mulch" of groundcovers brings not only more color and texture but vital food and shelter for local insects and birds. They can even serve as a beautiful alternative to traditional grass lawns.

When you choose native groundcovers, care becomes even easier, requiring no supplemental fertilizer and only minimal watering once established. Many selections are fully evergreen, providing reliable winter coverage and essential erosion control. Whether you are dealing with a baking, full-sun slope or a deep, dry canopy of shade, there is a perfect groundcover for the job.

Try planting ground covers at the base of your shrubs instead of mulching. Ground covers are very effective at keeping weeds out and moisture in!

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Groundcovers for Shade to Part-Shade

These woodland-loving plants thrive in partial to full shade, great for planting under tree canopies and around established shrubs.

Exceptional Foliage

Native Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia): A spectacular native beauty that features delicate, frosted foliage and airy spikes of white flowers in spring.
European Ginger (Asarum europaeum): A slow-spreading perennial grown for its remarkably shiny, leathery, rounded leaves. It features hidden spring flowers tucked entirely beneath the foliage that are uniquely pollinated by ants! Evergreen.
Barrenwort (Epimedium): A highly less-common groundcover that is incredibly tough once established, thriving effortlessly in dry shade where other plants struggle.
Pachysandra: While Japanese Spurge (Pachysandra terminalis) is an industry standard, our favorite is our Allegheny Spurge (Pachysandra procumbens), a gorgeous Eastern US alternative with beautifully mottled, matte-green leaves. Both are excellent evergreen choices.
Wood Spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae): A highly deer-resistant, evergreen option that spreads vigorously via underground stolons. It sends up striking 18-inch stalks of chartreuse blooms in the spring and appreciates protection from the hot afternoon sun.

Spring Bloomers

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum): A fine-textured carpet that covers the ground with small, starry white flowers from spring through early summer. It spreads vigorously via shallow side shoots, making it an ideal border accent. Because it isn't aggressive, spring-blooming bulbs can easily push right up through it.
Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica): A classic choice that forms large clumps of soft blue, bell-shaped flowers in the spring. Virginia Bluebells go completely dormant and disappear by mid-summer. Always plant them in combination with later-emerging perennials, which will seamlessly fill the empty space later in the season.
Native Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis): A stunning, trailing native groundcover in the dogwood family. It features classic white four-petaled flowers in late spring / early summer, followed by bright clusters of showy red autumn berries.

**Virginia Bluebells (*Mertensia virginica*)**

Native Ferns (Excellent Massers)

Ferns spread beautifully to create lush carpets in damp or dappled shade:

Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris): Tall, dramatic, and spreads rapidly via runners to fill large spaces.
Hay-Scented Fern (Dennstaedtia punctiloba): A fast-spreading, native ground-covering fern that releases a beautiful aroma resembling fresh-cut hay when brushed against.
Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides): A glossy, deep green native fern that stays fully evergreen through the winter months.
And there are many more!

Groundcovers for Sun to Partial Shade

These sun-loving groundcovers are perfect for open borders, rock gardens, path edgings, and areas that get hit with hot afternoon sun.

Pussytoes (Antennaria spp.): A fantastic, low-growing native groundcover that thrives in dry, sunny, and nutrient-poor soils. It features soft, fuzzy, silver-green foliage that adds a beautiful, light-reflecting texture to the landscape. In the spring, it produces unique, soft white flower heads that resemble the pads of a cat's paw. It serves as a great native alternative to non-native lamb's ear and is exceptionally tough once established.
Creeping & Woolly Thymes (Thymus spp.): The ultimate choice for hot, sunny, well-drained spaces or planting between stepping stones.
St. John’s Wort (Hypericum calycinum): A true pollinator magnet that produces massive amounts of yellow flowers. It spreads vigorously via underground stems and handles partial shade well, though more sun equals more flowers!
Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi): An incredibly tough, classic native groundcover. It forms a low-profile, woody, evergreen mat that thrives in sandy, coastal soils where little else will grow.
Prairie Smoke / Avens (Geum triflorum): An excellent, ultra-hardy ground cover. While the spring flowers are lovely, it is best known for its spectacular, feathery, pink neon seed heads that look like puffs of smoke rising from the garden bed.
Persicaria: A fantastic choice for late-season interest. This vigorous, stoloniferous spreader features an exceptionally long bloom window from July all the way into October.
Blue Star Creeper (Isotoma fluviatilis / Laurentia) & Pratia: Two fascinating, ultra-low, mat-forming plants that function beautifully as a lawn alternative, filling in completely around flagstones and handling light foot traffic.

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SUCCESSION

GARDENING

AS A GROUNDCOVER

While traditional groundcovers spread outward via stolons or runners to blanket a flat surface, there is another dynamic approach to coverage known as succession gardening. Instead of relying on a single plant to cover a patch of earth all year long, succession planting uses a choreographed sequence of growth where late-emerging, large-leafed perennials rise up to seamlessly replace early-season plants that have finished blooming and gone dormant.

Though these structural plants may not trail along the ground, they function perfectly as a groundcover by ensuring that the soil is never left bare, vulnerable to erosion, or open to opportunistic weeds. Even better, this layered, multi-species approach dramatically increases the overall biodiversity of the garden, offering varied nectars and pollens for different local pollinators as the seasons shift.

The Great Dixter Inspiration

This sophisticated method of choreographing overlapping plant lifecycles is a concept being perfected at the world-renowned Great Dixter House and Gardens in England, where Andrew completed an immersive internship. Andrew has been refining this technique, naturally weaving together plants to create this beautiful succession within our island ecosystem.

Gorgeous combination of Thalictrum ‘Elin,’ Aquilegia, Euphorbia x pseudovirgata and the leaf and seed pod of Paeonia delavayi

How it Works

The magic of succession gardening lies in pairing "ephemerals" plants that put on a spectacular early-spring show and then completely disappear in the summer heat with late-emerging structural companions. Instead of looking at yellowing bulb foliage or empty dirt patches, these late-blooming perennials push right through the fading greenery, covering it completely so you never have to cut it back manually.

Soft, Early-Season Coverups

Pair spring bulbs with soft, mounding textures that come up in early summer. Let the spring perennials foliage be naturally covered up by the expanding leaves of Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) or the dense, clean mounds of White Bloody Cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum 'Album').

The Woodland Understory

True woodland ephemerals are built to bloom before the forest canopy leafs out, meaning they vanish entirely by mid-summer. Spring favorites like Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica), Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis), native Trilliums, and Shooting Stars (Dodecatheon) leave noticeable gaps when they go dormant. Succession plants that slowly emerge from the soil and then unfurl their leaves when the spring bloomers begin to fade covering up the empty space. Good succession plants are Hostas, Heuchera villosa 'Autumn Bride', Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense), Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) or Bigleaf Aster (Eurybia macrophylla).

Larger Structural Plants

Larger spring bulbs and structural perennials leave behind heavy, messy foliage that requires a more robust plant to successfully mask. Large bulbs like Daffodils (Narcissus), Camassia, and Autumn Crocus (Colchicum) can be easily hidden away using towering, architectural late-bloomers like Meadow Rue (Thalictrum), Goat's Beard (Aruncus), or Bugbane/Cohosh (Cimicifuga). A structural giant like Thalictrum will weave its wiry stems right up through the messy, collapsing bulb foliage, completely hiding it from view while throwing up airy lace-like blooms later in the summer.

Late-Season Plants

When mapping out your succession layout, these are some top late-emerging perennials to plant right alongside your spring bulbs and ephemerals to ensure continuous ground coverage:

For Architectural Foliage: Rodgersia, ornamental rhubarb (Rheum), and the smoky, feathery plumes of Bronze Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare 'Purpureum').
For Structural Summer Blooms: Burnet (Sanguisorbia), Monkshood (Aconitum), dramatic Foxgloves (Digitalis), and highly resilient Wood Spurge (Euphorbia).

By pairing the early risers with the late bloomers, your garden becomes a self-managing, living tapestry that protects the soil, smothers the weeds, adds vital food sources and keeps the landscape visually beautiful throughout the entire growing season!

NATIVE GROUNDCOVERS

ECOLOGICAL GARDENING

ROSES

May 25, 2026 Karen Logan

The Perfect Fit:

Roses in the

Vineyard Garden

With so many breathtaking varieties available, how do you choose the right rose for your landscape? Whether you are looking to cover a classic picket fence, fill a sunny border, or plant a low-maintenance native, Vineyard Gardens is here to help you select the perfect match for your property.

Here is a breakdown of the primary rose categories and a sampling of the beautiful varieties we are carrying at the nursery this season.

David Austin Roses photo by keith kurman

CLIMBING ROSES

Climbing roses are spectacular for adding vertical color to fences, arbors, or trellises. You can easily train these vigorous growers to climb in any direction by gently tying the canes as they grow.

New Dawn: One of the most popular climbing roses. Its pale pink blooms offer the iconic look famously seen draping over the white fences of Edgartown.
Zephirine Drouhin: A stunning, thornless climber featuring deep rose-pink flowers and a strong, fruity fragrance. Great for training over high-traffic walkways, arches, seating areas, or doorways where you won't have to worry about anyone getting snagged.
Tess of the d'Urbervilles (David Austin): A compact climber producing striking crimson-red blooms with a medium, classic Old Rose fragrance.
Bathsheba (David Austin): An elegant climber sporting apricot-toned flowers and a unique, beautiful scent.

Climbing New Dawn Rose (David Austin Roses)

SHRUB ROSES

Shrub roses are upright, bushy plants that offer incredible versatility. They are perfect for hedges, mixed garden beds, or stand-alone focal points.

Classic & Native Shrub Favorites

Knock Out® Roses: Famous for a reason! These are exceptional, continuous repeat-bloomers that flower much longer than traditional rose bushes. They maintain a tidy, mounded shape when pruned correctly (note: they do not climb).
Rosa palustris (Swamp Rose): A fantastic native, multi-branched shrub boasting intensely fragrant pink blooms and fleshy red rose hips. This plant is a true ecological powerhouse; as a keystone wetland species, it prevents soil erosion while supporting an incredible diversity of wildlife. It serves as a vital larval host for multiple native moths, provides safe, dense nesting sites for songbirds, and offers a critical food source for native bees, butterflies, and birds.
Julia Child: Features warm, pale yellow flowers paired with a delicious licorice and clove scent.
Seafoam: A low, sprawling shrub covered in creamy white blooms with a light, delicate fragrance.
Blanc Double de Coubert: A rugged rugosa hybrid known for its intensely fragrant, pure white double blooms.

David Austin Shrub Roses:

David Austin varieties are world-renowned for combining the romantic, multi-petaled double flowers of Old Roses with the disease resistance and repeat-blooming power of modern varieties.

Vanessa Bell: Soft, pale yellow flowers with a fragrance reminiscent of green tea. Forms a bushy, upright shrub (4’ x 3’).
Desdemona: Beautiful white blooms flushed with a pinkish hue. Features a complex Old Rose fragrance with hints of almond blossom, cucumber, and lemon zest.
Gertrude Jekyll: A large shrub with bright pink blooms and a quintessential, rich Old Rose scent.
Olivia Rose Austin: A well-balanced medium shrub with soft, mid-pink flowers and a delightful, fruity fragrance.
The Fairy: A charming, smaller shrub that stays compact, producing clusters of light pink flowers with a mild scent.

GROUND COVER ROSES

These low-growing, sprawling varieties are ideal for the front of garden borders, slopes, or erosion control. They thrive in full sun and add a vibrant carpet of color.

Rosa rugosa (Beach Rose): Our naturalized beach rose is hands-down the most salt-tolerant and drought-tolerant rose around. Perfect for coastal Island landscapes.

MINIATURE & CONTAINER ROSES

Do you dream of growing roses but have limited garden space? We’ve brought in a few different varieties of dwarf roses to give you the opportunity to grow these great cut flowers right on your patio or deck!

ROSE CARE

To get the absolute most out of your roses, keep these three golden rules in mind: Roses love full sun, well-drained soil, and plenty of organic nutrients!

Feed Them Now: Spring is the perfect time to apply a high-quality fertilizer to kickstart the blooming season. We highly recommend Espoma Plant-tone or Rose-tone for organic, steady feeding.
Mind the Drainage: Whether planting in a garden bed or a large patio container, ensure the roots never sit in waterlogged soil.

Looking for something different? We’ve only scratched the surface of the incredible rose varieties we carry. Stop by Vineyard Gardens, and our team will help you find the perfect rose to elevate your home landscape!

PLANT PROFILE: PEONIES

MAY GARDEN TIPS

SEDUMS

August 5, 2024 Karen Logan

SEDUMS

There are over 400 species of sedums, in the family Crassulacea. They are known for their succulent foliage and drought tolerance. Sedums are easy to grow, hardy perennials that come in a range of sizes, colors and shapes and flower beautifully. Plant them in full sun and well drained soil and they will be happy campers. Some even do fine with afternoon shade.

Sedums are terrific low maintenance plants which really stand out in late summer to fall.

Sedums grown at our on site production location

SEDUM PLANT TYPES

Creeping Sedum: Groundcover that can spread up to 3 feet. This low growing sedum usually spreads quite wide like a carpet. Many of them have little rosettes for foliage which look like flowers but are actually foliage. The Sedum major is a great example of foliage that resembles flowers.
Tall Sedum: Upright habit that can reach 2-3’ tall and wide. These taller sedums are like small shrubs. They can even work as hedges.
Trailing Sedum: Used in containers, hanging baskets or spill over rock walls.

Vineyard Gardens usually divides Sedums into the low growing, spreading type referred to as rock garden sedums and the taller more upright type many of which are in the species spectabile, which means showy.

SEDUMS AT VINEYARD GARDENS

Sedum rupestris Angelina: A rock garden spreader with yellow foliage and yellow flowers.
Sedum reflexum Blue Spruce: Great in rock gardens and have bluish gray foliage.
Sedum Steel the Show: This sedum is the perfect ground cover for a sunny garden. It has bright blue green foliage.
Sedum dasphyllum Major: A rock garden type whose foliage looks like tiny little blue flowers.
Sedum Sunsparkler Series: This series is medium size and the foliage ranges from plum purple to green with cream variegation.
We carry Dazzleberry, Plum Dazzler, Cherry Tart, Lime Zinger, Firecracker and Blue Elf.
Sedum Munstead Dark Red: A spectabile type that grows 15-18” tall with greenish foliage and dark red flowers.
Sedum Mojave Jewels Saphire: A plum colored upright sedum.
Sedum Night Light: Flower color in shades of yellow to gold. 22-26” tall; 30-36” spread.
Sedum blooms attract pollinators. Birds, butterflies and many insects love them!

Brightening the Shady Garden with Summer Perennials

DEER RESISTANT PERENNIALS FOR SHADE

PERENNIALS GROUNDCOVERS FOR SHADE

Our Go-To Shade Favorites

FILIPENDULA

Growing Conditions

A highlight of midsummer!

FILIPENDULA VARIETIES

Filipendula rubra ‘Venusta Magnifica’ (Queen of the Prairie)

Queen of the Prairie is spectacular when planted in large masses. Because of its height, it serves as the perfect living backdrop for mid-sized summer perennials.

Filipendula ‘Kahome’ (Dwarf Meadowsweet)

Ecological Benefits

Bring Filipendula into Your Garden

HEUCHERA

(CORAL BELLS)

Stars of the Shade Garden

A FOLIAGE PLANT WITH DELICATE BLOOMS

Where & How to Plant

Heucheras are DEER REISISTANT!

Design Pairings & Garden Uses

Try replacing traditional mulch with ground covers like Heuchera. Not only are they effective at suppressing weeds, they add beauty and habitat too.

Our Favorites

LIVING MULCH:

Perennial

Groundcovers

Try planting ground covers at the base of your shrubs instead of mulching. Ground covers are very effective at keeping weeds out and moisture in!

Groundcovers for Shade to Part-Shade

Exceptional Foliage

Spring Bloomers

Native Ferns (Excellent Massers)

Groundcovers for Sun to Partial Shade

SUCCESSION

GARDENING

AS A GROUNDCOVER

The Great Dixter Inspiration

How it Works

Soft, Early-Season Coverups

The Woodland Understory

Larger Structural Plants

Late-Season Plants

The Perfect Fit:

Roses in the

Vineyard Garden

CLIMBING ROSES

SHRUB ROSES

GROUND COVER ROSES

MINIATURE & CONTAINER ROSES

ROSE CARE

Looking for something different? We’ve only scratched the surface of the incredible rose varieties we carry. Stop by Vineyard Gardens, and our team will help you find the perfect rose to elevate your home landscape!

SEDUMS

Sedums are terrific low maintenance plants which really stand out in late summer to fall.

SEDUM PLANT TYPES

SEDUMS AT VINEYARD GARDENS

Sedum blooms attract pollinators. Birds, butterflies and many insects love them!