The perennials listed here will thrive in "light shade" if the soil is humus-rich and free of tree roots. "Light shade " is found in clearings between well-spaced trees, against north-facing walls with no direct sun but good light, and in east-facing borders reached by morning sun only.

Borders shady in the morning but sunny in the afternoon (west-facing) are not suitable for shade-loving plants. No flowering perennial is likely to do well in the dense shade of closely planted evergreen trees. Hostas might succeed if the shade is not too dense. If the trees are deciduous, try perennials that flower in spring and then go dormant since they will receive the benefit of light for their flowers early, through the leaf-less trees.

These perennials will die down in winter, unless otherwise indicated. All of the following can be obtained in our Garden Shop in the Forest.

1. ANEMONE (Anemone vitifolia "robustissima").  Most robust of Japanese anemones, spreads fast, flowers late summer. There are also SNOWDROP ANEMONE (Anemone sylvestris) and VIRGINIAN ANEMONE (Anemone virginiana). SNOWDROP flowers in the spring, in moist soil, but tolerates drier summer soil. The VIRGINIAN is similar, taller, and flowers later.

2. COLUMBINE (Aquilegia).   Columbines do well in light shade, flower in spring or early summer, and can be grown from seed. Leaf miner often damages leaves.

3. ASTILBE.    Must have moist, rich soil and then they will do well in sun or light shade. Colors are pink, orange, read, and white. The flower is unique, rather feathery.

4. BRUNNERA MACROPHYLLA.   Flowers in spring, succeeds in dry soil although it prefers moist, will co-exist with tree roots, and will seed itself in light shade.

5. BELLFLOWER (Campanula).   Blue flowers (there is a white one, LATIFOLIA) in spring, early summer, or summer. Don't remove spent flowers if you want them to naturalize which they do readily if allowed to set seed. But if you want re-bloom, cut off stalks of spent flower. Ask about these details when shopping.

6. EPIMEDIUM.   Does well in shade, even dry shade. Flowers may be white, mauve, orange, yellow, rosy pink, crimson or bicolor. Some clump and spread slowly, others are less dense but spread quite fast. EPIMEDIUMs flower in spring.

7. DISPORUM FLAVUM.   New from Japan, this beautiful plant bears its nodding flowers of lemon-ice yellow in early spring. Glossy foliage is attractive all season. It is related to SOLOMON'S SEAL and, like it, tolerates dry shade although it grows more luxuriant in moist rich soil.

Also ask about HARDY GERANIUMS,  LIRIOPE,  PHLOX,  TOAD LILY, PULMONARIA,  COWSLIP-PRIMULA,  CHINESELANTERNS,  HOSTA,  BEGONIA, HELLERBORUS,  BERGENIA CORDIFOLIA,  GREATER CELANDINE,  GOLD STAR.

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