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Shade Gardens

Plants for Shade Gardens:

Rather than becoming frustrated over trying to garden in a shady area, follow a few quick tips on learning how to transform a difficult shady garden area in to a cool, inviting retreat. The challenge of creating a beautiful garden in a shady spot is typically caused by two main problems:
  1. limited sunlight
  2. limited soil moisture.
SHOP for shade plants

Typically, tall trees or over grown bushes and shrubs create the most difficulties for shade gardens. Tall, mature trees,Shade Perennial Garden cast dense shade, and their tiny feeder roots can rob the soil of its moisture making it difficult to establish new plantings.

The first step in creating an attractive shade garden is to decide if the shade is dense (all-day), light (filtered by trees), or partial (created by a building or structure). In partial shade, where some direct sun shines for a few hours a day, you will be able to grow a wider selection of plants. To create more light, where large trees are a factor, try selectively trimming a few branches out to allow more sunlight to filter to plants below.

Soil moisture, and the ability of new plants to have access to water, is just as important as sunlight. Check the moisture and soil tilth of your garden area by taking core samples every 10 feet or so. If you soil is very compacted, add new topsoil, compost and mulch before your start planting. Ensure that your irrigation system is working properly before installing new plant material.

A shade garden can be cool retreat offering lush greenery and a subtle, refreshing change from the sunny annual or perennial gardens. When selecting plant materials for your shade garden work with both the color and texture of the plants. Shade loving plants often has lesser, insignificant flower while offering vibrant, colorful foliage.
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Ferns are ideal foliage plants in the shade garden. Perennial ferns range in size from 6 inches tall to over 5 feet in height, making them very versatile in the garden. Hostas are also a very popular shade perennial. Grown for their bold foliage, hostas are striking when planted with ferns because their leaves are broad and rounded with prominent ribs, contrasting pleasingly with the soft, feather fronds of ferns. Heucheras are another shade perennial that is gaining popularity in shade gardens. revered for their brilliant foliage, available in a rainbow of colors, and their tough, hardy nature, Heucheras pair nicely with ferns and hostas in the shade garden.

Ways to add color and contrast in the shade garden:

Add white: White makes the deep greens of shade gardens just pop! When selecting plants with white accents don't forget varigated shrubs such as Variegated Red Twig dogwood that have lovely green leaves with wide white margins.

Add yellow: Neon yellow or lime green foliage plants such as Sambucus Sutherland Gold, Hosta Stained Glass or Heuchera Electra add heavy contrast to the garden.

Add texture: Look for ruffled edges, feathery shapes or big broad leaves to break up the shade garden and to give the light and shadows more reflecting area.
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