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Start a shade garden with perennial favorites

Some gardeners curse shady conditions in their landscapes that prevent them from growing roses and most herbs, vegetables and ornamental grasses. They yearn for lush borders filled with sun-demanding perennials and believe the best their gardening efforts will produce is a lackluster yard. Wrong!

I am fortunate to live on an acre with areas in full sun and others in shade, but if I had to choose between the two, I'd choose shade. As a younger gardener, I may have chosen differently. Yet now, as a mature gardener, I have a greater appreciation for foliage — the cooler temperatures and sun protection the shade provides along with the contemplative aspect of a shade garden.

Beginning gardeners just starting to garden in shade can start with these perennial favorites to get their new shade gardens off to an impressive start.

• Lenten roses (Helleborus orientalis) begin blooming in April. Their nodding flowers in shades of burgundy, pink, green, yellow and white remain beautiful as they dry on the plant, contributing color well into summer. Dark green, toothed foliage stays attractive until winter finally takes its toll.

• False forget-me-not (Brunnera macrophylla) is indispensable in the shade garden. Clouds of tiny blue flowers begin blooming in April and continue through May. Deep green, heart-shaped, coarse leaves are a lovely textural contrast to grasslike sedges and a contrast of color to neighboring plants with variegated foliage.

• Once planted, yellow corydalis (Corydalis lutea) seeds itself about the shade garden. It is hard to find a shade-loving perennial that blooms longer than yellow corydalis. It boasts clusters of small, bright yellow, tubular flowers from May to October.

• The ivory-colored flower spikes of black bugbane (Cimicifuga simplex ‘Atropurpurea') bloom later in the season — from August to October. The flowers are presented on 4- to 6-foot sturdy purple stems above clumps of purple-tinged, dark green foliage resembling leaves of astilbes.

Don't forget about foliage in the shade garden. It is the texture and color of leaves that create the most beautiful shady designs.

• Sedges (Carex spp.) form low, tufted clumps of grasslike foliage. Ice Dance grows up to a foot tall sporting dark green leaves with bright white edges. It spreads moderately so allow it some room. Bowles Golden has brilliant yellow foliage that glows in the shade. Blue sedge has steel blue foliage. All three are perfect partners for large-leaved companions.

• Hostas are a must have in a shade garden. They are easy to grow and have leaves in a wide range of colors or combinations of colors, sizes and shapes. There are varieties with leaves as small as the tip of a finger or as large as an elephant's ear. Start with classic cultivars like Blue Angel, August Moon and June.

Blue Angel is a large hosta with large, thick, blue leaves. August Moon is a mid-sized variety with corrugated foliage colored brilliant yellow. June is a bit smaller and a distinctive color combination of blue and gold — golden centers surrounded by margins of blue. These three hostas planted together are as colorful as any grouping of blooming perennials basking in the sun.

• Coral bells (Heuchera spp.) are a shade gardener's best friends. There are so many varieties at your local garden center it may be hard to choose a favorite. Obsidian shows off deep purple, silklike foliage that holds its color into winter. Pair it with pink-flowered neighbors and the dark foliage will make the flowers pop. Partner it with a blue hosta for a cool color combination. Plant it next to a gold hosta to add heat to the garden.

• European ginger (Asarum europaeum) displays shiny, evergreen leaves that slowly spread to form a lush carpet. Although it is considered a ground cover, it creeps instead of leaps. Use it in the garden like any other perennial.

Don't be sad if the sun doesn't shine brightly in your landscape. Choose the right plants and create a beautiful garden in the shade.

Diana Stoll is a horticulturist, garden writer and the garden center manager at The Planter's Palette in Winfield. She blogs regularly gardenwithdiana.com.

For yards lacking a lot of sun, false forget-me-not (Brunnera macrophylla) is indispensable. COURTESY OF DIANA STOLL
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