Struggling to grow grass in their gently sloped shady backyard, my clients were looking to create a garden that would add color across the seasons and support wildlife while standing up to the shade and a hungry deer population. While the backyard was shady, most of the trees were limbed higher and it was fairly open which made it a good fit for part shade perennials. During the design process, we chose a mix of spring and fall bloomers plus some sedges and ferns for texture. In total, we installed 181 new plants and look forward to seeing this garden mature over the years.
Before
After - Full Bed
After - Golden Alexander, Southern Shield Fern & American Beauty Berry
After - Blue Star, European Columbine, Carex radiata, Southern Shield Fern & Virginia Sweetspire
European Columbine, Southern Shield Fern, Blue Star, Carex radiata, Lemon Love Coral Bells, & Green and Gold
After - Full Garden From Below
After - Indian Pink, Blue Star and White Wood Aster
3 Months After
3 Months After
Fall 2024 (6 months post install) - white wood aster, eastern columbine, blue stem goldenrod and american beautyberry
Fall 2024 (6 months post install) - white wood aster, eastern columbine and bluestem goldenrod
April 2025: 1 year after installation. Golden Alexander, Eastern and European Columbine, Green and Gold all in Bloom
April 2025: 1 Year After Installation: Golden Alexander and Eastern Columbine in bloom
Spring 2025 (1 Year after installation): Eastern and European Columbine in bloom
April 2025 (1 year after installation): Heuchera Lemon Love and Green and Gold.
June 2025 / 15 Months Post Installation: 2nd Flush of Indian Pink
June 2025 / 15 Months Post Installation: Indian Pink closeup - spring hummingbird favorite
June 2025 (15 Months Post Installation): Carolina Wild Petunia starting to appear at edges of garden