Gardening in the Shade
by Noreen Shea & Gretel Walker
Shade gardens come with their own charms and challenges. Imagine sitting amidst lush foliage and woodland flowers on the hottest of summer days. We think “perfect.”
There are many reasons for gardening in the shade. Some of us are forced to, either by nature if we find our property located under a dense canopy of deciduous trees or evergreen conifers, or by man-made environment if we are located next to buildings or fences. Others just love a garden in the cool refreshing air that shady spots can provide. The key to enjoying your shade garden is the detail–all the wonderful textures, leaf shapes, and reflections of light that play before you.
When designing a shade garden, we must first monitor our area on a sunny day. Watch and determine how many hours of sunlight it receives. There are several types of shade. Partial shade, which allows the most gardening options, is found in areas which receive three to six hours of sun each day. Light shade is also referred to as dappled shade. This occurs when light is filtered through a lacy covering of overhead leaves or is shaded by a high canopy of leaves. Full shade is an area which is shaded most of the time or gets under three hours of sun each day. Dense shade is the most challenging because very little light reaches the soil. This occurs under dense evergreens, or in an area of thick shade trees such as oaks or maples. To be successful, choose plants that are appropriate for the amount of shade in your garden.
Soil conditions can also be challenging, especially if you are gardening under trees. The web of fibrous tree roots from mature trees compete for moisture and nutrients. Dry soil conditions can be one of the major shade gardening problems, especially when you are getting your plants established. Daily watering will probably be necessary. After your plants are fully established, a weekly deep watering is preferable to more frequent shallow waterings. Applying fertilizer regularly may also be necessary. We like to apply a 4″-6″ layer of compost and or shredded leaves and work it into the garden area. Be careful, when working under large trees not to cut into some of the larger tree roots. It is also important not to pile a great deal of soil over the established roots, and do not under any circumstances build a raised bed around a tree trunk and fill it with soil. This can eventually kill a mature tree.
After your soil has been amended, check the pH. Adjust to 6.0-7, if necessary, since most shade lovers like a neutral to slightly acidic soil. Now you are ready to plant. It is usually easier to dig in 4″-6″ pots of plants, and there is less chance of damaging the existing tree roots. Mulch after planting to retain moisture.
Planting under deciduous trees gives you a few more options. It allows you to plant many spring flowering bulbs, which will flower before the trees leaf out. The trees will also provide ample leaves for next year’s organic material. However, it will be necessary to rake in the fall and run the leaves through a bagging mower or shredder before using them. Allowing a large leaf drop over your woodland garden can smother plants and create an environment for plant diseases. Good air circulation around shade plants is especially important.
Now it’s time to design the garden. Look for different leaf textures and colors. Variegated foliages lend bright spots to an already dark area. Dark flowers recede into the background while yellows and whites pop out more. We like planting in groups of at least 3-5 plants of different varieties and then repeating the pattern. This will make the area look larger. You may want to arrange by size from the prospective viewing area as well as color arrangement (yes, colors are possible in a shade garden).
There are several advantages to shade gardens. First of all, plants grow slower so they will not have to be divided as often. Weeds also grow slower or not at all. On a hot sunny afternoon, it’s the best place to plant, transplant, deadhead, or just relax.
Some of the more colorful additions to your shade garden could be:
Coral bells (Heuchera americana)- very hardy, foliage in varied colors, pink to red flowers.
Wood lily (Lilium philadelphicum) – turns a vibrant brilliant orange.
Turk’s cap lily (Lilium super bum)- purple colored sepals and dark orange coloring.
Pink wild cranesbill geranium (Geranium maculatum) – beautifully detailed foliage as well as spring blooms of pink and white.
Foxglove (Digitalis grandiflora) – beautiful yellow blooms.
Crested iris (Iris cristata) – delicate blue/purple shades of flowers.
Primrose (Primula vulgaris) – shades of yellow, pink and purple.
Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) – beautiful red and yellow flowers.
Liverleaf (Hepatica americana) – delicate shades of purple – blooms in February.
Allegheny foamflower (Tiarella cord ifolia) white flowers – blooms in May.
Monkshood (Aconitum carmichael) – deep blue flowers – blooms in September.
Dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis) – Fragrant white or lavender flowers – rebloom throughout the summer, from June to September.
Balloon flowers (Platycodon grandiflorum) – bear purple or white flowers from late June through September.
Carpathian bluebells (Campanula carpatica) – bear blue or white flowers on 10 inch plants June through October.
Other more common shade garden plants are hostas, astilbes, bleeding hearts, as well as hellebores and lily of the valley.
Foliage plants include lungwort, variegated Jacob’s ladder, coleus, variegated Siberian bugloss, variegated grasses, caladiums, and elephant ears, to name only a few.
Happy gardening in the shade!
© Copyright 2010 Connections Magazine
