Made for the Shade

 

 

Dear Homeowner,

 

      With careful planning and good plant selection, even the shady spots of your garden will come alive.

 

      To create a shade garden in an area underneath a large tree, plant ground covers which have shallow roots. To add height and texture to a shady corner, plant ferns which thrive in acidic soil and deep shade.

 

      Perennials and bulbs provide a rainbow of color and interesting foliage. Spring-blooming bulbs flourish in the sun before deciduous trees regain their leaves.

 

      Fill in gaps with shade-tolerant annuals. These will add color while your perennials are out of bloom.

 

      To make your shade garden look more natural, plant odd numbers of the same species and add shrubs for permanent structure. They will create a backdrop for smaller plantings and add texture and color.

 

      Start with a good plan and add to it each year. As other plants mature, you'll need fewer annuals to fill in the gaps.

 

Shade-loving plants

• Ground Covers: Ajuga, Epimedium, Euonymus, Fern, Hosta, Ivy, Lamium, Lily-of-the-Valley.

 

• Perennials: Bleeding heart, Daylily, Columbine, Coralbells, Fern, Goat's beard, Lobelia, Lungwort, Primrose, Snake-root, Trillium, Woodland phlox.

 

• Bulbs: Tuberous begonia, Caladium, Calla lily.

 

• Annuals: Begonia, Coleus, Impatiens, Vinca.

 

• Shrubs: Azalea, Boxwood, Hydrangea, Yew.

 

 

For more gardening tips, call Val Ogletree Real Living Sugar Pine Realty at (209) 559-5725