There was a time when gardeners thought having shade meant not having a garden.
But shady areas in a yard offer an opportunity to grow an amazing palette of flowers and foliage.
They also create great areas for entertaining and relaxing.
A shady garden area can be developed into a cool, quiet, tranquil retreat.
Adding garden seating like benches, table & chairs or a hammock makes a shady area a very relaxing and inviting place to hang out.
A comfortable walking path invites and beckons you to come in and relax.
A key element in growing a successful shade garden is prior planning.
Study your shaded area to get a sense of the density of the shade, plus how many hours a day and the time of day an area is shaded.
You also need to know your soil type - especially whether it is moist or dry.
Typically, shady areas under trees tend to be dry because of the competition for moisture from the tree roots.
This type of area is more of a challenge, but with a little planning, you can still have a beautiful shade garden in a dry area.
There are several types of shade loving plants which prefer dry soil.
Another way to grow plants in dry shade is to place them in containers where they won't have to compete with tree roots for moisture.
An added benefit to this strategy is that it enables you to add a lot of interest with colorful and unique containers which also add height to your garden.
Shady areas that are consistently moist are somewhat easier to plan and maintain.
There are many plants to choose from when planning your shade garden.
When designing your shade garden, consider the many shades of green: bright yellow greens, cool-blue shades, red tinged emerald and degrees of forest and mint green.
Look for plants with leaves that are polished, marbled, velvety, and lacy.
Contrast is the key to making an interesting and appealing design.
Even though a lot of the beauty and drama of a shade garden comes from a wonderful range of colors and leaf shapes, there are also a lot of flowering plants to choose from.
Just a few of the plants you can choose from for your shade garden are: hostas, ferns, pulmonarias, toad lily, lamiums, epimediums, pachysandra, columbine, foamflower, coral bells, bleeding hearts, native phlox, monkshood, primrose and astilbe.
There are countless other plants that will tolerate shade.
Your local garden center will be able to help you find plants that are particularly suited to your area.
Shade gardens are easy to care for, environmentally friendly and can't be beat as a peaceful refuge after an exhausting day at work.
There's not question shade gardens have different requirements than their more exposed, sunny neighbors, but with a little planning and care, shade gardening can be just as beautiful and rewarding as any other kind of gardening.
But shady areas in a yard offer an opportunity to grow an amazing palette of flowers and foliage.
They also create great areas for entertaining and relaxing.
A shady garden area can be developed into a cool, quiet, tranquil retreat.
Adding garden seating like benches, table & chairs or a hammock makes a shady area a very relaxing and inviting place to hang out.
A comfortable walking path invites and beckons you to come in and relax.
A key element in growing a successful shade garden is prior planning.
Study your shaded area to get a sense of the density of the shade, plus how many hours a day and the time of day an area is shaded.
You also need to know your soil type - especially whether it is moist or dry.
Typically, shady areas under trees tend to be dry because of the competition for moisture from the tree roots.
This type of area is more of a challenge, but with a little planning, you can still have a beautiful shade garden in a dry area.
There are several types of shade loving plants which prefer dry soil.
Another way to grow plants in dry shade is to place them in containers where they won't have to compete with tree roots for moisture.
An added benefit to this strategy is that it enables you to add a lot of interest with colorful and unique containers which also add height to your garden.
Shady areas that are consistently moist are somewhat easier to plan and maintain.
There are many plants to choose from when planning your shade garden.
When designing your shade garden, consider the many shades of green: bright yellow greens, cool-blue shades, red tinged emerald and degrees of forest and mint green.
Look for plants with leaves that are polished, marbled, velvety, and lacy.
Contrast is the key to making an interesting and appealing design.
Even though a lot of the beauty and drama of a shade garden comes from a wonderful range of colors and leaf shapes, there are also a lot of flowering plants to choose from.
Just a few of the plants you can choose from for your shade garden are: hostas, ferns, pulmonarias, toad lily, lamiums, epimediums, pachysandra, columbine, foamflower, coral bells, bleeding hearts, native phlox, monkshood, primrose and astilbe.
There are countless other plants that will tolerate shade.
Your local garden center will be able to help you find plants that are particularly suited to your area.
Shade gardens are easy to care for, environmentally friendly and can't be beat as a peaceful refuge after an exhausting day at work.
There's not question shade gardens have different requirements than their more exposed, sunny neighbors, but with a little planning and care, shade gardening can be just as beautiful and rewarding as any other kind of gardening.
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