Metamorphosis In The Garden

Metamorphosis is not only something that occurs with caterpillars into butterflies, it occurs in the garden all the time.  I began with an all sun garden under my small Pagoda Dogwood tree tucked into the back corner of my yard.  It's leaf coverage was so small that I could grow Veronica Sunny Border Blue, Cone flowers and Phlox.

Well, over the last few years this lovely dogwood, even though damaged by the Cicadas a couple of years ago, has branched out considerably.  It is no longer a sun garden back there but has morphed into a shade garden.  I really did not want it to be a shade garden, but it spoke loudly as to what it would have growing under it's feet.  I finally gave in and moved the sun loving plants and began to redesign a whole new garden.

I planted Thunder Bolt Hosta, Autumn Fern, Ghost Fern and Maggie Daley (named after our mayor's wife) Astilbe last summer and fall.  I also transplanted a large Rhodie back there from the front of the house.  They have all survived beautifully so I guess it was a good move to go with the shade.

I don't know why I fought this change as I love shade plants and miss so many of them from my other homes.  I guess I am kind of gun shy because in my old old home I had nothing but shade, couldn't grow anything that required sun.  My tomatoes grew to ten feet tall without tomatoes!

The Smallest Shade Garden Ever

Many years ago I had an all shade garden, really more of a woodland garden, with Jack-in-the Pulpit, Lilly of the Valley, Bloodroot, Jacobs Ladder, tons of violets, Dutchman's Breeches, hosta, Virginia Bluebells, Forget-Me-Nots, Solemon's Seal, wild Phlox, and many more that I cannot even remember the common names.

In my previous home to the one I am in now, I had a more traditional shade garden, with the Hostas, Astilbe, Hellebores, Thalictrum, Rue Anemone, Ginger, Aruncus Diocus, Ligualaria, Trillium, Aquilegia Canadensis, Lobelia Cardinalis, various Hostas (one called Sum and Substance that would fill my present yard) and on and on, many more that I would have to spend time recalling.

It has been a long time since I have had any shade in which to plant.  However, now I have this small strip along the north side of my house.  It has been a delimma because there is a path down the middle and small planting areas on each side.  I have a grass called Carex Ice Fountains on one side all the way from the back to the front.  It will thrive in part shade and has a varigation in the grass leaf.  It is not totally carefree, requiring some controlling in this small area.  However, it is very attractive as a smaller grass (18") in this tight area.

On the other side of this small, long area I have my "Pop" hostas, Halcyon and August Moon interspersed with Bleeding Heart (Dicentra Spectabilis), Ostrich ferns, and Nepeta Subsessilis.  The Ostrich ferns and nepeta add some intermittent height to this long strip.  I usually interplant Caladiums for the summer.  As we move further back there are variegated Solemon's Seal, Astilbe Chineses Pumila, and Hosta Patriot.  On the ground is Pachysandra Green Sheen which glows in this environment.

I do put some annuals in this area, impatiens on the ground and more sun tolerant plantings in the baskets that hang on the fence. My Unique Hydrangeas are also part of this long planting strip. I realize by going back over my planting history in the shade how much I miss some of the plants that I no longer have the room to accomodate. We will revisit this area again in the spring.