Friday, February 25

Many gardeners are of the opinion that it is difficult to find perennials that will bloom in shady areas. A traditional plant nursery may not be able to offer a wide variety of flowering shrubs and woody perennials that add color to the shaded landscapes. As a result, many shade gardeners tend to over-depend on foliage plants and groundcovers. However, if you simply take a walk through a natural wooded region, you can observe the wonderful diversity of plants that thrive in the shade, and also produce colorful blossoms.

An online plant nursery that specializes in woody and flowering perennials that are meant for shady areas may be a good place to look for these plants. Different perennials are suited for different kinds of shades in your landscape. Shaded areas can be categorized into full shade, dappled shade, and part shade areas. A full shade is an area that does not receive any sunshine, a dappled shade receives broken light such as the light filtering from a tree, and part shade receives direct sunshine during specific parts of the day, while it is mostly shaded.

One of the best ways to choose the right kind of woody perennials for your shaded landscapes is to take a close look at what plants are native to the natural wooded areas surrounding your landscape. Once you have some idea of the native plantations, a good nursery may be able to offer the appropriate varieties that will thrive in your garden. A number of cultivated varieties are also available that have an enhanced tolerance for shades. Variegated plants are usually adaptable to full or part shaded areas.

Mertensia Virginica or Virginia Blue Bells is one of the most beautiful perennials that are native to the North American region. This light blue-purple flower can grow in almost any garden. It begins as a pink bud, and eventually blooms in rich hues of blue and purple. It is a great choice not only for gardens, but also for other landscapes along the side of your garage or your house. It starts blooming in early spring and continues to bloom through mid summer. However, if your location receives excessive rainfall, the bluebell may not do too well.

The Vinca minor, popularly known as the periwinkle flower or the creeping myrtle, is another pretty, evergreen perennial. The Vinca minor vines have a creeping tendency, and they are typically used as groundcovers. The vines are not very tall, standing anywhere between three and six inches off the ground, while their trailing stems may grow up to 18 inches in length. The vines creep along the ground, spreading quickly to create a pleasing groundcover. These vines produce blue-lavender colored periwinkle flowers in spring and bloom sporadically through the summer.

The choice of woody perennials also depends on the overall design of your garden. Different textures and colors of leaves as well as the blooming season and color of flowers are the factors that will influence your choice of the perennials. Some of the shade perennials also keep berries in a variety of bright colors. A well-planned shaded landscape can be marked with some color or the other through every season with support from a quality plant nursery.