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Nursery Shopping List 14 shrub varieties and the planting information for each zone From "Garden Sense" episode DGAR-102

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Coleus blumei 'Black Dragon'
All zones, but grows as a perennial in Zones 7- 8.

• Dramatic new coleus with large, velvety, rumpled black leaves with a frilly edge and ruby red centers
  
• In general, coleus is experiencing a new popularity as container plants and using in the ground.
  
• The dramatic foliage on this particular plant is one of the reasons for its popularity.
  
• Grows 10 to 18 inches tall
  
• Full to partial sun

Care for coleus:

• Need well-drained, moist soil and fertilizer once a month.
  
• Some are sun tolerant; others are not. Check the tags.
  
• When the plant sends up a flower stem, pinch it off to keep the plant vigorous and to maintain the impact of the foliage.

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Dryopteris x. australis — Dixie Wood fern
Zones 5 to 9

• Sturdy semi-evergreen fern bearing handsome dark green fronds.
  
• When mature, they form a slender vase shape.
  
• Tolerant of dry sites
  
• Loves shade
  
• Grows 4 to 5 feet high

Dryopteris erythrosora — Autumn fern
Zones 5 to 8

• Bronze-to-copper colored fronds that slowly turn green by summer
  
• Evergreen to deciduous species
  
• 1.5 to 2 feet tall fronts when they emerge in spring
  
• Slow spreading clumps that reach 1.5 feet wide
  
• Plants thrive in partial shade with moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter; they also thrive in evenly moist to wet soil.

Dryopteris ludoviciana — Southern Wood fern
Zones 4 to 9

• Evergreen — with beautiful dark green, upright fronds
  
• Tolerates more sun that most ferns
  
• Will tolerate dry conditions, too, but performs best in moist areas.
  
• Height — 18 to 30 inches

Thelypteris kunthii — Southern Shield fern
Zones 8 to 10

• Light green fronds that grow in clumps
  
• Many say it's the most sun tolerant fern— it'll also tolerate drought-conditions.
  
• This is one of a couple of ferns (including Florida Shield and Southern Wood ferns) that Southerners may grow because the leaves won't fry in full sun.
  
• Deciduous and fast growing
  
• Grows 24 to 40 inches tall

Care for ferns:

• Low maintenance
  
• Make certain ferns are well-watered especially during hot summers with full sun — the Southern Wood fern is drought-tolerant so it can take less water
  
• Make certain the soil has a lot of humus. They love loose, rich soil
  
• Divide clumps in the spring

Gardening by Zip Code If you're looking to start a gardening projectbut don't know your gardening zone—visit the National Gardening Associations's USDA Hardiness Zone Finder. Enter your Zip Code to identify the proper zone.

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