Shade-loving plants can often take more sun than we give them credit for taking, especially if given ample water. We have a large stand of ostrich ferns and lady ferns that stand in full-sun for most of the day, and as long as I keep them well-watered they will stay fresh and green until the end of July. That’s usually when I give up on the daily watering they require, and they instantly turn brown. Once that happens there is no turning back, and no amount of water will correct them, so it’s most important not to let them get to that point.
As for other plants like the hydrangea and hosta seen here, which also find their preferred placement on the shady side, they too can survive the sun with enough water. I don’t push them like I push the ferns, since they are partly shaded during the hot points of the day, but I do keep them well-watered because that’s when they reward you with fresh and healthy foliage like this.
They also put on a less-showy floral show, as is the more subtle way of shade-lovers. It’s as if they want to glow more delicately with pastel shades rather than sizzling with blazing and saturated hues. They add a quieter woodland element to the garden.
The flowers of the hosta are secondary to its foliage, but if you get close enough you’ll find a delicate lily-like scent to some of them.
With so many things running late as the season opened, the garden seems to have rebounded, as nature always does, and now it feels like the hosta is blooming earlier than usual. (It’s quite possible I’ve simply lost track of time given the year that is 2020.) The lace-cap hydrangea also feels a bit early, which makes me lean toward doubting my sense of time this summer. It’s flying by quicker than usual, and maybe that’s because part of me is still waiting for all the traditions that kick off the summer to happen.
