One project involved redoing the shade garden. I've previously posted about the progression of my shade garden. Last year I had a lot of annual impatiens in it, along with hostas, ferns, bleeding hearts, foxglove, and, of course, my little moss garden.
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| Last year's shade garden |
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| This year's shade garden |
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| Foxgloves blooming a second year |
We've been on a mission for several months to find a proper seat for the shade garden, which would enable us to actually be able to sit out in the garden during the hot summer! It was Mr. Red House who found it when we were out at the Stone Center over in Durham.
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| Bench made out of Tennessee sandstone |
(Okay, I do have to admit I loved the bench too..)
Of course that meant digging up the garden to make room for it.
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| The painful part - digging up all the plants |
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| storing all the plants on a tarp |
At least it's a great chance to mix in some more compost with that clay!
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| Add bench and stepping stone, then add back in all the plants |
Viola! The new and improved shade garden:
I feel like I crowded the plants a little to fit them back in. We'll see what happens next year - I might be moving plants around yet again..
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| hostas, bleeding hearts, and moss |
I also removed the cement planter with the moss garden in it, as it didn't really go. But the Red House Garden can't be without one for long - I now have a new little moss garden. I have also placed moss throughout this corner in the hopes that I will eventually end up with one large shady moss garden.
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| new little moss garden |
I only find one thing lacking, and that is some height. Down the road I will have some more foxglove interspersed throughout the garden, but I think I need something tall in the corner behind the bench. It has to be able to fit behind the bench, and it needs to tolerate medium shade and not-so-great drainage.
Any suggestions from you fabulous gardeners out there?
Love the new bench. I also really like your new moss garden. How about a climbing hydrangea up the corner of the fence or on a trellis against the house for some height and it shouldn't take up too much space?
ReplyDeleteThe new bench is great. Wow, I got a chuckle out of Mr. Red House wanting a giant redwood tree. LOL!
ReplyDeleteEverything looks lush and healthy! I love your bench. I'm picturing some tall Ferns or some Cimicifuga behind the bench.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful spot it is now with the new bench. I just love your stone bench. You did a wonderful job in redoing this bed. Love it. It looks so inviting.
ReplyDeleteWhat about a life-sized cardboard cut-out of a certain Mr Clooney in that corner. Every garden should have one...lol x
ReplyDeleteI love sandstone in the garden and you found a beautiful bench.
ReplyDeleteI really like your shade garden. Thanks for sharing your design process with us. My original thought was a native dogwood to fill in that corner, but I don't think there is enough room. Maybe a vine of some sort to train up the wal.
ReplyDeleteThe shade bed looks great, and so does the new bench! Well done! And yes - what a great opportunity to amend that soil a bit. Marvelous that your foxgloves overwintered - I hope you'll have more! I like the idea of a climbing hydrangea. Or what about a camellia? Hard to tell from your photo exactly how much room you have back there. Carolyn's Shade Gardens has some great ideas, photos, and descriptions for plants that do well in shade - a terrific site. If you haven't already checked her out, do!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the suggestions! A climbing hydrangea would be gorgeous - but I don't think Mr. Red House would let me grow anything that would be so hard to get off the house. I've thought of maybe a small tree, maybe a Japanese maple in a container or something? A small camellia might work. It would have to be something that wouldn't be prone to powdery mildew. The Cimicifuga is a possibility, I think!
ReplyDeleteAnd if nothing else, I could go with the life-size cardboard cutout idea. It would definitely be an ice-breaker! Do you have yours prominently displayed in the front yard, Jane? ;)
That red wall will make a perfect foil for whatever you choose to add behind the bench. How gratifying to have that garden in place.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly found a lovely bench. It must have been very heavy to move. Thank goodness it was in three pieces. Yes, you do need something behind the bench but it doesn't look as though there is room for a tree there. How about some kind of climbing plant. One that produces a good deal of leafy foliage which would not be held tight against the wall but would billow over and above the bench. Some foxgloves on either side would add some color and drama. I'm afraid I can't help you much with the vine because I am not familiar with what does well in your part of the country. I hope you have time to sit on the bench!
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