What's in Bloom in the Cheesehead Garden

Shade Plant of the Week - Solomon's Seal

Solomon's Seal or Polygonatum commutatum is a shade plant that is also a native wildflower of Wisconsin.  It grows to be about 3-7 feet tall, and makes a great back of the border plant.  In the spring it has small white, bell shaped flowers that remind me of lily of the valley (it is in the lily family).  It takes a while to establish, but once it does it slowly creeps via tubers underground.  In the fall the plant has small blue colored berries which cannot be eaten.  I have the variegated variety (see below).

Hosta of the Day - 'Queen of the Seas'

First, let me say that my hosta 'Queen of the Seas' is not in the greatest spot in my garden.  I had to move it under a tree, as it was turning green (which a lot of blue hostas do if exposed to sun).  I wanted it to maintain it's beautiful powdery blue color through most of the summer.  'Queen of the Seas' has leaves that not only have a slight twist, but also have a pie crust edge and heavily ribbing.  It's a beauty, as long as you can keep it in full shade.

Hosta 'Queen of the Seas' 2009

Hosta 'Queen of the Seas' 2012

Hosta of the Day - 'Queen Josephine'

Hosta 'Queen Josephine' is unusual in that it is resistant to slugs and sun.  It has thick, shiny leaves that are dark green in the center with a gold margin that turns creamy white later in the season.

Hosta 'Queen Josephine' 2009 late in season

Hosta 'Queen Josephine' 2012 in early spring

Hosta of the Day - 'Punky'

Named after the daughter of Ken Ziarek, who is a hosta hybridizer in Wisconsin!

Hosta 'Punky' 2009

Hosta 'Punky' 2011

Hosta 'Punky' 2012

Moving?? Do you take all your plants with you?

 Today could be the day!  It could be the day we decide wether or not to put our house on the market.  Honestly, I have outgrown (no pun intended) my yard.  My husband and I have been casually looking, mostly on the computer, at houses with bigger yards.  We kept saying we were only trying to get ideas of what was out there, but things are starting to look more real now.  We stopped at an open house on Sunday and really liked the house and yard.  So tonight we have the realtor coming out to give us the market value on our house.  If it's in the right price range, the house is going on the market.  If it's too low in the current market, we will stay here for another year or two.

So what happens if we put the house on the market??  I have spent the last 9 years collecting hostas, and have over 400 different varieties in my yard.  There are some that are irreplaceable, and I already know those are going with me.  Do you think it would depend on the buyer, or should I stipulate right away that many of the plants are coming with me?  I could obviously divide and leave parts of most of the hostas with the house.  Perhaps the realtors will have more answers for me.  I just know that I have invested a lot of time and money in my plants, and I don't really want to start over completely.

Shade Plant of the Week - Shooting Star

Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia) is a native perennial in the primrose family.  The plant itself and the flowers are very small, so if you plant this one you'll want to put it somewhere you can actually admire it.  The leaves form a small mound that resembles many weeds in the garden.  I think I actually pulled it one year thinking it was a weed.  Mine receives sun in the spring before my trees leaf out, and then it receives part shade for the rest of the summer.