Lamium - The Silver in Your Romantic Shade Garden

 

 

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Behind A Garden Wall: The Cape Fear Botanical Garden

Spring calls for a walk in a garden or wood. The Cape Fear Botanical Garden in Fayetteville, NC provides both. Conceived in 1989, it is fairly young, without the history, grand specimens and patina that older gardens gain with time. Much remains undeveloped, but there is a feeling of freshness. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon in spring.

From the Wyatt Visitors Pavilion, we strolled, garden map in hand, through the Wellons Arbor. Planted with immature vines, it will eventually become very beautiful, though it's not unattractive now. My wife remarked that she wants me to build one like it.

If we had followed the map, we would have turned to the left and taken a clock-wise course around the garden, but we didn't. We passed the fountain, a naturalistic spring set in stone, admired the tulips and viola, and headed toward the river. Along the way, we enjoyed glimpses of Cross Creek, a tributary of the Cape Fear.

I'm drawn to rivers, creeks, lakes and oceans, so the prospect of walking along the Cape Fear River was too much to resist. The Cape Fear was a principal means of transportation into the interior of North Carolina, especially before the advent of railroads. It's still navigable as far inland as Fayetteville.

The walk to the Cape Fear River begins on high banks where wildflowers such as Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) and Fawn Lily (Erythronium americanum) were appearing. Then the trail winds through its floodplain, crossing a well-built footbridge. Typical regional species on the forest floor include Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum), Yellow Buckeye (Aesculus flava), Gray's Sedge (Carex grayi), Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) and Cleavers (Galium aparine). There was also a good population of non-native Japanese Stilt Grass (Microstegium vimineum). We saw a good many fiddleheads, including Christmas Ferns (Polystichum acrostichoides) and Southern Lady Ferns (Athyrium asplenoides) as we ascended.

Views of Cross Creek and the Cape Fear River were pretty good that time of year when arboreal foliage was still unfledged. I expect it's different in summer. Perhaps garden plans include providing better vistas without compromising the natural appeal. Apart from the sound of distant traffic, it seemed like the city was far away. But it wasn't.

At the upper edge of the forest, we came into the McLaurin Camellia Garden. Our camellia season in south Georgia was over. Most here were in full bloom: 'Imura', 'Gigantea' (see photo above), 'Pink Perfection', 'Fashionata'. We found a little extra pleasure in the fragrance of Variegated Winter Daphne (Daphne odora 'Aureo-marginata').

Almost every contemporary botanical garden has popular theme gardens: rain gardens, friendship gardens, water-wise gardens, and children's gardens. This one has them, too. Judging from the approaching clamor, it seemed the children's garden was going to be a happening place in a few seconds. We escaped to a more idyllic spot - the Great Lawn and gazebo, where a young mother and daughters were enjoying a quiet tea party. Star Magnolia (M. stellata) and a rhododendron were in bloom.

We were slow to leave the garden, though the day was waning and we had many miles to drive. Still, I had to pause to snap pictures of great ground covers such as Dark Dancer Clover (Trifolium repens var. atropurpureum) and Creeping Veronica.

The Cape Fear Botanical Garden is a member of The American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admissions Program. Which means a membership in one participating botanical garden will provide benefits in another. In this case, a membership in another will get you free admission to the Cape Fear Botanical Garden.

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Lamium - Not As Nettlesome As It Sounds

If you were offered a basket of dead nettle, you might be put off by the suggestion for nettles are well-known for their stinging hairs.  I dare say there isn't one of us who hasn't run across them as children or brushed against them with our bare limbs and felt the consequences.  Nettles are synonymous with stinging.  To be nettlesome is to be very irritating.  Dead or alive, you wouldn't want them.

But wait, the name unfairly invokes distrust of a very charming genus of perennial plants, Lamium, native mostly to Europe.  The botanical name, (pronounced LAY-mee-um), which means "dead nettle", refers to the hairy surfaces of the plant which do not sting.  Thus, they are "dead."  One of the most popular ornamental species is L. maculatum (pronounced mak-you-LAY-tum), meaning "spotted."  Lamium belongs to the Mint family, Lamiaceae.

It's easy to recognize Lamium's relationship to mints.  Leaves are ovate and toothed.  The most popular varieties are variegated.  The flowers are fairly large compared to mints, usually pink in color and having two lips, and are produced repeatedly throughout the growing season.  The fragrance is not as pleasing as its tasty cousins.  Lamium grows about 12" high and spreads by runners to about 12" across.  It attracts bees and butterflies.

Lamium is suitable as a ground cover and in container gardens.  It's beautiful planted at the base of stone walls and other such structures.  Plant plenty of it for the bees and butterflies, and in your herb garden.  You'll also love it for its seasonal color; the foliage is nearly evergreen and displays a nice plum shade in winter.

Lamium thrives in partial to full shade in USDA climate zones 3 to 9 or 10 in fertile, well-drained, slightly moist soils with pH ranging from 6.1 to 8.5.  It's somewhat drought-tolerant when established.

Begin by taking a soil sample to your local Cooperative Extension Service office for testing.  The results will specify any soil amendments needed.

Prepare the planting bed by cultivating at least 6" deep, removing all traces of weeds. Compacted soil should be cultivated to 10" deep.  Add enough soil to raise the bed at least 4" above the surrounding ground level. This will help to promote good drainage. Composted manure may be incorporated into the soil.  Incorporate 10-10-10 fertilizer at a rate of no more 2 lbs. per 100 square feet into the top 4" to 6" of soil. Avoid synthetic fertilizers contacting any part of your plants.

Space the plants 12" apart. Dig planting holes into the cultivated soil a little less deep than the depth of the growing container.  Water the plants in the pots, then drain.  Place the plants into the holes and back-fill, watering as you go. Press soil around the root balls. Do not cover entirely the root balls with soil. The tops should be slightly exposed. Add a top-dressing of mulch around the plants, not on top of them, about 1" deep.

Because it likes well-drained soil, plant Lamium with other plants having similar cultural requirements.  Fertilize sparingly and allow soil to dry between watering.

Lamium has no serious pests or diseases, and deer don't like it.  The greatest cause of failure is planting it in an environment that is not to its liking.

Lamium does not spread as rapidly or as far as its relative, Lamiastrum.  The plant is much more compact and as beautiful.  However, if you have to cover a large area, Lamiastrum may be the better choice.  Considering its beauty, adaptability to a wide range of climates and soil conditions, Lamium should be one of the top choices for your garden.

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