Today’s flowers poking through the fence are not vines; they are “just” plants. Here, a Begonia has grown dense enough to stretch outside it’s fenced border. Copyright 2025 Pamela BreitbergThis Wax Begonia also blooms outside the fence, probably where it finds more life-giving sunshine. Begonias are annuals in the Chicago area, which means they need to be replanted each springtime after chances of frost have left. Copyright 2025 Pamela BreitbergHostas, unlike Begonias, are perennials, which mean that they survive our northern winters easily. Each year their plant and blooms become more and more dense. I found, when I lived near a forest preserve, that they are favorite food of neighboring deer! Copyright 2025 Pamela BreitbergThere are many varieties of Hostas allowing for one’s shady garden to consist entirely of Hostas and still be interesting. Textures, sizes and leaf coloring vary per species. Copyright 2025 Pamela Breitberg