Plants That Thrive in the Shade
Is there any greater pleasure, for gardeners and non-gardeners alike, than sitting under a shady tree on a quiet, lazy day lulled by a gentle breeze into believing, even for a moment, that all is well in your world? As wonderful for contemplation a shaded spot in a garden may be, it can sometimes be a challenge for a gardener used to thinking that a garden needs constant sunlight to thrive and remain healthy.
There are several ways to make the most of that shaded area in your garden.
Below are two suggestions.
Using the Shade to Feed your Senses A shady spot in your otherwise sunlight drenched garden need not be a cause of concern.
There are numerous plants that thrive in the shade.
You want your entire garden to be alive with color of course, but you should aim for this even more for a shaded area.
You need something to dispel the gloom of the shade and infuse light into the shadows.
Go for plants that have colorful flowers and interesting leaf patterns.
A bright perennial like Yellow Corydalis is an excellent example.
Its dainty yellow blooms are like little drops of sunshine drizzled on a blanket of green-gray leaves.
This hardy and prolific plant also has the added advantage of being the longest blooming plant of all shade-loving plants.
So you can enjoy your drops of sunlight from late spring well into the colder days of autumn.
Using the Shade to Feed your Body You might also consider planting a vegetable garden in the shady part of your yard.
Contrary to popular belief, not all vegetables require full sunlight in order to flourish.
Remember that no vegetable will grow in an area that is cloaked in perpetual shadow.
But if that shady spot in your garden gets at least three to five hours of dappled sunshine a day, you can grow your own vegetables.
Peas, beans, broccoli, even leafy greens such as spinach and kale grow very nicely in the shade.
Salad greens like arugula and different kinds of lettuce grow well in shaded areas too.
An added advantage of growing these vegetables in the shade is that you don't have to water them so often because the shade helps prevent the loss of moisture through evaporation.
So you can utilize the shaded area of your garden by growing fresh vegetables and still conserve water - what's not to like? It is true that a garden slows life down to its natural rhythm.
What better place to enjoy this than in the shade?
There are several ways to make the most of that shaded area in your garden.
Below are two suggestions.
Using the Shade to Feed your Senses A shady spot in your otherwise sunlight drenched garden need not be a cause of concern.
There are numerous plants that thrive in the shade.
You want your entire garden to be alive with color of course, but you should aim for this even more for a shaded area.
You need something to dispel the gloom of the shade and infuse light into the shadows.
Go for plants that have colorful flowers and interesting leaf patterns.
A bright perennial like Yellow Corydalis is an excellent example.
Its dainty yellow blooms are like little drops of sunshine drizzled on a blanket of green-gray leaves.
This hardy and prolific plant also has the added advantage of being the longest blooming plant of all shade-loving plants.
So you can enjoy your drops of sunlight from late spring well into the colder days of autumn.
Using the Shade to Feed your Body You might also consider planting a vegetable garden in the shady part of your yard.
Contrary to popular belief, not all vegetables require full sunlight in order to flourish.
Remember that no vegetable will grow in an area that is cloaked in perpetual shadow.
But if that shady spot in your garden gets at least three to five hours of dappled sunshine a day, you can grow your own vegetables.
Peas, beans, broccoli, even leafy greens such as spinach and kale grow very nicely in the shade.
Salad greens like arugula and different kinds of lettuce grow well in shaded areas too.
An added advantage of growing these vegetables in the shade is that you don't have to water them so often because the shade helps prevent the loss of moisture through evaporation.
So you can utilize the shaded area of your garden by growing fresh vegetables and still conserve water - what's not to like? It is true that a garden slows life down to its natural rhythm.
What better place to enjoy this than in the shade?
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