Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Made In The Shade

Farewell, Spring. You were glorious and surprisingly persistent this year. But Summer has finally moved in and with it the sizzling heat and wilting humidity that can make gardening in West Central Florida such a challenge. 


Thanks to the magnificent mature live oak in my front yard, my front yard sails through summer. The plants there have their own "beach umbrella" thanks to the oak's leafy canopy. We had no idea how beneficial large trees can be until we embarked on our grand yard makeover. We have been amazed at how well the oak canopy insulates our plants from cold in the winter, and from heat in the summer. The plants under the oak also require much less water than those in full sun, thanks to both the shade and the free mulch provided by the thick layer of oak leaves.


The oak tree keeps us cool too. What's not to love?
My front yard, shaded by a large live oak
Granted, you do need to keep in mind that large trees have large appetites. They an easily outcompete other plants for available resources, especially water. Contrary to popular belief, their root systems are generally shallow and wide, not narrow and deep. Roots typically extend 2 to 3 times beyond the drip line of the canopy, so the actual "footprint" of a tree is much larger than what you see.


In our backyard, which is shaded by two large elms, many of the Ocala anise shrubs we planted along the fence line are struggling. They like wet feet to begin with, and the elms are hogging all the water. Additionally the roots of the elms are so numerous and densely packed that the roots of the anise  have literally no room to spread out. The anise shrubs farthest away from the elms are flourishing; those closest to the elms have barely grown since we planted them two years ago. A classic case of "wrong plant, wrong place." I finally took the pathetic anise shrubs out and am mulling over what to try in that area next. Suggestions, anyone? 


Unlike the elms, the live oak coexists beautifully with other plants. I continue to marvel at the variety of shrubs, groundcovers and even flowers that bask in its leafy embrace. 


Many people seem to think the areas underneath large trees are destined to be dead zones. Nothing could be further from the truth.


Here are my top six favorite shade plants. Six because five just wasn't enough! 


Oakleaf Hydrangea
Oakleaf Hydrangea  
(Hydrangea quercifolia)                                                                 
This native hydrangea produces large, showy leaves and gorgeous clusters of white blossoms. Give it lots of room -- it can get big and wide, but what a  showstopper!                                                                              




Cast Iron Plant






Cast Iron Plant
(Aspidistra elatior)                   


The ultimate trouble-free shade champion. Its tall, glossy, deep green leaves look great in mass plantings under a tree.






Peacock Ginger
Peacock Ginger (Kaempferia spp.)  
               
A lovely low-growing groundcover, with wide leaves and delicate purple flowers. I have seen peacock ginger thriving in rain gardens, but mine is very drought-tolerant in its shady home and spreads readily.


Rouge Plant
Rouge Plant 
(Rivina humilis)                                      
Another Florida native, named because its crushed berries were used in cosmetics. Pretty pinkish-white flowers and red berries grace this small shrub that will reach only 5-6 feet in height. Very shallow-growing, thin roots make this a great choice beneath trees.                                                    


'White Christmas' Caladium
Caladiums
(Caladium spp.)   


Thanks to Hoe and Shovel blogger Meems and Central Florida Gardener blogger Susan, I am now a passionate fan of these summertime splashes of color. Pick your favorite, or mix and match light and dark-leaved varieties, and you'll have stunning color in your shade garden all summer. And, they'll pop back up all by themselves every year!               


Neoregelia 'Orange Crush'
Bromeliads 
(Bromeliad spp.)     
                                                             Another perfect plant for adding color to a shady area. Bromeliads come in an amazing variety of styles and colors. Some produce stunning flower spikes; others climb, and others have richly colored foliage. My favorite: Neoregilia 'Orange Crush'


Now it's your turn. What are your favorite "made in the shade" choices?

15 comments:

  1. Alas, our shade accomodations are slim, but I do love hostas. Perhaps I could try the native Oakleaf under our weeping elm out front. Enjoyed sitting under your shade for a while!

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  2. I also like hostas, Daisy, but have not had luck with them in my yard. I highly recommend the oakleaf hydrangea. Mine is in its third year and blooming for the first time!

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  3. Your garden looks lovely and cool. I live in the tropical part of Australia so my climate is pretty mcuh the same as yours. we have a big lychee tree and when I moved in I thought I would need to lay weed mat to separate the tree roots from the plants I plants underneath it - bad idea! I have now eventually removed what I think is all the landscape fabric and the plants seem to co-exist happily with the tree. I do mulch up most of the dropped leaves and add those to my compost bin and then return this to the beds once composted. I think this helps with mosquitoes. Most of the plants I have there are gingers and heleconia. for colour nothing can beat impatients. I haven't had much luck with caladiums - I must give them another try.

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  4. I have a hosta called 'Sun Hosta' - I purchased it at a nursery in North Pinellas County - this is the third spring that it has come up and still seems to be thriving. You have listed some of my favorites - I do like Holly Ferns as well for shade.

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  5. I always enjoy hearing about your garden Down Under, africanaussie! Gingers and heliconias are popular here too, as are impatiens -- though they require a lot of water here to maintain.

    Pam, thanks for the top on the 'Sun Hosta.' I googled it and it is gorgeous. Info says this variety flourishes in full sun!

    I am a fan of holly ferns too, and have five in my front yard. I also love beautyberry for shade. So many great options for shade lovers, it was hard to pick just a few!

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  6. I with ya on the oak umbrella! The massive old live oaks are truly awesome for making the Florida heat bearable. We lost our front yard oak in Hurricane Charley, but still have oak shade in the backyard. I truly love it! What are my shade faves? That would be bromeliads, tree ferns, camellias, gingers, curcumas, caladiums, ground orchids, and blood lilies.

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    1. So sorry to hear you lost a live oak from Hurricane Charley, Floridagirl, but I'm guessing that makes you cherish the oaks that shelter your backyard even more. Your shade choices are wonderful. I have been tempted to add some ground orchids. They are so lovely.

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  7. Hey Nanette...I had to chuckle when I read your post. When we bought the last 2 homes we've lived in having a live oak was at the top of our "must-have list." I don't think I could live in a yard without an oak now. What a difference they make...you're sooooo right! I wish more people would plant them and leave the Spanish moss on them, as well. Stay cool this summer in the shade of your wonderful Live oak...and thanks for the shout-out.

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  8. I honestly can't imagine life without my live oak, Susan. I could, however, do without the annoying elms that drape over my backyard, drop branches constantly and spread their millions of roots everywhere in my backyard -- making planting anything difficult to darn near impossible. The best investment we made was our $80 tree shovel! I cherish that above all other tools.

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  9. I love my oak trees too, Nanette. I have several in the front yard and one huge one that takes up half the backyard. I have been discovering more and more shade loving plants that also bloom. Some of my favorites are the Firespikes, both red and purple. Your front area under the oak looks very cool and inviting.

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    1. I love firespikes too, NanaK. I wish I had room to plant all the wonderful shade-loving plants available to us! The oak cools down our home considerably, helping to lower our energy bills. Another reason to love them!

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  10. I WISH I had a live oak! I, too, am in Tampa, and I have no big trees in my yard (relying on the neighbors'. And their leaves, left in bags by the curb.) I bought the new Sun Hosta earlier this year, and so far it's thriving (not blooming right now) in full sun. LOVE oak leaf hydrangea - what romantic flowers! And since it's native, it loves us, too. In helping my sister create a bed under a tree with shallow, numerous roots, we selected macho fern, chenille (lots of bright red color), bird's nest fern and angel wing begonia. All are doing very well more than a year later, and the bed is a colorful, textural mix of foliage and flower.

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    1. Hi Penny:

      The oakleaf hydrangea is one of my favorite plants. And I love the way it grows wide more than tall. It really makes an impact.

      I too planted chenille plant in my backyard as a groundcover. It seems a little TOO happy - it's trying to grow up and over everything else and periodically I have to go whack it back. Certainly is a hardy booger in my yard, and I NEVER water it.

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  11. Great post, Nanette. My oak trees are the life saving factor in my garden both in front and in back. I think shade gardening is much better and easier for the reasons you listed. I have the same favorites as you but also variegated schefflera, variegated shell ginger, walking irises, stromanthe, holly ferns, nun's orchids, macho fern, birds nest ferns, a variety of begonias ... and the list is endless really. What I have found is that it is lots easier to get root cuttings started rather than full grown plants where there is a large root system from a tree. That way the roots gradually find their own way to nutrients shared with the tree. For liriope and variegated aztec grasses first I split the plants up into smaller sizes and then I knock off all the dirt to tuck the roots in the soil ~ fits it between roots.

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  12. I wish I had followed your advice when I planted in the back with the space-hogging elms, Meems! Most everything is faring well back there, except for those poor anise shrubs. I just replaced some liriope too, but apparently there is a disease affecting nursery stock now so their death may not have been my fault (at least that is what I choose to believe, especially since I seem to be the only person who has actually had liriope do POORLY!).

    I too have walking irises, shell ginger and holly ferns -- all of which I love and add color and interest to the shade. We really are lucky having so many wonderful choices for shade gardens. And I am in total agreement that shade gardens are much easier to maintain than landscapes in full sun. More pleasant for us gardeners too!

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