Hi HuChee,

Do you know what zone you're in? All three of those Brunneras should be hardy to zone 3, and I can't imagine you're any colder than that! Check out the link below. Zoom in on your area and then click on the different zones on the left of the map and they'll highlight on the map to show you what's where. Around Kalispell it looks like it's zones 4-5, and in the far NW area it looks like zones 5-6.

I have a 'Looking Glass' that's planted right against the north side of my house where it gets no sun at all in winter (and very little in summer), and I've had no problem with it at all. I got a very small start at one of our Denver swaps, and it hasn't grown a whole lot, but it's planted in some really bad clay soil, so that's not surprising! But there have been no problems at all with it being hardy or making it over winter--I'm in zone 5 here in the north Denver Metro area. I cut almost all of my perennials down over winter (and I cut them shorter than 2 inches!). And mine is mulched with "small" (bagged) bark mulch, about an inch deep, right up around and over the crown of the plant. I use mulch to help conserve moisture, and to make everything "look nice!" I keep mine pretty well watered in summer, and if we have a particularly dry winter here, I water once or twice over winter too, but I don't think you'd want to keep the soil wet all the time over winter--as long as it doesn't dry out ALL the way.

Unless you have some unusual location where you think you might get down to zone 3 or colder, I wouldn't worry about them. If they happen to be in a place where they'll be covered with snow most of the winter, that's better yet! Snow is an excellent insulator, and it will maintain the temperature pretty much right at 32 degrees!

I wouldn't expect you to have any problem with them, but if you do decide you'd like to mulch them for some reason, I'd recommend something like Maple leaves or some other "light" mulch that would allow good air circulation and wouldn't "pack down" around the plants. In this case I recommend taking the advice of the nursery where you bought them--which you already have done with the cutting down--and just let them be over winter and wait for them to come up in spring. The roots will continue to grow over winter until the soil freezes--if your soil does freeze and stay frozen up there!

Let us know in spring how they're doing!

Welcome to RMG,
Skybird

Here is a link that might be useful: Interactive USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Yes

And, welcome!

The wild Anchusa (related) does very well on its own up here, on well drained soil. I imagine that HuCheeGirl has access to lots of evergreens. Pine needles, fir or spruce branches could be other choices for a winter mulch.

Steve
just had this extra 2 cents in my pocket

Hello again! Yes - new to gardening, new to the forum and so glad to be here! Thank you Skybird and Steve for such great information! I will try both ways of mulching. Fun to experiment and learn! Skybird I tried to go to the Zone link, but my funny old low IQ phone would not take me there. I do live in the Flathead Valley outside of Kalispell up in the foothills and it gets pretty frosty up here. I think you are right tho - Zone 4. Good to know your Brunneras are doing well with no sun at all in winter. Mine are situated about the same way. Thanks to you and Steve I can relax a bit more now! All the best, - H.G.