Plants liven up dark, dank areas in yards

What we call "the garden" these days is no longer restricted to a sunny patch of well-drained soil devoted to tomatoes, marigolds and roses.

No, todays garden takes in the whole property, even shady, wet areas. Many pretty plants not only enjoy, but need, such conditions.

Ferns are what first come to mind for wet, shaded conditions, and these plants look and feel right at home there. Although they all are lush and green, there is quite a variety in their textures and sizes, everything from robust, 6-foot-high ostrich ferns to dainty maidenhair ferns, with each leaflet looking like a miniature, green fan.

But no need to restrict the colors to green. You can have flowers, too.

Plants such as goats beard, queen-of-the-meadow, and false Solomons seal all produce foaming clusters of tiny, creamy-white blossoms. Although the stems of goats beard die to the ground each winter, the plants grow 6 feet high and wide, so allow plenty of room. In early summer, foot-long flower stalks poke above the mounds of leaves. Queen-of-the-meadow blooms at about the same time, atop 4-foot flower stalks. False Solomons seal flowers arrive earlier in the season, at the ends of arching, zigzagging stems, each about 3 feet long and with a leaf at each zig and zag.

Dressed up with flowers, a site once considered a wet, dark wasteland will begin to draw you to it.