A Garden in the Shade (Part 1)

Colorful and shade are not to adjectives many people would think belong in the same sentence, but today I want to show you a front and back garden where the homeowner has managed to combine these two very words.

Right about where I was standing when I took this picture, there was a mature tree which 

cast most of the front yard into shade and half-shade.

Among the perennials and shrubs in the front gardenbeds, this homeowner has mixed different colored heuchera and hostas in a way that I haven't quite seen before.  

Though there isn't that much in flower, there is still an interesting mix of roses, burgundy, tan, lime and various shades of green.

Let's take a closer look:

There is a pleasing mix of leaf shapes and sizes here. There is also a really nice play of textures.

Towards the back of the bed, there is the lacy leaf of a Japanese Maple, in front of that some jade green Pachysandra and then there is a mix of heuchera and hosta toward the front. 

Along the driveway, there is a bit more sunlight and she has added Japanese Blood Grass into the mix. (Warning: Before you add Japanese Blood Grass to your wish list for spring, be aware that it can be a bit invasive.)

One more closeup to highlight the interesting mix of leaf textures. 

Here the gardener has combined a hosta with a pronounced striping with a hosta that is variegated. Into this mix of hostas, she has also added a heuchera with a smaller leaf and mottled colors.

Now let's head into the back garden. 

Just inside the gate, the garden is free of tree cover. The homeowner has made the most of this small patch of sunlight.

The appealing mix of textures and shapes is continued in the back garden.

As we swing a bit to the left, there is an arbor that leads into a small corner nook of both half-shade (to the left) and full sun (on the right). 

In the right foreground, the patch of lime green is the groundcover Creeping Jenny, Lysimachi nummularia. (Again, be forewarned that Creeping Jenny can be invasive. I have a patch in the shade and the lack of sun keeps it in check, but I also have some in sunlight, and it runs wild.) 

On the arbor, the gardener has trained some Morning Glories.

Purple Cone Flower, Echinacea, 'Pow Wow Berry'

Bee Balm, Monarda, 'Grand Parade' 

For today, I will leave you with a small container planting of succulents. In the next post, I will pick up where we left off, and explore the shadier part of the back garden.

I will also have the winner for the Unlikely Friendships book up next.

I am sorry to be so slow to return everyone's visits. It has been a crazy couple of days!

Yesterday, I awoke to find that the sump pump in the back basement had failed overnight and was spraying water into the basement. Imagine Niagara Falls and you pretty much have it! 

I waded into several inches of water when I got to the bottom of the basement stairs. Having no time to dress, imagine me in a nightgown and rubber boots bailing water into buckets, while my son carried them outside. What a picture! And of course, I couldn't get hold of my husband who had already left for work.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I finally did manage to call my husband home and a new pump is installed. The basement is slowly drying out. 

I promise to pop around and say hi to everyone as soon as things settle further. 

Have a great weekend everyone!

Color Essay Number 11: Burgundy

The bouquet of carnations in my front hall has got me thinking about the color burgundy and its uses in the garden. (Carnations are so common that you can forget to appreciate them for little beauties they are. Not only are they inexpensive, I find they last forever as a cut flower. I always try to pick a bouquet that have a rich, spicy scent.)

In the garden burgundy is a color that can be found not only in flowers, but leaves and stems as well. Without further delay, let's take a look at great places to find burgundy in the garden. 

In my garden and elsewhere as noted, I hope you will find a few ideas of how to inject a bit of burgundy into your planing schemes.

Burgundy hollyhocks in a neighbor's garden.

Burgundy hollyhocks look pretty mixed in with different shades of pink here in the Lucy 

Maud Montgomery garden in Norval, Ontario.

A daylily from my own garden. Sorry, I am not sure of the variety.

A birdhouse to break things up a bit.

Japanese Blood Grass in the background with the burgundy stems of Heuchera (coral bells)

 in bloom in the foreground. Private garden in  Eramosa Township.

Deep burgundy mix with peachy pink dahlia in this bouquet from the local farmer's market.

Late in the summer, sedum can be counted on to add a show of pink and burgundy colored flowers. Last two images are from Edward's Garden in Toronto. 

Dragon's Blood (left) is a great burgundy colored groundcover in my small rock garden and an unknown variety (quite possibly Sedum 'Autumn Joy') from my circle garden (on the right).

"Purple Petticoats"a new Heuchera that I added to the front garden last fall.

The grey-green leaves and burgundy stems of the the Sedum on the left and the Heuchera on the right do a nice job of breaking the expanse of green leaves.

If you are thinking of adding a splash of burgundy to your own garden this spring, don't forget to consider some shrubs. The Ninebark shrub on the right really makes a nice backdrop for this bed of annuals at Edward's Garden in Toronto.

I have been trying to resist Barberry because I hate their fine, sharp thorns, but when I see a planting like this, I find my resolve weakening. Lost Horizon's Nursery, Acton, Ontario.

Barberry effectively injected into the sea of green on the left and up close on the right. Lost Horizon's Nursery, Acton, Ontario.

In terms of trees, Japanese Maples are a great way to add a hit of burgundy into an 

expanse of green leaves. Lost Horizon's Nursery, Acton, Ontario.

A personal favorite, Euphorbia 'Bonefire' covered in frost crystals in late fall.

A final bit of burgundy in my front garden. Mums, which I add to my beds in the fall, help to keep the flowers going into late October.

The dark stems of my Dogwood carry the color burgundy right through the winter. 

This shot is from Canada Blooms.

Have a great weekend!