Shade Garden
Visit the garden situated beside the exhibit building at the Mercer County 4-H Park near large shade trees.
The shade garden is situated beside the exhibit building at the Mercer County 4-H Park near large shade trees. The plants in the garden are a mixture of native and non-native perennials, most of which are grown for their colorful, interesting foliage and low care requirements.
There are several spring flowering perennials with eye catching blooms however, most notably the Pulmonaria with its blue and pink flowers, the hardy Geranium which has magenta flowers, and the native Aquilegia canadensis 'wild columbine' with its red bell shaped flowers. Achemilla mollis 'Lady's Mantle' is an all around winner with its velvety, cup shaped leaves that hold sparkling droplets of water, and its airy chartreuse flower heads.
Originally, the majority of plants in the garden were Hosta, over the years these have grown into impressive specimen plants. The following varieties are included in the planting H. 'Golden Tiara", H. 'Patriot', H. 'Gold Standard', H. 'Halcyon', H. 'Sum & Substance', H. 'Sugar & Cream', H. 'Ventricosa', and H. 'June'. This year native perennials were added they include; Anemone virginiana 'thimbleweed', Tiarella cordifloria 'foamflower', Hydrophyllum canadense 'maple leaved waterleaf' and Osmunda cinnamomea 'cinnamon fern'.
