Made for the shade

Colorful plants beautify shade spots

BY LAURA C. MARTIN

Though I confess a bit of envy for my friend's sunny gardening space in April, by the time August rolls around, I am more than satisfied with my patch of shady garden. Everything considered, it's more pleasant to garden without the hot, baking sun beating down on me all day -- particularly in August.

There are other advantages to gardening in the shade: Plants stay moist longer, meaning you have to water less often, and there are fewer weeds. The trick to a beautiful shade garden lies in knowing what to plant to get the most color and interest in these shadowy spots.

The most frequent mistake people make in shade gardening is planting things that actually need more sunlight to shine. Many sun-loving flowering plants can tolerate shady conditions and might even thrive, but without ample light, they will not set buds and produce blooms, and performance will be disappointing.

Before you begin planting, study the light conditions in your landscape. You'll need to watch for sun and shade patterns not only during different times of the day but also during different times of the year. For example, areas that receive full sun in winter and early spring might be shaded when the leaves on the trees emerge. In addition, the angle of the sun changes from one season to the next.

Most plants purchased at a garden center or nursery are clearly marked as to their light needs. Pay attention to these labels and plant accordingly. If a marker says "full sun" that means unfiltered sunlight for at least six hours a day.

There are many flowering annuals and perennials that perform well in shady gardens and a multitude of plants produce beautiful, exciting foliage that seems to glow in the shadows. Try the following for fabulous foliage:

Hostas cannot be beat for Georgia shade gardens, and the number of new cultivars is staggering. Prices run from cheap to very expensive, and the foliage includes colors that range from blue-green to lime-green and leaf sizes that vary from tiny to huge. Whatever your pocketbook or available space, there is a hosta perfect for you. Hostas are considered easy to grow, though some varieties are subject to damage from slugs and snails. Plant hostas in part to full shade and supply rich, well-drained soil.

For bright colors in the shade, try pink or red caladiums. The leaves are magnificent with beautiful edges and borders and stunning veins coloring each leaf. A caladium grows from a tuber that is intolerant of cold temperatures. If you're patient, you can plant the tubers about 2 inches deep in spring, but wait until night temperatures do not drop below 60 degrees. If patience is not your strongest virtue, you can find dozens of different varieties available as large and established plants. When planting (either tubers or established plants), work in generous amounts of compost, water well and mulch to conserve moisture through the growing season.

Begonias, too, add bright spots of pink, red and white. These require well-drained soils and regular feeding for best performance. Bronze-leafed varieties withstand more sunlight than the green-leafed ones. These bloom well from spring until frost.

Coleus remains part of the backbone of the summer shady garden. Provide plenty of good, rich soil, keep well irrigated, and gorgeous leaves showing bright shades of pink, yellow, chartreuse, purple and red will reward you.

Laura Martin, of Atlanta, is the author of 26 books on gardening and nature crafts.