How to Design For Shady Gardens

DESIGN ELEMENTS

SHADY GARDENS PART 1

This shady garden series is not so much what makes the best shade trees, but what can grow in various types of shade, whether it’s a shady side passage, a shady balcony, or just a shady part of the garden.
Do you have some shade in your garden?
Perhaps it’s a really shady garden because of neighbouring trees or buildings, or perhaps your own trees have grown quite big and created a lot of shade.

Over the next four weeks, Steve and I will be discussing what plants do best in a variety of shady gardens, but today, why is shade in a garden so important?

Shady gardens will provide refuge from the heat in summer. Your garden may be basking in full winter sun right now, but in summer, you and some of your plants will want more shade for cooling.

The leaves take advantage of even the slightest of breezes providing some air movement.

Shade in gardens that is provided by trees has a much bigger cooling effect that say shade sails or umbrellas.
On a hot day, the shade under a mature tree can be up to 10 degrees cooler than the actual temperature but the trick is to find what grows under those shade trees. 

Alternatively, you may be able to lift the canopy so that more light reaches the lower levels or the understorey.

Let’s find out more? I'm talking with Steve McGrane, agriculturalist and horticulturist.

PLAY: Shady gardens intro_14th April 2021

SHADY GARDENS PART 2

Plants for Shade Under Trees

Shade trees are great, but what can you plant under them that can cope with the root competition and low levels of sunlight throughout the year.

You want something attractive of course and not just a bare area.
In one of my shady spots 

I've attached a birds nest fern (pictured) to the trunk of a silk oak (Grevillea robusta). 

In the same space are many cliveas, which is a bit of  a standout with evergreen foliage and available in more colours than just bright orange, pastel colours such as creams, yellows and white.

The cliveas are around the base of a macadamia tree.

Neomarica gracilis or walking iris, are another perfect suggestion.

Shade in gardens that is provided by trees has a much bigger cooling effect that say shade soils or umbrellas.

Other suggestions this time  for cool climate gardens are Huechera species.  

This shady garden series is not so much what makes the best shade trees, but what can grow in various types of shade, whether it’s a shady side passage, a shady balcony, or just a shady part of the garden.

Let’s find out more ? I'm talking with Steve McGrane, agriculturalist and horticulturist.

SHADY GARDENDS PART 3

Plants for a Shady Balcony, Porch or Verandah

This series is about what you can grow in a shady area around your house or garden.

Balconies or verandah’s look better with plants, but what if they’ve got shade for most or a good part of the day?

This situation is a bit of a challenge , Steve says he gets customers into his nursery that say they have shade in this situation but get some afternoon sun.
Golden can palm is a perfect example for such a situation, plus they provide a fantastic screen.

This palm then provides a microclimate for other containers underneath.

You don’t have to be limited by shade on your verandah or balcony, because there are quite a lot of choices.

Think about a particular look that you like such as a tropical big leafed look, then add a bamboo palm and the fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata).  

Pots or containers that are elevated are a good idea to take advantage of more indirect light.

My favourite right now are hoyas of all types, in fact I’ve started a collection of about 8 so far, with 6 in hanging pots. (pictured right.). The hanging baskets and pole assembly were from Aldi of all places.

Let’s find out what will grow there?
I'm talking with Steve McGrane, agriculturalist and horticulturist.

SHADY GARDENS Part 4

Plants for a Shady Side Passage

Often there's one side of the house which is quite neglected because it's cold and not much light gets there, and and as much as you've tried, no plants have survived.

It's time to re-look at that side passage, usually the south side of the house, and give it another red hot go.

Steve thinks these are 'little gems.'

Treated in the right way, this could be a turned into a special place.

One suggestion is stone flagging with border plants.

What about some narrow plants?

Viburnum Dense Fence and 

Nandina domestica or sacred bamboo.; there are many varieties of this old favourite.

Some trees will fit.

Blueberry ash , (Eleaocarpus reticulatus)

Steve likes the idea of Japanese maples, (Acer palmatum.) Being deciduous it can take the extra cold in winter especially if there's no light.

Let’s find more of what will grow there?

I'm talking with Steve McGrane, agriculturalist and horticulturist.