Shade in Eve’s garden
“The best laid plans of mice and men can still go awry” comes from a 1786 poem entitled “To a Mouse” by Robert Burns. It tells of how he, while ploughing a field, unwittingly upturned a mouse’s nest. The expression was then popularized by the 1937 novel, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck.
Aside from life in general being full of these moments, gardening contributes it’s share. Perhaps some of the most challenging of these occur in the mature garden, where sunny areas have gradually become shady. Or when a tree is removed, leaving a previously shady garden to cringe in full sun. Perhaps a neighbor plants or removes a tree near your property line. And then there’s the conundrum of what to plant under the deciduous shade tree that lets in plenty of sun before its leaves emerge and enlarge, and again after they fall in autumn. This last situation has challenged many of my south and west-facing garden areas.
When I first chose my house 33 years ago, one of its attributes I liked best was that it faced south, and was situated on a south-facing hillside. There were several mature trees at various edges of the property, but for the most part, the yard got lots of sun. I planted a catalpa from seed, now 30’ tall, in the northwest corner, and for a small, flowering tree to provide filtered shade and privacy, I chose an Eastern Redbud in front of the south-facing dining room. I’d never seen a Redbud reach more than 12-15’ tall or wide. Despite almost yearly thinning and pruning, my Redbud’s spreading canopy now extends to 45 feet wide and reaches 30 feet high. It would probably qualify as a CO State Champion Tree for its species. Most of the sun-loving perennials, vines and shrubs I planted in the front yard, except for the terraces adjacent to the sidewalk, are now in shade, and many are no longer thriving.
But until last week, I hadn’t gotten around to planting anything under the Catalpa. I embarked on planting this small area with native perennials and shrubs that I think will be able to thrive in these conditions: Full sun in spring until June, morning sun in summer until late September, and morning sun in winter (shaded by a tall Douglas Fir tree at the southwest corner of the yard in the afternoon). Once they’re established, the plants will need to thrive with watering no more than once a week. The plants I chose are local or regional natives, except the ‘Blue Fortune’ Agastache which I chose because it is sterile (I don’t want it to spread). And I’m expecting this community of plants will attract and support a wide diversity of pollinators through the growing season, as well as berries and seeds for birds.
Shrubs
Physocarpus monogynus ‘Grey Rock’ – Mountain Ninebark
Amelanchier alnifolia ‘Regent’ – ‘Regent’ Serviceberry
Perennials
Scrophularia macrantha – Red Birds in a Tree
Symphyotrichum laeve – Smooth Aster
Agastache ‘’Blue Fortune’ – Blue Fortune Anise Hyssop
Monarda fistulosa – Beebalm
Geum triflorum – Prairie Smoke
Zizia aspera – Golden Alexanders
Monarda citriodora – Lemon Beebalm (annual)
I’ll let you know the outcomes next year!