In the spring of 1998 we were finally treated to the display that Forsythia is capable of. Early flowering plants are often those which are suited to the woodland garden or semi-shade. In their native habitat, they take advantage of the sunlight in early spring and do the majority of their growing before the deciduous trees leaf out. They grow well in mass plantings and with each other. Like bulbs, it dies back to ground level in early summer.
Ferns are excellent plant choices for gardens on the shady side of the house.
They grow well in masses, have the height needed to block the house foundation and require very little care once established. Top-dressing the fern bed with organic matter in early fall will keep the soil in good shape for the ferns to thrive. This year, I will be trying new selections of larger and smaller shrubs to stand alone or work in combination with the existing shrubs. It has many attractive features including fragrant white flowers in April and new growth which is a rich bronze before turning to a dark evergreen leaf. Last fall I planted many new bulbs and bulb combinations in areas which I have since forgotten.