Shade in the Landscape: Be Creative
If you are lucky enough to have beautiful old trees on your property no doubt you are thankful for the shade, but have often longed for a more vibrant garden. It is a common desire that our clients bring to us. Our designers know that an exceptional landscape can be achieved by using different textured and colored perennial plants to create a beautiful outdoor space.
Few shade-tolerant plants have striking flowers, so we concentrate on:
• Textures – wide leaves, narrow leaves, small leaves; we place plants with different types of foliage next to each other for interesting contrast.
• Colors – leaf colors can be outstanding in shade perennials.
• Groupings – we plant perennials in groups so that their outstanding features stand out.
Plants That Grow In Shade
Hostas are known for their attractive shade-loving foliage. There are so many varieties available with large leaves, small leaves, wide leaves, narrow leaves, solid green, different shades of solid blue, bright (almost yellow) leaves, and variegated. The flowers are enjoyed in some gardens, but are easily pruned out is you prefer. For maximum impact, plant them in groups.
Bleeding Heart are low, delicate shade perennials with blooms that appear in early spring with attention getting, heart shaped flowers on arching stems. Attractive bluish green foliage emerges first and flowers of the bleeding heart may be pink or white. The foliage of these shade perennials is feathery and very pretty and creates movement with the slightest breeze. An herbaceous perennial, the bleeding heart plant dies back to the ground as the heat of summer arrives.
Turtlehead is a rather showy fall flowering perennial with pretty pink flowers. It’s on the tall side and is less common than many others. If you are looking for late season blooms, this is definitely one to consider.
Japanese Forest Grass is a graceful, colorful groundcover for shady areas. Slender stems hold bright golden-yellow foliage having the effect of a tiny bamboo. Great in containers or color accent in borders. This is a grass that does well in the shade. Note that there are varieties with different colored foliage.
Spotted Dead Nettle (Lamium) is a lovely perennial groundcover with silvery foliage to brighten up a shady area.
Liriope is a low, grass-like plant which is very hardy. It will bloom in the summer with purple, spiked flowers. It is also available with white flowers. We like this plant a lot.
Epimedium is a perfect example of how to add color without blossoming plants. The heart-shaped leaves of this ground cover offer a nice color interest for most of the season.
Astilbe is an old shade stand by. The flowers are showier than a lot of the others so you might consider adding a few of these. It comes in many sizes and flower colors.
Ferns are available in shades from light to deep green to the colorful fronds of the Japanese Painted Fern. They are smaller ferns available and some that are quite large, making this a versatile choice for your landscape.
A good design will incorporate texture and color in any garden. We think of a shady area as a challenge not a problem. With the skillful use of plants that grow in shade-including annuals, groundcovers, perennials, shrubs, trees, and evergreens-combined with elements like benches, outcroppings, and containers, our designers create personal retreats for our clients every day. Contact us today to begin the process.
Glen Goldberg, Founder and President
