Green comes in many forms, from dark and subtle to bright and vibrant. Chartreuse is far from subtle; a combination of green and yellow, it can look electric. To some people, leaves of this hue look anemic, but for many of us the color adds another element of beauty and texture to the garden. Chartreuse makes a beautiful combination with other plants and allows us to expand our color palette.
My family has a cabin in Wisconsin, located on a site that receives minimal sunlight. Despite the shady conditions, I’ve been able to fill the perennial beds with color using chartreuse foliage. I’ve added several ‘Sun King’ aralia, which look amazing planted behind shorter perennials for shade. The cool climate allows me to grow ‘Gold Heart’ bleeding hearts in part sun alongside ‘Walkers Low’ catmint ( Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’) and peonies ().
