Here Come the Hostas

Most of my back yard is shade, so I have a lot of plants that do better without direct sun.  Right now I've got hostas coming up all over the place.  This morning I counted 29 plants in various stages of popping up and unfurling.  Here are just a few:

Inside the tree circle: Lungwort / pulmonaria in front, bleeding heart and columbine by the tree and the hostas I call the "three sisters" bringing up the rear.  Behind the path is a bank of "dead nettle" lamium that is just beginning to bloom.

The other shade lover that is just beginning to appear is my ferns:

Most of these are just beginning to show tips of green coming out, but I'll  have a dozen or more fully unfurled in various parts of the yard over the next couple weeks.

I love the bright colors of my few sunny beds, but I've also learned to appreciate the different shapes and textures of my shade gardens.  I'm always amazed by how quickly new things will appear this time of year.  I walk the yard first thing in the morning before leaving for work and then come home to find plants I had not seen before.  It's a good thing my classes I'm teaching at the college are nearly done for this term.  It's hard to stay focused on grading papers and planning lectures when I want to do is spend every minute I can out digging in the dirt.