As the Leaves Grow…

The precious buds of Spring are giving way to the verdant canopy of Summer. This brings a cool respite for the weary gardener working, bent-backed over their seeds and weeds. As the weather warms and the sun travels toward the apex of the sky, the shade of the unfurling leaves is very welcome.

But shade can bring trouble to the garden. When I first moved into my house, the corner by the rear porch was home to some scraggly pachysandra and weedy moss. The problem? Hardly any sun reached down between the holly tree and the mountain ash. But I refused to yield the garden bed to the bare earth.

The lack of sunlight is not the only problem in most shady spaces. Long-ingrained into gardeners’ heads was the chore of carting away nutrient rich fallen leaves in the Autumn. This leaves the ground under trees severely depleted. The first thing you have to do is mix in a substantial load of good compost.

Choosing plants is not as difficult as it may seem. Most flowering plant options for shade gardens will bloom in the Spring before the full foliage is out on the trees. Naturalizing bulbs such as narcissus and grape hyacinth are excellent here. Foliage plants rule the shade garden the rest of the year. Sweet Woodruff is the ultimate in shade ground cover. Hostas, which come in a multitude of sizes, colors, leaf shapes and flower heights, are one of the most popular perennials anywhere. Rapid-spreading ajuga is also a great ground cover. Astilbe, Lily of the Valley, toad lilies, and many different varieties of ferns are also wonderful additions.
Don’t fear the shade. Don’t use it as a quick cool down between enjoying one garden and the next. Create a summer time oasis with fabulous plants to cool and delight.