to my hosta eye... the bed lacks yellow.. and grasses dont count ... they are not hosta

weird the effect of the angled deck rail ... kind of discombobulating ....

this is in the UP .. right .. lol

hey .. take out the 2 flowers ... and all you have in there is green .. variations on the theme of green ... are you related to kermit?

ken

omg.. with julie andrews: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlyUPxp4R2Q

“weird the effect of the angled deck rail ... kind of discombobulating ....

this is in the UP .. right .. lol”

Tell me about it LOL imagine planting in it!

I forgot to mention there will be various purple flowers blooming in here... geranium Rozanne Baptista salvias and Veronicas. Also some bloody dock. Yes there is no denying I like purple:)

I did have an Arelia Sun King up top, but I had to move it as the bed is just to dry and it didn’t do well. Replaced it with a golden privet which you can’t see as it’s too sparse right now.

The grasses really do brighten it up once they fill out.

Can’t visualise yellow...what do you see?

Here is another angle if that helps..

Great green video Ken...

I see yellow as a definite need there it would also go very well with purple.

I may be out of line here, but O.M.G! In your last photo, I see Sensitive Fern with broad fronds -- I have that thug all over my back gardens. Now, I do love ferns, but THIS one wants to take over the planet, and here in my moist backyard it is doing a very fine job of it. As fast as I try to remove it, back it comes to engulf everything around it.

If I am correct that this is what you have in your pretty garden, I recommend digging it out as fast as you can! If I am wrong, forgive me.

Thank you all for the yellow suggestion.

I played around with photoshop mix and added some yellow ones, and I do like them!

Popmama, that is a nice one! I looked that one up and it looks like it may get too big? Darn as I really like it. I’d like to find something on the smaller side, so they don’t smother the perennials in there. Any smaller ideas?

Roxanna, that fern came as a hitchhiker with a piece of Rodgersia I received from my neighbor, approx 5-6 years ago. It has not spread in this dry bed....thank goodness. Too dry for the Rodgersia, so that got moved. I do remember my neighbor stating it spreads when I told her about it. Of course her conditions are much more favourable than mine. I will take your advice and remove it tomorrow...don’t care for thugs....thank you!!!

There are too many to mention! So many gorgeous hostas. But maybe take a look at Fire Island. It's a stunner too.

June, June, June!

-Babka

You keep mentioning it is dry area how long other hosts been there?

Patriots have been there for about 8 years, halcyon were planted last year.

If you think Dancing Queen (max. 18'x30') or June (16'x37) are too big for there how about Curly Fries? It is about 11'x20' and would add contrast in leaf shape too. You already know how much I like your garden!

I played around with photoshop mix and added some yellow ones, and I do like them!

===.... yeah.. it was raining down here today also ... lol ... couple periods of hail too ...

ken

Thank you peren.all. I like that one too!!

Ken thankfully no hail my way just lots of rain...everything is so lush!

Heading out soon to remove that fern!

I think your garden could use some contrast punch with heucheras. Specifically, some of the gold and red ones. Or, if you like, some of the gorgeous violet ones.

I too would add a yellow hosta and I love the ligularia as a complimentary. And the lime heuchera Please excuse the bright sunny picture

Faye

Loving all the suggestions thank you!

So the ferns are all gone...I hope.

Esther I did add the bloody dock as it was red when I bought it....later to learn it grows up green with red veins. I wish I could add some heucheras...Great suggestion but I really don’t have room for more unless I start removing...and I just added a bunch last year... I do have reds scattered throughout this bed just not in this particular area.

Almosthooked I tried 3 ligularia for years. I even tried the buried bags trick to retain moisture, but they still never did well. They ended up being shove pruned unfortunately.

I did go shopping today, to several different nurseries. I found only one ‘curly fries’. Pretty puny but there is two in the pot so that’s a plus, considering I paid a ridiculous price. Not many yellow hostas to choose from, in the small size anyway. I definitely need small as I looked at the bed again and there’s not much room at all, I will have to do some shuffling.

My next dilemma will be finding more yellows (and more sun tolerant) as at the opposite end of the bed as I have tried to mimic the hostas and grasses, and of course I’d like it to match....Oh what did I get myself into LOL!

GardenHo so glad you got Curly Fries and you will be too! It's growth is relatively fast.

"Oh what did I get myself into LOL!" Well you let yourself in for a whole lot of fun!

If you have a bit more space at the other end Maui Buttercups is very nice cupped one at 12"x24". While not 100% yellow Dinner Mint is a real favorite, it is 7"x15" and stays yellow all season.

GardenHo, I have a fern replacement suggestion, if you can readily find them. I've found that all the athyriums can tolerate some punishingly dry conditions under maples, and still look good. Athyrium otophorum/ eared lady fern/ limelight fern, is one of my favorites, and I think would look great with 'Curly Fries, and the golden grass you have there.

Excellent suggestion, for 'Curly Fries' peren.all.

Lol perenn!

You’re such a ‘good’ enabler! I’ll check out your other suggestions thank you. (And what mess?)

Steve that Fern is a beauty, stays neat with great texture. I’d love to find some thank you!

So I’m thinking I may plant curly fries somewhere else...they look too much alike, And would just blend together don’t you think? Available spots are by the grasses...Bummer.

Yes that is a shame. In the first pic it looked like there was room on the left and right side of the Halcyon. One of the alternate options would be a better contrast in this spot. Here are more options.

Perenn thank you so much! I believe I saw appletini yesterday.. now if I could just remember where lol. Cracker crumbs LOL these names just crack me up! Thanks again...

So I finally found some...the perfect size too! ‘Island breeze’...

Yellow hostas are sure hard to come by my way, so I was happy to have found these. I just hope they stay yellow as I saw conflicting images.

Here are comparison pics what do you think?

More sunlight might help, but Island Breeze does become more green. Here it is on Aug. 22nd last year

Oh wow :(

Mine do get quite a bit of dappled sun do you think that will be enough to keep them yellow? How much sun do yours get?

Mine get full sun for a few hours around midday, but very little before and house shade after that, especially in the summer months. Cooler temps will keep the yellow longer, but these will eventually become chartreuse.

Thank you Steve, I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.

I got them planted, not exactly where I wanted...due to the Maple roots. I ended up dividing a couple to put in another bed as they were nice sized....so a pretty good deal as they were on sale. A fraction of the cute little curly fries, which I still haven’t figured out where to put yet Lol.

Here’s a couple pics from today. I’ve added a variety of plants. Although they are still small, I’m liking it much better.

Just wanted to thank you all again for your help and suggestions.

ETA.. Roxanna7, by the way I’m still working on getting rid of that fern lol...

That looks wonderful! I especially like all the pops of purple :)

Woo hoo. Wow that looks amazing! I still love the Japanese forest grass. And what is that silvery heuchera in the forefront?

I agree that the yellow/ chartreuse color was missing. I am happy you bought Appletini. That one is on my list. You you have a wonderful sense of design, proportion and color. Your garden looks lovely.

It looks great GardenHo! Glad you are pleased with the result. It always amazes me when you ask for input since you have such a fabulous sense of design.

Thank you all for such nice compliments.

Popmama, it’s actually an annual. Either a coleus or begonia? Sorry I don’t remember. I originally bought it to use in my planters but decided to plant them on the slope instead.

djacobs I didn’t end up with appletini as I couldn’t remember which nursery I saw it at lol. The yellow ones I ended up buying were island breeze and curly fries.

In addition to those mentioned I divided the purple heurchera I already had and artemisia silver mound, which is not shown here.

At the top of the slope I have 3 sedum ‘blue pearl’ which I plan to divide even more in the spring as it has done well here. Also planted a tiny Cotinus ‘golden spirit’. Now that should give me some ‘YELLOW’ LOL!

I’m looking forward to watching it fill in. Thank you again everyone!

Great thread because I too am looking for a gold/yellow that is 'just right'. I'm leaning toward Fried Bananas although I'm not sure that is really gold or chartreuse. Lunar Moth also looks promising maybe?

popmomma - I wanted Dancing Queen, but I'm still out on whether I would like the pale yellow when it fades and it's pretty big. But yours is gorgeous!

I also have 'Alexander' Brunnera, some light colored heucheras and Japanese painted fern on my list.

I have both dancing queen and fried bananas, I think you’d be happy with either. Both of mine have stayed pretty gold.

Very impressed with anyone who can get curly fries to grow, mine was terribly wimpy. I’ve had much better luck with wiggles and squiggles

Oursteelers I sure hope to have better luck with curly fries. I divided it and planted it in different areas....so only time will tell.

I tried to post this last night, but Houzz would not cooperate. Here’s a comparison picture of Island Breeze. This plant is just over a year old and in shade all day. No doubt it would be lighter with some sun. So I think yours may keep the color with enough sun.

steve it is surprising yours does so well with mid day heat. Sorry about the weeds—-this is the time I run out of energy for that....lol