So I hope to have a report and update as well as some pictures next weekend. In the means time a little preview of what will be happening when I head next weekend. Along with overseeding the lawn and fertilizing I will be bringing out a new ground cover for the woodland garden.

Tradescantia Blushing Bride I will be placing it in several areas that get a lot of shade and see if I can get it to grow. It seems to be well suited for the woodland garden and I think it will do well there. I will let you know how it works out.

Have a great week and Looking forward to writing about the first visit of the season next weekend!

Commonly called Virginia Spiderwort grows in part shade to full shade, tolerates full sun. It is hardy in all zones. Tradescantia virginiana’s blue to violet-blue, rarely rose or white, flowers appear from from late spring to mid-summer.

Virginia Spiderwort

The flowers open only in morning, the petals then wilt and turn to a jelly-like fluid. The common name comes from angular leaf arrangement which suggests a squatting spider. It does well in both woodlands and prairies

Also known as Blood Root,Red Puccoob,Red Turmeric a low perennial plant. flowers are produced from March to May, with 8-12 delicate white petals and yellow reproductive parts that appear to be clasped by the leaf.

Blood Root

Sanguinaria canadensis will grow in sun to full deciduous shade. The roots and stems have a dark red sap.

*  Bloodroot is one of many plants whose seeds are spread by ants, a process called myrmecochory. The seeds have a fleshy organ called an elaiosome that attracts ants. The ants take the seeds to their nest, where they eat the elaiosomes, and put the seeds in their nest debris, where they are protected until they germinate. They also get the added bonus of growing in a medium made richer by the ant nest debris.

* Information from A Wikimanual of Gardening

Also known as Squirrel Corn with beautiful white, sometimes tinted pink heart shaped flowers blooms in late April early May. Dicentra canadensis grows in rich woodlands in shade to deep shade.

Squirrel Corn

The roots have yellow tubers resembling corn hence the name. I do not have much more information on this plant other than it grows in the Smoky Mountains. If you have more information please feel free to leave a comment.

Also known as Foamflowers or coolwort are small plants that make a welcome addition to the woodland garden. Foamflowers add color in terms of foliage and flowers to a shady site. Small white flowers. The white or pink flowers appear in mid to late spring.

Foamflower

Foamflower grows easily in thicker, moist woodland soils and makes an attractive ground cover with tiny white blooms in mid to late spring.

They prefer moist, humusy soil the type found on the forest floor beneath the canopy of deciduous trees. If you give them these conditions plus mulch, you be will rewarded  in no time with a lush, care-free groundcover.

Hardy zones 3-8

Also known as  Pacific Giants Primrose

These plants are at their best in shady, moist woodland gardens. Blooms in May, and sometimes again in late summer.  Large range of colors available – yellow, red, purple, white, flowers are often bi colored and the attractive, narrow leaves may be rounded to oblong. At times, they look tufted or wrinkled.

Pacific Giants Primrose

Primroses are perfect for shady landscapes. Use them  in woodland
gardens mixing and matching them with other shade-tolerant, moisture-loving plants, suHardiness:
USDA Zone 3a: to -39.9 °C (-40 °F)
USDA Zone 3b: to -37.2 °C (-35 °F)
USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F)
USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F)
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)ch as hostas, ferns, European ginger, hellebores, and woodland wild flowers.

Bloom Time:
Late Spring/Early Summer
Mid Summer

Foliage:
Herbaceous

Other details:
Flowers are fragrant

Shooting Star

Habitat – Prairies, meadows, hillsides, open woods, rock outcrops.Family – Primulaceae

Bloom time – Early – Mid Spring

Shooting Star grows well in relatively adverse soils . It lends itself well to woodland environments. It does require some shade and a fair amount of moisture. In richer soil the growth  will be more vigorous.

First on the list would be ferns, generally they thrive in wooded areas with little or no site preparation or or special attention. They fill in quickly and will look nice especially in dense shade areas.

Pachysandra (Japanese Spurge) hardy from USDA zone 5 southward dark green glossy leaves it spreads well and does well in the shade.Will fill in and area and spreads rapidly. prefers a bit of moisture.

Dead Nettles, are great for shady places. They will take light to heavy shade and tolerate dry shady areas once established.

Iris cristata can be planted as a groundcover in a woodland . It is a small spreading form of iris with upright foliage it creates a contrast to ferns and hostas and will do well.

Vinca minor (Periwinkle) dark glossy laves spread rapidly and has tiny blue flowers in the spring. aA warning though it may become invasive in some areas.

Cranesbill (true geranium) is another plant that will do well in a shady area and will help fill in areas where shrubs are not growing.

There are many more as well. The best place to start is to take a walk in the local woods and see what is growing there.