GARDEN GUIDANCE
Shade Gardens
by Peggy Miller, Huron County Master Gardener

Most annuals and many perennials require full sun to grow and flower properly. They need at least six hours of uninterrupted, direct sunlight each day. There are, however, a large group of perennials (plants with a lifespan over two years) that are shade tolerant. In fact, they survive and many often thrive on less than six hours of sunlight per day. There are also a number of annuals (plants that flower for one season only, then die) that can provide continuous color throughout the spring and summer.

Any shade garden is hardly complete without a few hostas, also known as plantain lilies. They can be a backdrop to a number of other plants and flowers in your garden. Don't be afraid to try out some unusual varieties, such as the 'Lancifolis', which has deep violet flowers, or the 'Love Pat' hosta, (most likely named after my son, Pat) which has deep blue foliage. There's such a great variety of hostas. They're generally easy to grow. Most do best in shade to partial shade. They'll come back every year. Divide them in spring. Pretty soon, you'll have an entire garden of hostas!

You might want to consider planting some ferns. A few that do well include the Maidenhair fern, which spreads slowly and has a "lacey" look; the Japanese painted fern, a colorful fern with silver, green and maroon fronds with an iridescent quality; the Ostrich fern might be your choice if you want a rapidly growing, vigorously-spreading plant. These ferns all require partial shade: three to four hours of morning sun or spotted shade throughout the day. They will also come back year after year.

Try to fit a bleeding heart into your garden if you have at least partial shade. If you have one of these elegant colorful flowers, you know exactly where it got its name. They bloom from spring to mid-summer. Keep them well-watered when they're busy flowering. You will look forward to watching for this one to emerge each spring.

A few other perennials that could make great additions to your shade garden include Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum), which has fragrant foliage and handles medium to dense shade. It makes a good ground cover. The Trillium (Trillium) is a sure harbinger of spring. (When they come into bloom, you'd better get busy looking for some morels!) They also do well in medium to dense shade. Give them space to spread. The Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria majalis) is a well-known, fragrant flower that blooms in late spring to early summer. This flower will spread indefinitely, and does not require any routine care. Virginia bluebells (Mertensia pulmonarioides) can be planted with ferns or bleeding hearts to hide dieback. Rodger's flowers (Rodgersia), has very large, chestnut-like leaves. These are all beautiful perennials you may want to consider for your shade garden.

Annuals can also be used in a shade garden, either in combination with perennials or by themselves. Annuals generally bloom from spring to fall. A very popular annual is the impatiens. They come in a variety of colors and sizes. You'll see them start to bloom in late spring, and they'll keep flowering until mid-autumn. If you have an impatiens plant that you really like, bring it indoors for the winter and keep it as a house plant. You can propagate it by cuttings and plant your new flowers outside the following spring.

Other annual flowering plants for shady places include the Wax Begonia (Begonia X semperflorens-cultorum), Coleus (Coleus hybrids), Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis sylvatica), Primrose (Primula spp.), Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), and Fuchsia (Fuchsia sp.).

As with any flower garden, there are steps that should be taken to maintain healthy growth of your plants:

HOW MUCH WATER? Both annuals and perennials need about one inch of water per week. It is better to water deeply once or twice a week so that the water penetrates three to four inches into the soil. Do not water lightly as this encourages the development of shallow roots. To avoid disease on the foliage, water your plants in the morning to midday so that the plants are dry by evening.

MULCHING IS GOOD! A two to three inch layer of mulch helps slow down water loss, keeps down the weeds, and helps to showcase your flowers. Organic material should be used, such as shredded bark, wood chips, grass clippings, or compost. Mulch should be applied before the plants have made much growth. Water the mulch into place.

OH NO! IS THAT A WEED? Even in the best-prepared flower bed, it's likely you'll eventually find some unwanted plants invading your well-planned garden design. Mulching will do a great deal to suppress weeds. You can also cut down the weeds at the soil surface. Be careful not to dig too deeply to remove weeds, you may damage the roots of your other flowers. If you decide to use chemical herbicides, check the label carefully for products that are approved for use in flower beds.

FERTILIZER? HOW MUCH? HOW OFTEN? Most annual flowers need 1# of 12-12-12 fertilizer per 100 square feet of bed prior to transplanting. Follow with a side dressing application every six to eight weeks. Perennials vary in fertilizer requirements. Most require a single application of fertilizer in spring as new growth develops. Too much fertilizer may produce spindly stems. Better yet, take a soil test (available through your local MSU Extension office) and follow the recommendations for fertilizer application.

Don't be afraid to experiment. Spend some time planning out your garden. Ask yourself a few questions: What are the water requirements of each plant? Do they require shade or partial shade? How big will it get? When will it bloom? Do I want fragrant flowers? Are they deer-resistant? Do I have a good mixture of texture and form? Does this plant do well in our zone? With a bit of forethought, you will have a shade garden to delight you this summer and for many years to come.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENER EVENTS:

• July 9: Huron County Master Gardeners' Garden Walk Advance tickets ($8) on sale at various locations throughout Huron County or at the homes the day of the Walk ($10). Call 989-269-9949 for more information.
  
  
• August 8-13: Master Gardener booth and fair garden at the Huron Community Fair, fairgrounds, Bad Axe.
  
  
• October 1: Huron County Household Hazardous Waste Collection.
  
  
• March 25, 2006: Spring Into Gardening Conference, Ubly Heights Country Club.