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Shade Gardens

Landscaping with Shade: Garden Beauty without Much Sun

April 26, 2017

When it came to gardens, my father showed no favorites. He tended his shade gardens with as much attention as he did his sun-filled gardens. Comparisons are odious, he liked to say! Why not see if there is a spot where you can tuck in a shade garden this summer? 

Before you plant
Determine how much shade your garden gets, and if it is moist or dry. Is the shade dappled or deep? Is the area shady all day, or only in the morning or the afternoon? Remember not all shade comes from trees! Roof lines and nearby structures also create shade. 

What to plant
Shade gardeners have plenty of choices, and they aren’t only green foliage. Plan a garden that incorporates native shade-loving plants with showy blooms to create a stunning garden from early spring through the first frost. 

Perennials—the exotics
Hostas (Hosta spp.) come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. Because there are so many to choose from, they are perfect for shade gardens. Their flowers provide stalks of color beginning in mid-summer that are beautiful in floral arrangements. Beware that these plants are a favorite deer snack.

Heuchera and hostas fill woodland garden
Hostas in a variety of colors and sizes
Deep shade on garden slope.
Hostas and ferns line path on steep slope

Astilbe (Astilbe x arendsii)—sometimes called false goatbeard or false spirea—have fern-like foliage and elegant plume-like flowers that create fountains of color ranging from white to pinks and reds. Astilbes do best in loamy, moist soil.

Of hellebores (Helleborus spp.), David Colle wrote in Fine Gardening magazine: “You simply have to love a plant that braves what nature throws at it and can still show off from February through May.” Often referred to as the Lenten Rose, these evergreen perennials can tolerate dry shade and require little attention. They are a favorite of aphids, though, so be sure they are well-spaced with plenty of air circulation.

In September and October, the long-blooming freckled blossoms of the toad lily (Tricyrtis spp.) appear, providing a spot of color until frost. “Some, such as Tricyrtis formosana, have their blooms clustered at the top of the stalk, like daylilies. Others, such as Tricyrtis ‘Lightning Strike’, have their flowers marching down an arched stem,” according to the Chicago Botanical Garden. These plants like moist soil rich in organic matter. Toad lilies are another plant that deer love.

Astilbe_Jeff Hart_CC BY 2.0_Flickr
Astilbe (Astilbe x arendsii)
Hellebore_amdougherty_CC BY-NC-ND 2.0_Flickr
Hellebore (Helleborus spp.)
ToadLily_Tricyrtis formosa 'Gilt Edge'_Sarah's Yard_CC BY-NC-ND 2.0_Flickr
Toad lily (Tricyrtis spp.)

Perennials—the natives
Be sure to purchase these native plants from trusted nurseries that do not collect them from the wild!

Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum), named for the Old Testament’s wise King Solomon, is lovely from spring through the fall. In April, look for creamy, bell-like flowers hanging from arching stems (1 to 6 feet tall). In the fall, the plants sport blueish-black fruits that are favorites of birds. Solomon’s seal grows moderately in clumps.

Miniature blue (sometimes lavender or white) crested iris (Iris cristata) put on a show in the spring. They are deer resistant and can thrive in partial to full shade.

Masses of trillium (Trillium spp.) bloom in the forest understory along the Blue Ridge Parkway in the spring. Known as the trinity flower, because of its three leaves, the flowers range in color from white and yellow to pink and burgundy. 

Solomon's Seal_Jett Brooks_CC BY-ND 2.0_Flickr
Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum) with hosta
Crested Iris 'Eco Bluebird'_Drew Avery_CC BY 2.0_Flickr
Crested iris (Iris cristata)
Trillium Trio - UWGB Arboretum_Tim_CC BY-NC-ND 2.0_Flickr
Trillium

Ferns
They come in all sizes, shapes, and textures—from lush, tall Christmas and cinnamon ferns, to low-growing, gray-shaded Japanese ferns, and delicate maidenhair ferns. Many are native to our mountains, hardy and—in most cases—deer-resistant.

New York fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis) has fronds that grow up to two feet and makes a lovely addition to any woodland garden. It spreads easily in acidic, organic-rich soil.

Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)—named for its fronds that resemble feathers—is a hardy, deciduous fern that produces “fiddleheads.” It prefers heavy, moist soil and plenty of shade, although it can tolerate some light.

Fossil evidence puts the royal fern family (Osmunda regalis) in the Triassic period. They like wet, rich soil and plenty of shade. Their feathery fronds often resemble flowers, hence its other name—flowering fern.

Maidenhair spleenwort’s (Asplenium trichomanes) name doesn’t do it justice. This petite evergreen fern (just 4 to 7 inches) favors moist, but well-drained rock crevices, making it perfect for rock gardens.

Japanese painted ferns (Athyrium nipponicum) really do look as if an artist’s brush decorated them in subtle tones of maroon, green, and silver gray. They are an excellent choice in shade gardens when you want to add a touch of low-growing color. 

Ostrich Fern_Hornbeam Arts_Cc BY-NC 2.0_Flickr
Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)
Maidenhair Spleenwort, Asplenium trichomanes_J.Maughn_CC BY-NC 2.0_Flickr
Maindenhair spleenwort fern (Asplenium trichomanes)
JapanesePaintedFernShadeGarden_mwms1916_CC BY-NC-ND 2.0_Flickr
Japanese painted fern (Athyrium nipponicum)

Bulbs
Naturalized daffodils (Narcissus) make for beautiful spring sightings in a forest understory. You can create the same effect in your shade garden using a variety of bulbs from very small to big and bold. Unlike tulips, hyacinths, and crocus, deer and rodents typically don’t eat daffodil bulbs because they are poisonous. 

What hidden beauty does your shade possess? The possibilities are endless.

Article written by Janet Moore, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer.

For more information on each of these plants, go to
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu and search by plant name.

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Categories Shade Gardens Tags astilbe, bulbs, crested iris, ferns, hellebores, hostas, shade, shade garden, Solomon's seal, toad lily, trillium

Shade Gardening

February 25, 2013

Simply saying a plant will grow in the shade is too simplistic a statement because not all shade is the same. There is filtered shade, partial shade, open shade, and dense shade. Shade changes with the time of day and from year to year as trees grow. Sites that might be in full sun part of the year may become heavily shaded as the season changes or as trees leaf out. Light is also influenced by topography. For example, a south-facing slope receives more light than a north-facing slope.

Types of shade
Filtered shade (dappled sunlight) is suitable for growing many plants — even plants that prefer full sunlight such as iris or daylilies. Light intensity is relatively high with sunlight and shade constantly changing from minute to minute during the day. Filtered shade occurs under birch, mimosa, and honey locust trees. Partial shade changes as the day progress. The area may be in the shade until some point in the day then the area received full sunlight. Open shade occurs where there are no trees overhead to block sunlight but the plants are in the shade due to the shadows of a building. Open shade is well lighted but does not receive direct sunlight. Deep shade is the most restrictive type of shade. Deep shade is found in heavily wooded areas and in landscapes where large evergreens or broadleaf deciduous trees (maples, oaks, hickories, beeches) occur. Deep shade can also occur in a narrow side yard on the north side of the house when another building is located close by or in a recessed entry way on the north side of your house.

Many shade plants are native to wooded areas and grow best in soils exposed to decomposing leaf litter and compost. Moisture in shaded areas is different than sunny areas. The cooler temperatures and less exposure to wind decrease water loss. However, competition from tree roots and the large, tender leaves of many shade-loving plants can cause moisture shortages. Trees vary in their competitiveness for soil moisture. Some shady sites can be quite dry. Many plants will grow in the direction of the strongest light; one side of the plant will be thick and full while the other side will be sparse.

Tree shaded gardens become more shaded with time. As trees grow taller and wider they cast larger shadows and less light will penetrate the increasingly dense shade. The quickest way to admit more light is by removing lower tree limbs thus raising the height of the shade. This will decrease humidity and allow some filtered light to reach understory plantings especially in the morning and afternoon.Canopy thinning involves selectively removing trees limbs. This could involve removing a few, large limbs or many, small limbs throughout the tree. The results is a less dense shade or even perhaps a dappled sun-shade situation. Thinning is not a one time procedure; it will need to be repeated as trees grow. The same process can be used on large shade-casting shrubs. Some shrubs can be pruned into a tree form thus allowing more light to plants growing near their base.

Tree Roots
Trees differ in the number and depth of their roots. Maples, for example, have numerous shallow roots which makes digging, planting, or growing plants under them difficult. While tilling, creating raised beds, and root pruning are methods to cope with tree roots, these methods can lead to the decline or even death of the tree. The worst location for starting a raised bed is at the base of a tree; the additional soil can lead to decay organisms attacking the trunk or the main roots that support the tree. These methods are temporary at best since tree roots will grow into the newly amended soil or raised beds. In order to protect the tree, limit tilling and the addition of topsoil to a small percentage of the total root system. Dig individual holes for shrubs and flowers instead of preparing beds. Filling around trees with compost, bark, and sandy loam for a raised bed is another option — provided it is done in moderation.

Article written by Patsy McNatt, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer.

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Categories Shade Gardens Tags deep shade, filtered shade, partial shade

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