Our family just relocated and I have the huge task of making our house a home both inside and out. We made the move from living in a Contemporary house plan in a coastal state to a Prairie Style floor plan in the Midwest. Needless to say this is a big change for all of us. The home is newly built and has a wonderful flowing interior layout with lots of windows. Not much needs to be done inside but the outside is another story. The builder didn’t add landscaping and the area around the house is really shaded. I am not familiar with what types of plants grow well in shade but have hit the web and local nurseries and have found some great options for our landscape.
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The first step was to take the floor plan the builder provided us and much like a layout for the interior we laid out the exterior landscape. Sidewalks and lampposts were drawn in and then various varieties of plants, shrubs, and perennials were placed where they would thrive best for the amount of sun the area receives throughout the day.
Since most of the areas are shaded there were some choices for plants that grow well in this environment. Some of them include Hostas, Bleeding Hearts, Vinca, and Ferns. Trees and shrubs that thrive in shade are Dogwood, Yew trees and Azalea bushes.
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Hostas are a perennial and are best known for their colorful foliage. They grow well in a shady garden and come in over 500 varieties. They can range in size from 2 inches to over 6 feet. The leaves also come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. It is important when you plant Hostas that you know how large they will grow and leave enough room for them to spread out without taking over your other plants.
Bleeding hearts are a traditional favorite in shaded gardens. The flowers that they produce resemble a heart and at the bottom of the flower a “drop of blood” dangles. These perennials come in white, pink, purple and red. Once the plants are done flowering the foliage dies and leaves behind an open place in the garden. In order to fill this void, Hostas or other shade-loving perennials usually surround Bleeding hearts.
A wonderful ground cover or trailing vine is called Vinca vine. It has green and white leaves and violet trumpet like flowers. It won’t climb surfaces but can be strung along trellises. It is very fast growing and can spread quickly throughout the garden so care needs to be taken so that the vine does take over the entire garden.
Ferns are another great choice for a garden in the shade. They do not produce flowers but are definitely an ornamental plant. There are many varieties but many hardy Ferns grow great in a moist shady climate and can withstand cold winter temperatures. Their leaves create a great addition to any landscape.
Dogwood trees are very popular and are planted throughout the country. They are very adaptable to all types of soil and water conditions. Because they remain relatively small they are a good fit as a flowering tree. They bloom in red, white and pink and they look nice year-round.
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A type of evergreen that looks good in both summer and winter is the Yew. It in considered an evergreen for the shade. Yew trees and shrubs are shade-tolerant and produce little red berries. They have short flat needles that are dark green on the top and light green on the underside. Their new foliage is bright green and soft creating a great contrast.
One of my favorites while researching shade gardens would have to be the Azalea bush. They are called the “royalty of the garden.” There are thousands of varieties and are both evergreen and deciduous. They produce many flowers and their blooms are fragrant. They come in a variety of colors including white, lavender, bright orange, gold, red and the most popular color is purple. Some grow tightly creating a flowering bush and some open up like a tree.
Now that I have done my research I am ready to begin. With all the windows in our Prairie style home we will soon be able to look out and the surrounding landscape will really bring the outdoors in. A trellis and gazing ball from our previous home will add nostalgia as well as color and texture to the landscape. Down the road I would like to add a nice bench and birdbath that will make our shaded garden a place of refuge on hot summer days.
For more great article on outdoor areas, visit House Plans and More.
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