More than a few garden pundits have decreed that the most sublime and dramatic horticultural effects occur only in all green or mostly green gardens. Flowers, they say, are ephemeral, and therefore superfluous, with gaudy shapes and colors that disrupt the harmony inherent in a plant collection that showcases the many shades and textures of green. Furthermore, say the cognoscenti, an all green garden is cooling, life-affirming, and, above all, supremely tasteful.
That approach is fine for some people, but not for me. Color is part of the experience of gardening, and green, no matter how many shades you put together, is only one color. That’s why I am always on the lookout for plants that add color in mostly-green, shady situations. Not long ago I rediscovered tradescantia or spiderwort, a native plant that combines color, history, hardiness and healthful qualities–all while producing attractive flowers in the shade.
Most people would recognize spiderwort, a medium-tall, somewhat leggy plant with long green leaves and clusters of three-petaled flowers that bloom at the tops of the stalks. The individual blossoms, which last only one day each, are roughly triangular in shape and feature prominent golden stamens in the middle. Tradescantia virginiana is the most common native form in the northeast, and is probably a parent of Tradescantia x andersoniana, the hybrid from which most of the widely available cultivars have been bred.
When it comes to sophistication, you can’t get much more sophisticated than tradescantia’s namesakes, John Tradescant, the Elder (1570-1638), and John Tradescant, the Younger (1608-1662), a father and son pair who were explorers, horticulturists and renowned collectors of curiosities. Serving various noble and royal patrons, including the ill-fated King Charles I and his queen, Henrietta Maria, the elder Tradescant traveled extensively in Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa, collecting plant materials and all kinds of other interesting objects. The former were installed in his botanical garden in the London’s Lambeth Borough, and the latter found their way to Tradescant’s large house, which was nicknamed “The Ark.” Eventually the contents of “The Ark” became the core of the collection that is now at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum.
John Tradescant the Younger ventured even farther afield than his father, making several trips to Colonial Virginia and bringing back all sorts of native American plants and trees, including the tulip tree and the magnolia. In time he succeeded the elder Tradescant as Royal Gardener, managed to survive the English Civil War, and secured the patronage of the restored king, Charles II.
John Tradescant the Elder received seeds or plants of Tradescantia virginiana from contacts in the young colony around 1629, and installed it in his garden. Linnaeus later named the species in honor of both Tradescants.
The Tradescants did much for horticulture, but what can tradescantia do for the average gardener? The plants are perfect for busy people, because they are hardy enough to flourish on a diet of shade and neglect. T. virginiana’s flowers are purple-blue, but by picking a selection of Tradescantia hybrids and cultivars, you can lighten dark garden spaces with a mix of pale lilac, blue, blue-purple, red-purple, pink and true purple flowers.
If you are interested in an extremely floriferous version of the traditional tradescantia, try Purple Profusion, with its purple tinged foliage, or Blue Stone, described by one catalog vendor as “a rampant grower.” Concord Grape ramps up the color volume with flowers in a bright, fruity shade. For contrast, try the white-flowered “Snowcap”, or the mauve-flowered Osprey, whose blooms have pale blue central “eyes”. If your fancy tends towards a reddish-purple flower, consider Red Cloud or Valour. As the name implies, Pink Chablis has pale rosy flowers. Use Blue and Gold or Sweet Kate for their golden-green foliage and Cearulea Plena for its double blue flowers. If your space is limited, plant little blue-flowered Lord Nelson in pots or small beds.
Tradescantia is not really invasive, but some varieties are quite vigorous and will spread nicely. Soil quality is less important than light; the plant definitely needs at least partial shade or the flowers will shrivel and the leaves will burn. It also helps to mulch tradescantia, especially if your shady space tends to be a bit dry. After the first flush of flowers fades, shear the plants back. You will be rewarded with more blooms at a later date.
So, stick with the real sophisticates–the John Tradescants–and don’t be embarrassed to fill your garden with the colorful plants that interest you the most. Local garden centers usually carry one or two tradescantia selections in the “Shade Plant” section. For more choices, try Bluestone Perennials,
7211 Middle Ridge Rd., Madison, OH
. 44057; Phone: (800) 852-5243; www.bluestoneperennials.com. Free catalog