We all love a little sunshine, but during mid-summer days, a shady garden plan is essential for making the most of your outdoor living space, as well as for enjoying plants that are less tolerant of direct sunlight. The following tips can help you create a Colorado landscape design that balances sun and shade.
Start with the shade you have. Lot orientation, existing trees and architectural features already provide a certain level of shade. Depending on how involved you want to get, you can create a garden plan that’s season specific, or you can create a more well-rounded plan that will provide visual interest for the whole year. If you like the idea of changing areas of your garden plan on a seasonal basis, working with a professional landscape company will make your job a lot easier.
Watch your landscape throughout the year, and specifically through the warm weather months. You may find that a particular area enjoys a good deal of shade already, which makes it a prime spot for adding a small patio, a cozy seating area, or perhaps a water feature for an outdoor heat retreat.
From trees to ground cover. A garden plan that aims for shade and shade-tolerant plants, should include plants ranging from tall trees to barely-there-ground cover. For example, a beautiful and fragrant Witch Hazel tree (Hamamelis virginiana), which grows about 15-feet tall and provides winter color, can be your primary canopy. Below this tree, you can grow plants and flowers ranging in all shapes and sizes, including Hosta (18-22 inches), False Speria (12-14 inches) Bethlehem Sage (12-inches) and a shade-loving ground cover of your choice. The different plant heights, colors and widths are a picture unto themselves.
Don’t forget the soil. Your shade garden can only be as healthy as the soil its planted in. Make sure you’ve amended your soil with organic components. Water won’t evaporate as quickly from a shade garden. Your soil should be well-draining so roots don’t rot in standing water.
Would you like some assistance adding a shade garden to your Colorado landscape plan? Contact Lifescape Colorado today for assistance designing your dream outdoor space.