A Garden Design for Shade

September and October have been very busy gardening months for me so I’d like to share some of what’s been keeping me outdoors and digging up my yard!

The thing I really love about gardening is that if a design doesn’t work, you can always change it. This autumn I decided to rearrange and enlarge my shade garden, a smallish space that included a birdbath, ajuga, bleeding heart, hostas, ferns, brunnera, a clematis and cimicifuga (bugbane) planted together in a tiny tapestry of color and form. (In the photo below the old-fashioned pink bleeding heart has already gone dormant and the purple clematis isn’t visible) I had originally planted the bugbane off to one side of the birdbath on the right and placed two large hostas behind it but after a few years this large plant overwhelmed the hostas, hiding them from view, and limiting the morning sunlight they received. I had to rethink my design and reposition these plants to enhance their beauty and create a more pleasing vignette. At the same time, I wanted to expand the overall size of the garden using plants I already had on hand.

The original shade garden (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

Once the weather cooled off in mid-September I dug up the cimicifuga, separated it into three clumps and repositioned these in back of the garden. Although these plants and most of the green lady ferns have already died back and are not visible in the following photos, they will create a tall backdrop for next year’s garden. The large ‘Royal Standard’ hosta (which you can see behind the birdbath above) was relocated to the space vacated by the bugbane where it will receive the extra sun needed for abundant blooms. A ‘Gold Standard’ hosta was moved to the left and a little behind the brunnera to brighten up that darker area. After moving these plants to their new homes, the stage was set to add more shade plants and expand the existing garden.

Variegated Solomon’s Seal will add a vertical accent and glimmer of white behind the blue brunnera while golden hostas and Creeping Jenny will draw the eye in (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

On the far left side where the shade from a hemlock kept the lawn from growing was a similar sized area just right for planting with more shady beauties. In the spring I’d incorporated some compost into the soil and added some Sweet Woodruff to quickly fill in and cover ground. A layer of mulch kept it moist over the hot and dry summer months. Now, I worked filling the space just to the right of this groundcover with more compost and shade-loving plants. A white ‘Bridal Veil’ astilbe, some variegated Solomon’s Seal, a small white-edged hosta and ‘White Nancy’ lamium were added to the garden while more Japanese painted ferns were repeated, marrying the old design with the new. I continued by spreading the dark purple rosettes of ‘Black Scallop’ ajuga and tendrils of bright ‘Creeping Jenny’ in the foreground to define and soften the curvy edge. When all the perennials were in, I added 50 critter-proof bulbs of allium ‘Cowanii’ for striking white accent blooms in late spring and early summer.

Next spring the newly planted left side of the shade garden will fill in with Sweet Woodruff, Japanese painted ferns, ‘Bridal Veil’ astilbe and more hostas (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

Although most of the plants are now beaten and bedraggled from several cold nights, you can still imagine how the garden will look next year when each month will bring something new! It’ll be stunning in spring with the blooms of pink Bleeding Heart, the deep purple flower spikes of ajuga, the delicate blue sprays of brunnera and the white flower clusters of Sweet Woodruff; even the Solomon’s Seal will be sporting tiny white bells along its tall stems. As the season progresses, the feathery white plumes of the astilbe, along with the white flowers of the allium bulbs and ‘White Nancy’ lamium, will share the stage with the purple ‘Arabella’ clematis. Summer will bring spikes of hosta blooms in shades of white and pale lavender while the towering cream-colored wands of the cimicifuga will take up the rear. Behind the stone wall, three new Pieris planted in May will slowly join with the mother shrub to form an evergreen and deer-resistant hedge behind the shade garden, uniting it with the woodland beyond.

Pieris shrubs edge the woodland behind the shade garden (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

The varied shades of blue and purple in the foliage of the ajuga, the Japanese painted ferns, the ‘Looking Glass’ brunnera, and large blue-leaved hosta are enhanced by the sunny greens, golds and accents of white also repeated throughout. Even when little or nothing is blooming, the many colors, textures and forms of the shade plants themselves will keep this garden looking lively and bright!

Creeping Jenny behaves best in pots (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

A word of caution! Golden Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’) is an aggressive spreader and considered invasive in many areas. I like to use it in pots and planters where it’s easily contained and nicely fills the role of ‘spiller’ with its trailing habit. However, in the garden, this innocent-looking plant with its tiny bright leaves can spread like wildfire! Each year, I keep it in check by removing large segments and pulling it back from crowding other plants. I’ve found that the ‘Black Scallop’ ajuga, another vigorous spreader, seems to hold its own next to Jenny since its thick mat of rosettes prevents other plants from easily taking hold.

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Botanical Interests

BloomingBulb

Bonsai Boy of New York

Early Spring Power Perennials

We all have favorite early spring bloomers and, today, I’ll talk about some of mine – three stellar plants that are beautiful, hardy and low maintenance – my criteria for qualifying as “power” perennials!

For most of us right now it’s all about the early blooms of bulbs, but soon enough our sleeping perennials will emerge in a big way.  Combining perennials with bulbs is not only beautiful but a great way to keep the garden looking tidy as the growing plants will hide the dying foliage of the bulbs that have come and gone.  The earliest perennials will even share the stage with our blooming bulbs and enhance their beauty.

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Old-fashioned Bleeding Heart (Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash)

One example of such a plant is the classic, old-fashioned Bleeding Heart, so named for the multiple pink heart-shaped blooms that are carried on its graceful arching stems.  When planted in compost-rich soil in an area with plenty of morning sun, these plants can grow 2 to 3 feet in height and width.  With their large size, they make an impressive statement all on their own but combined with daffodils, tulips, or bluebells, the effect is enchanting!  I love the combination of white “Thalia” daffodils with pink Bleeding Heart and a sprinkling of bluebells.  The plants will remain robust for many weeks after the early bulbs have bloomed but, in the heat of summer, Bleeding Heart dies back to the ground where it will sleep until the following spring.  Because of this, I find it best to plant another perennial nearby that will fill the leftover gap.  Hostas, which enjoy similar growing conditions but are slower to emerge in spring, make the perfect summer companions.  You can grow Bleeding Heart in US Zones 3 to 9 and they’re deer and rabbit resistant.

Heuchera Black Taffeta Wayside Gardens
Heuchera “Black Taffeta” shines next to bright greens (Photo courtesy Wayside Gardens)

The second early power perennial on my list is the Heuchera, also known as Coral Bells.  Growing in popularity every year, these tough little plants come in color variations too numerous to mention, from the deepest purple to the brightest yellow-green!  They sport tiny flowers on dainty spikes throughout the summer months but it’s the color of the foliage that makes these plants shine in pots and borders.  In my Zone 6 garden, heucheras remain evergreen and are one of the first perennials to spring back every year!  On the smaller side at 12 to 18 inches in height and width, heucheras look stunning grouped together at the feet of larger perennials, especially with a contrasting or complementary color.  I use heuchera “Lime Rickey” nestled around cimicifuga “Hillside Black Beauty” to make both colors pop.  They prefer afternoon shade but can take more sun if kept evenly moist.  Heucheras grow best in US Zones 4 to 8 and are deer and rabbit resistant.

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Candytuft Close-Up (Photo courtesy ToGoGarden)

Looking for some eye candy?  Candytuft or Iberis is another old-fashioned plant that remains evergreen in my garden and blooms for weeks with masses of pure white flowers.  Native to the Mediterranean, these low-growing plants prefer rocky, well-drained soil and are perfect for use in rock gardens along with creeping phlox, rock cress, “Basket of Gold” alyssum and colorful spring bulbs.  They grow anywhere from 6 to 10 inches tall and spread 12 to 30 inches depending upon the cultivar.  After blooming, I like to remove the spent flowers and enjoy the dark green foliage through the rest of the season.  Candytuft prefers full sun but will tolerate some shade, especially in hot areas.  Drought-tolerant once established and also deer resistant, they can be grown in US Zones 3 to 9.

nature flowers plant spring
Cheerful Pansy Faces (Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com)

April to mid-May is the perfect time of year to visit local nurseries where only the hardiest plants have been moved outside, all ready for gardens and pots.  This is a great way to find early blooming perennials to fill out your spring garden including the fine plants mentioned above.  And don’t forget to add some cheerful pansies and violas while you’re at it!

Potted Perennials in Spring
Sweet Alyssum, Heuchera, and Violas in Early Spring Pots (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

 

DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links to the companies listed below. When you click through on a link and make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank You!