Ferns and hosta grow pretty well in my shady, wooded, clay soil yard. And growing wild in the woods surrounding us are hepatica, bloodroot, large flowered bellwort, violets, elderberry, and near the marshy area even jack in the pulpit. Lady's mantle, bleeding heart, ligularia and cimicifuga all have done well for me, too.

Linda

Sounds like you probably have a moisture problem too - I mean lack of it. I was very surprised to see how well Epimedium x rubrum does in the VERY dry soil at the base of my river birch. Seems to just thrive, while my oak fern barely survives. Another good one would be upland sedges (Carex spp.), like Pennsylvania sedge.

Thanks for the suggestions. I did put in a couple of ferns last year and am hoping they'll come up again. The epimedium x rubrum (I looked it up...Barrenwort) sounds like it might be just the thing to try. And maybe the violets and sedge.

Thanks.
Nancy

Rick, I need lots of that Epimedium; do you know if it's available as seeds, or just plants?

Went to Funkie Gardens in Prescott today looking for epimedium x rubrum but ended up with epimedium g. var. hig. 'Bandit'. I think I got a bit overwhelmed with the different varieties and just picked the one I found most attractive. I understand that the x rubrum is supposed to be the hardiest variety but I'm hoping this one will be, too. It was much more expensive than I imagined (24.95!)so I hope I'm not going to be disappointed. Thanks for all the earlier suggestions for my shade/clay problem.

Wow that was a bit pricey. How large a pot was it? I got a pot at the recent Hort. sale, not sure what variety--it has apreety reddish tinge to the outer edges of the leaves.

It wasn't all that big...a 4" pot I think. I probably could've gotten it cheaper somewhere else but after driving all the way down there just for that purpose I lost all common sense. I'm just hoping I won't kill it.

Epimediums are just expensive everywhere. With my limitted knowledge on this genus, I seem to remember Bandit as being an especially good selection. I really don't think you were taken to the cleaners for that little plant. Grandiflorums seem quite variable in their hardiness, so keep your fingers crossed with 'Bandit'. After this winter, with all my epi's surviving in the very exposed and snowless location, I am convinced that dry soils increase their hardiness. So that should be a plus for you. They do take a bit of time to become established.

Rebecca, I've never heard of anyone starting epimediums from seed, except for breeding purposes.

Rick

Well, that makes me feel a little better. I'm sure my loved ones were thinking of having me committed so it's good to hear that it wasn't such a bad purchase.

Nancy