Shady Backyard
When wanting to relax on a hot summer afternoon I head for the shade. Today
I’m at the Henderson’s enjoying their cozy shade garden. The white picket
fence is a classic way to define the garden borders that creates the feeling
of comfortable simplicity. Along the outside, there are plantings of
daylily, red Knockout rose, and the pink flowers of ‘Choctaw’ crape myrtle. Mexican
petunia with its purple trumpet-shaped flowers add height and interest along
the picket fence. I was fascinated watching the bees collecting pollen. But
it’s inside the fence I find most relaxing. Shade is provided by the
pecan tree with the leaning trunk. A perennial I really enjoy is the
coreopsis ‘Route 66’ with thread-like bright green foliage. The 2 inch
flowers have a bright red splotch that seems to bleed into the yellow petals. And
like snowflakes no two are identical. I really like ‘Route 66’ being loosely
combined with yellow zinnia and double red portulaca. Red verbena is
a colorful companion for the liriope edging. Caladiums are grown for
their colorful foliage and every shade garden needs a few caladiums like ‘White
Christmas’. This caladium’s large white leaves have pronounced dark green
veining and really brightens any shady pocket in the landscape. The shade garden
doesn’t have to be a dark place. Adding a few brightly colored plants
that shine will brighten the entire garden. I’m Gary Bachman for Southern
Gardening.