Over the past few weeks, I've had a few friends come visit and most of them were interested in seeing my garden and checking it out. Knowing that they each have an interest in gardening, I made sure the garden was neatly trimmed and weeded before they arrived.
Admittedly, July is the peak of flowering in most gardens, but in my garden, May is the best, because that's when the rhododendrons and clematis bloom. Regular readers may remember that most of my garden is in shade, so I plant shade-loving plants like hostas and heucheras, which I grow more for their variegated foliage than for their inconsequential flowers. But this year I'm making an effort to get more flowers and color into my flower beds.
I found some very nice Salvia (aka “Sage”) cultivars at my local garden store and was immediately captivated by their amazing colors. One is Salvia “Skyscraper Dark Purple” and the other is S. “Rockin' Fuchsia”. I was a little confused about the Fuchsia name as I thought it was a typical Fuchsia, but then I realized it refers to the color and not the Fuchsia plant. Either way, the two are planted together in a large pot and their deep burgundy/magenta color is almost identical to my “Manstead Wood” rose behind them. Hopefully the Salvia will be in bloom in August when the big pink heather behind them blooms. That will be a lovely combination too.
Additionally, salvias are rich in nectar that attracts bees and butterflies, especially hummingbirds, and they come in a variety of colors, from red to blue to fuchsia.
Now, the problem with all types of salvia is that they prefer full sun over partial shade. In my shady garden, that's hard to achieve. So by planting them in a large pot, I can put them on the patio where they get about 4 hours of sun every day. This seems to be enough, as they flower profusely. I deadhead them every week to keep them blooming and to keep the plant from growing too long.
It's hard to find colorful plants that bloom in a shady garden. Shade-flowering annuals include impatiens, such as New Guinea impatiens, wax begonias, and tuberous begonias. There are also some very beautiful annuals grown just for their foliage, such as coleus, rex begonias, and Persian shield.
And, of course, there are annuals such as caladiums, sweet potato vines and climbing lobelias that do well in both sun and shade.
Perennials that can grow and flower in shade are even harder to find than annuals. One of my favorites is the astilbe, with its long, thin flower spikes. Astilbes come in a variety of colors, including white, several kinds of pink, and purple. Astilbes do well in full sun, but won't thrive if it gets too hot in the late afternoon. They die back in winter, so well-drained soil is essential if you want to revive them each spring.
I also grow a lot of hardy geraniums and cranesbills, some of which are fragrant. They have beautiful low mounds of foliage and small, usually pink or purple flowers that grow on stems that grow through the leaves from early spring to late summer. These plants can be transplanted, but it may take a few weeks for them to perk up and return to their normal hardiness rather than drooping. Butterflies and bees love these plants because they bloom early when pollinating plants are not in full bloom.
One of my favorite partial shade perennials is the campanula or bellflower. They are short and produce bright blue flowers that usually bloom from mid-June to mid-July. Campanulas grow on rhizomes and spread easily and can become a bit invasive, but I love the way they creep and wander around other plants. They can be easily divided every four years to keep them from becoming bullies. Campanulas like moist soil, but good drainage is important. Campanulas come in a variety of species, sizes and colors, so do a bit of research to find the one that best suits your garden.
In fact, with a little research, you can find plenty of plants that are perfect for a shade garden.
