|gardening
Got shade? LET’S BUILD A GARDEN. by Jay Sifford
PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY JAY SIFFORD
E
xperienced gardeners know that a garden can be built just about anywhere. They also know that each site brings with it a unique set of gifts and challenges. While sunny spaces can become the canvas for abundant and exuberant color, they also may require frequent watering and maintenance and can look frayed and tired when Charlotte’s midsummer heat sets in. A shade garden, however, can offer a tranquil respite from that seemingly unending onslaught of summer heat and humidity. In fact, a properly designed shade garden may require less maintenance and exude a sense of magical immersion that a sunny garden simply cannot. Many homeowners, be they new or experienced gardeners, throw up their hands in despair when trying to create a garden in the shade. What can be done about large amounts of tree roots, rocky or thin soil, perennially wet spots and, worst of all, that dreaded dry shade? Why did the inherited rose planted beneath the large oak die? I’m here to help. The first step in creating a shade garden is to take stock of the conditions your space presents. Is the space part shade or full shade? Gardens with part shade can still experience several hours of intense sunlight at certain times of the day, with hot afternoon sun being the most difficult, so determining what time of day your space receives that sun will help inform your plant palette. If your space boasts full shade, is it light shade with a high tree canopy and occasional filtered sunlight, medium shade or dark dense shade? Next, study your soil. Is it rich, loamy soil that has been the recipient of years of falling and decaying leaves, is it mainly clay, or perhaps a combination of both? Charlotte red clay is not necessarily a bad thing, as many people believe. It is actually rich in minerals and can hold beneficial moisture. It may need to be amended
Ferns are an adaptable and indispensable part of the shade garden. These moisture-loving ostrich ferns are at home at the edge of a pond.
with compost to allow it to drain more efficiently, or plants can be installed that enjoy that type of soil. Is the soil wet, moist or dry? Tree roots can rob the soil of beneficial moisture before your choice plants have a chance to absorb and use that water. In this case, choosing your plant palette wisely or supplying additional water will be necessary. Lastly, what is growing there now? Typically, a forest will have large trees forming a canopy, understory trees forming a second layer, shrubs layered underneath, then low perennials and ground covers. Will you need to limb up the large trees to open the space, remove some understory trees to ensure the health of the remaining trees and allow easy access to the space, or remove invasive ground covers like honeysuckle, English ivy or poison ivy? Once those factors are determined and either remedied or accepted, the fun and creativity can begin. Just like a house has an entry foyer, hallways and designated living areas, a garden should have a clear and personalized point or points of entry and pathways that lead to a destination. In this way, a garden and the journey through it become metaphors for life. Your garden can become a vehicle for self-discovery. Do you prefer a meandering curved pathway, or something straight that is the fastest way to move from Point A to Point B? Are you more comfortable at the top of a hill looking down on your creation, or near the bottom, feeling safe and nurtured, nestled into a valley or space carved into the hillside? Paths may be lined with mulch to simulate a hike through a virgin forest, built with gravel for easy navigation and maintenance, or stone. The destination could be a simple bench or hammock, or a seating area for multiple people. I generally prefer a circular seating area as it feels more natural and makes better use of the space. It also has a better southparkmagazine.com | 57
