Shady Garden? Woodland plantings are a great solution.
April 20, 2016 | By webadmin
If you are lucky enough to have a property full of large established shade trees, then a woodland garden could be the right solution for your shady space. While woodland plantings don’t typically sport as many flowers as sunny gardens, they can have a more natural and sophisticated look based on texture and foliage color.
If the grass under your large shade trees has thinned out and is struggling to grow, that’s your signal it may be time to shift to a woodland garden approach.This is just the scenario one of our customers experienced in their backyard. Their once lush lawn began to thin as it became more and more shaded by the large beautiful trees. As no amount of additional water or fertilizer can help a lawn in too much shade, our customer agreed it was time to remove it and try something new.
A New Look
By removing the grass and replacing it with natural pathways, seating areas and a variety of shade loving woodland type plants, we turned this once barren backyard into a cool and shady oasis. This new landscape has all the classic trademarks of a woodland garden.
Stone Paths
The ability to navigate easily through your landscape is essential. We used stone pavers to create a natural look that blends in with the landscape. A bench is strategically placed under a thick shade tree to allow the residents to have quiet moments and a little alone time.
Texture and Color
In a natural wooded area you’ll find a variety of plants that may not sport bold blooms but definitely deliver on foliage interest. To create a woodland feel in this garden, we used ferns and leopard plant for textures and contrast. The bright green shades give the entire landscape a cool feel, even in the heat of summer. Other woodland plants you might add include fragrant viburnum, hostas, oakleaf hydrangea, heuchera, columbine and lenten rose.
Hostas are excellent shade perennials with a variety of foliage shades to choose from.
Reduce Your Maintenance
One of the biggest benefits of a woodland garden is that they are relatively low maintenance; especially compared to lawn areas or sunny color beds. Because the effect you are trying to create is that of a natural woodland floor, letting your plants grow into their natural shape is key. Only occasional deadheading and cleaning off old winter foliage is necessary. Adding hardwood mulch around your plantings will give the garden a finished look and help cut down on weeds.
When cultivating and planting around established trees, you’ll need to be especially careful. When starting a woodland landscape, it’s a good idea to have all your valuable shade trees inspected by a certified arborist. Have any health issues or hazard branches addressed before you start building the new garden. Also, take care to protect root zones and never pile mulch up against the base of your trees.
Summer is just around the corner. Now is a great time to remove worn out lawns and convert your shady landscape into a natural, low-maintenance woodland.
