From Barren to Shady Beauty
December 8, 2015 | By webadmin
Does the landscape below look familiar? A patchy and thin lawn under your large shade trees means your lawn just isn’t getting enough sun. Grass is a sun-loving plant that simply doesn’t thrive under large, established trees. Thinning your trees to let in more light typically doesn’t solve the problem and can damage your trees. So what can you do?
Before: A tired, thinning lawn in too much shade.
If your lawn has declined under shady conditions, it’s probably time to consider renovating the area to incorporate shade-loving perennials and groundcovers. Doing so can turn your backyard from a barren lawn to a woodland retreat.
What is a woodland garden? Woodland gardens are typically shady, informal and only require minimal care. Beds can be as large or small as would fit your space. The key is to plant low maintenance shade tolerant specimens that give the garden a soft, natural look. The idea is to mimic the look of understory plants growing in a wooded setting.
The Transformation
The owners of the thinning lawn in the photo needed a fresh start with their backyard. We followed the natural patterns of shade in the yard to create deep planting beds that would be filled with shade loving plants: Leopard plant, oakleaf hydrangea and assorted ferns offer a soft, green-toned palette that is easy to care for. When pops of color are desired in this shaded backyard, we suggest filling containers with impatiens and caladiums in the summer and bright red cyclamen or primrose in the winter. Bulbs such as daffodils can be planted in woodland types gardens, especially if some of the trees are deciduous (lose their leaves).
The Pathways
To easily move from the covered back patio to the pool, this family also needed some natural looking pathways. We incorporated natural stone pavers complement the woodland plantings and make it easy get to the pool. These pavers will settle into the ground nicely and won’t shift with extreme weather. We added a bench under the trees for a quiet place to relax or read. We’re pretty sure that bench will be a popular spot when the family entertains outdoors.
After: Shady landscape beds and pathways have replaced the worn out lawn.
Let it grow!
As with any new landscape installation, a bit of patience is required. This new landscape will fill in nicely as plants grow over the next several seasons. It can take three to four years for shrubs to mature to a fuller size and for perennials and groundcovers to fill in. Once they do, you’ll be rewarded with a lush landscape.
Can you imagine relaxing in this cool and shady backyard?
Have a worn out lawn that’s not thriving anymore in the shade? We hope this transformation has given you some good ideas for how you, or we, can renovate the space. Happy planting!
