An Innside Look at Chocolate Gardening, Part 2

Busy inn owners appreciate a helping hand (and green thumb), "One of our neighbors dug up and shared bags of irises," said Stamper. "Imagine our surprise when these chocolate-brown blooms appeared. They are gorgeous!" she added, commenting on the chocolate-tinged irises which graced the Aska Lodge B&B garden this spring.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the millet? Just ask the Stampers! "Recently," says Mary Jo, "I found millet at our local nursery." Of the small-seeded, grassy grain used to produce millet flour, millet beer and birdseed worldwide, she said, "It's the perfect chocolatey color and since we're so bird friendly here, we might as well feed them too!"

Perfect for those hard-to-plant shady spots, Stamper raves about this particular variety of foxglove, "Cream colored and dotted with chocolate-colored specks, this foxglove is awesome!" But gardeners new to foxglove should plant with care: Foxglove, a member of the Figwort family, is toxic to a wide range of animals (including humans) and should be cultivated with potential dangers in mind.

Spicebush, or Lindera bizoin, is native to North America and grows well in partially-shaded, moist, dense woodlands and mountainous slopes. Featuring colorful berries with an aroma reminiscent of allspice, this shrub attracts birds, butterflies and other wildlife. Pictured here behind red coleus, Spicebush leaves are aromatic when crushed and the duo makes a striking addition to woodland gardens or native plantings.