Yesterday afternoon while moving a few things in the yard, I noticed that my grouping of ‘Old Fashioned’ Bleeding Heart were breaking ground already! This has to mean that spring is really coming and soon all of this cold weather will be a distant memory.
Dicentra (Bleeding Heart) are an exceptional plant for shade gardens. Easy to grow, they offer lovely, delicate foliage and uniquely shaped flowers which dangle from stems that arch out. They arrive early in the spring and provide many weeks of enjoyment with their pink and white flowers. Preferring soils that are loose, evenly moist and that drain freely they will grow 2′-3′ high and wide. Easy to care for, they’ll provide years of enjoyment. Fertilize lightly in the spring with a 10-10-10 around the base of the plants and apply a 2″ layer of mulch around the plant to help retain moisture and keep the weeds away. After the flowers have faded the plant will continue to provide a great backdrop to other perennials or annuals. Mid summer the plant will begin to enter it’s dormancy and by late August, can be cut back.
We carry seven different varieties of Bleeding Heart which are listed on our Plant List page. It’s hard to have a favorite when they all so beautiful, but my ‘Gold Heart’ Bleeding Heart tops my list. I have it along the edge in one of my hosta gardens with Sweet Woodruff planted around as a groundcover and in the spring when both are in bloom – it’s absolutely gorgeous!
'Gold Heart' Bleeding Heart
