BC Living
Spreads – From Scratch
You’ve Gotta Try This In May
How to Support BC Wineries Now
4 Tips on Balancing a Nutritious Diet with a Side of Indulgence
Choosing Connection: A BC Family Day Pledge to Prioritize Presence Over Plans
Embracing Plant-Based Living this Veganuary and Beyond
Inviting the Steller’s Jay to Your Garden
6 Budget-friendly Holiday Decor Pieces
Dream Home: $8 Million for a Modern Surprise
Local Getaway: A Mini Cozy Sanctuary in Nelson
B.C. Adventures: Our picks for May
Spring into Fun in Kamloops: The Best Events in the City
BC Distilled
Melodies and Museums: Solo-Friendly Entertainment for the Independent Traveller
Arts Club Theatre Company Celebrates 60 Years
Pyrrha Connects People With Pieces That Speak To Them
BC-Based Gifts Perfect for Mom
SOLO CHIC: 5 Essential Pieces for the Stylish Solo Traveller
Q: I am looking for a somewhat colourful shade plant maybe 8″ high to put in between my hostas. Do you have any suggestions?
During the summer, impatiens and begonias look bright over a long period of time (May to October). They are not expensive, so this is a long bloom time for a reasonable price.
I plant dwarf daffodils (such as ‘Katie Heath’, ‘Jack Snipe’ or ‘Tète-à-tète’) between my hostas for some flowers in early spring. The shade in my garden is from deciduous trees, so early spring has enough sun for the bulbs to thrive. Anemone blanda is also pretty in spring and goes dormant in summer. Cyclamen hederifolium blooms beginning in September, flowering before the leaves fully emerge. The foliage is attractive all winter, giving something for when the hostas are dormant. Spring vetchling (Lathyrus vernus) is a dwarf pea relative that looks sweet in spring.
In terms of evergreen perennials, I like the small, white-variegated sedge called Carex conica ‘Snowline’, which is cheerful, as well as the diminutive Cardamine trifolia. It has dark green leaves and the new growth is bright green, giving a two-tone effect. It has white flowers in spring. Euonymus fortunei ‘Harlequin’ creeps and has clean white variegation.