I have mine in part shade facing east, and it does well there. I have never given any thought as to whether it is too hot there or not. I do water when it is too dry.

Jan

I would not recommend planting them in a western exposure. It will be too much sun for the plant.

Hi,

I live here in Maryland also. Lady's mantle is a SHADE plant in our zone, so definitely don't put in on a western exposure! When I first bought Alchemilla mollis/Lady's mantle I planted them as a border in my sunny, south-facing rose garden and the leaves completely fried and turned brown in summer, even with heavy watering. I have since relocated them to my shady woodland garden, mixed with hostas/ferns/columbines/heuchera, and they are doing fabulous -- thriving and multiplying very nicely, with no leaf burn. I now have about 30 lady's mantles sprinkled in my woodland garden and they're just now starting to come into bloom with their chartreuse flowers... they start blooming right as the columbines come into full bloom. I highly recommend Lady's mantle to other Maryland gardeners but once again, be sure to treat it as a shade perennial.

hope that helps!

Victor :)

When I lived in Maryland, I grew my lady's mantle in damp part shade. Here in California, I'm growing it in full sun and it's doing very well. I think the plant is very versatile.

It must be because I just recently discovered that it is a shade plant. It's been in full sun here in my garden for almost 10 years. Ignorance is bliss!

I have six lady mantle plants in my front garden facing west. They are extremely happy (and have gotten huge!) I'm one zone cooler than you, which might make a difference.

I grow mine in a sunny position and it seems very happy there. It is an easy-care plant and doesn't seem too fussy.

Here in S. Central PA, in clay soil, I planted it in several locations on level ground in dry shade, in which it soon expired.

I now have it on the shady (house) side of a small raised (lasagnia-type) border, the sunny side of which faces northwest, but partially shaded by street trees. The two I planted both survived last winter, and one was actually trying to bloom a few weeks ago until I shaded it further with a potted plant. It is shaded by a few bee balm plants and a garden arch covered with hops. I made certain to give each plant some of my best compost from leaf mold, and water whenever the border looks stressed.

The successful plants are really only a couple of inches above ground level, but it was enough to help them survive winter freezes, apparently.

My Lady's Mantle have been in the ground for four years in a north-facing foundation garden. I love everything about this plant; however,they have trouble standing erect. I never thought I would have to stake this plant. It is not huge - my experience it has been a slow grower. I am wondering if it is growing toward the sunlight. It does receive morning sun for several hours and then it is shaded most of the day. I am disappointed it does this and it detracts from the overall beauty of the plant. Does anyone else have this problem?

AM writing again in hopes someone might have something to offer. I have been checking on my Lady's Mantle and it has been in the ground at least four years (north-facing garden, near the foundation and partially shaded by hydrangeas). It has not grown larger (by this point, one would expect it to have doubled in size) and the sweet stems and flowers are bending to the ground, with some flat on the ground! Is this because of the sun - growing toward the filtered light? They are beautiful in color and the leaves are so pretty, but those stalks are on the ground. I am ready to move it, but don't know where!

I started this post back in 2005 and I have been extremely patient, but my Mantle never took off in the shaded, northern exposure garden. Is this an easy plant to transplant? I love the plant and the way the water beads up on the leaves - very pretty, but I want to plant it where I can enjoy it and it will do well. Help!

Dorry, I can't help you with advice on growing conditions, but I have a picture of Lady's Mantle in my late cousin Terry's garden. Terry was one of the best gardeners I know. Her Mantle leaned over, whether planted in sun or shade. Could be that's its habit. I think it looks charming, particularly in a raised bed like this.

@ Alisande ~ Thank you for the photo. It really helps to see some plants in situ. Your late cousin's recognition that Lady's Mantle looks lovely draping over a raised wall confirms your assessment. She was a talented gardener.
@ dorry2 ~ Thx for posting this. It's been several years and several gardens since I've tried my hand at growing Lady's Mantle. I'd forgotten about their floppy stems, and at the time, I too was frustrated. I was thinking about trading it out for some heuchera villosa (hairy alum root), but then we moved. Looking at Alisande's photo of her cousin's garden, has helped find a new appreciation for this lovely little plant in my new garden.