During the warm days of summer, shade gardens will be the most happening places for those who live in the tropics, but sometimes the darkness under the trees can become downright gloomy. Tropical plants are as bright and vibrant as bright flowerbeds, and astonishingly many will thrive in even the shadiest areas of your garden. Here are a few techniques to bring life to the darkest corners of your yard — whether you are living in South Florida or are looking to add tropical flair at a temperate climate.
Brighten with bulbs. This planting of caladiums (Caladium spp, USDA zones 9 to 11) and variegated shell ginger (Alpinia zerumbet ‘Variegata’) by Cynthia “Meems” Glover is a great example of how a seasonal planting of tropical bulbs can brighten up dark regions of the garden. Here the bulbs been permitted to mingle with other crops of nicer foliage, giving the look of dappled sun in a forest clearing.
Tropical summer bulbs can still be planted in summer but must be awakened until the first frost in fall. Store clean bulbs in a dry medium, such as vermiculite, shredded paper or sphagnum moss, until planting them after the last frost of spring. Those in the warmer zones (7 to 11) can experiment with leaving plants at the floor but should be sure to cover them with a generous layer of mulch in the winter.
Bring houseplants outdoors. This irresistible vignette of bromeliads (Alcantarea imperialis, zones 9b to 11) and tree ferns (Cyathea cooperi, zones 9 to 11) might have been shot in Hawaii, but this photo was actually taken in Seattle. By simulating tropical plants in ceramic urns in staggered heights amidst delicate greenery, AHBH Landscape Architecture has set a stage than can be easily dismantled until the first frost.
This look can be easily re-created, as long as you keep the leaves out of becoming burned by gradually moving the plants to a shady area outdoors. Houseplants appreciate the new rainwater and humidity they receive in the garden, and you will appreciate the exotic vibe they lend to your backyard escape.
Blakely and Associates Landscape Architects, Inc..
Replace grass with shade-tolerant flooring covers. Turf grasses can have a hard time growing in the color, but low-maintenance floor covers united with stepping stones make an superb option. Their deep green and finely textured foliage also creates the ideal background for bold and leafy tropical crops.
Whether you live in Florida or New York, the mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus, zones 6 to 11) in this photo makes a superb lawn replacement for shadier spots and stays evergreen in warmer zones. Liriope (Liriope muscari, zones 5b to 11) and ferns will also be great choices for a finely textured floor cover.
Amelia B. Lima & Associates, INC..
Make gloomy side yards enticing. Side yards are often overlooked in the garden as regions of small potential, and are relegated to storing trash bins, compost heaps and other eyesores. Side yards in the shade can look even more gloomy.
To make things interesting, plant tropical bulbs like elephant ears (Colocasia and Alocasia, zones 7 to 11) or winter-dormant gingers, like shampoo ginger (Zingiber zerumbet, zones 7b to 11), with its vivid red cones held aloft by tall stalks in late summer and fall. These and other bulbs can be left in the ground or awakened in fall, depending on your climate. From the way to the side of the house, the tropical bulbs won’t draw attention to themselves if they decline or get hit by frosts.
How to turn a side yard into a glorious garden
Glenna Partridge Garden Design
Use small spaces. Oftentimes it is the smallest garden spaces which are the most badly lit, whether adjoining walls, trees or tall buildings are to blame. The upsides to cramped areas like the courtyard shown here are that they are easily tended to and often have their own protected microclimate, making them ideal for developing tropicals.
When using tropical plants in tiny places, a little goes a very long way. Don’t add a lot of plants right away, since many will quickly outgrow their space and need trimming or branch to keep them from creating the garden look even more snug. Begin with a good backbone of rugged shrubs and ground covers and an inviting paved area so that people (and yourself) could enjoy the garden. Then bring out the big guns.
Raymond Jungles, Inc..
Use texture. Many anglers grow tropical plants for their colour, but you mustn’t overlook the dramatic and architectural textures they contribute to the landscape too. Each and every texture in the photo here is provided by a tropical plant, nevertheless gardeners outside the tropics can find the very same effects by using temperate and tropical foliage plants together in the same bed.
The philodendron (Philodendron ‘Burle-Marx’, zones 10 to 11) can be swapped out with temperate plants with a similar texture, such as hostas (Hosta spp, zones 3 to 9), whereas the larger-leaved palm trees could be substituted with cold-hardy types, like windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei, zones 6b to 11) or needle hands (Rhapidophyllum hystrix, zones 6 to 11). Oh, and that split-leaf philodendron (Monstera deliciosa, zones 9b to 11) peeking over the road? Its iconic cut leaves make it rewarding to grow in a container and choose indoors for winter.
orlando comas, landscape architect.
Control your shade. There’s a big difference between the gentle and airy color provided by the live oaks (Quercus virginiana, zones 7 to 11) revealed here and the mixed light on the side of a house that suddenly shifts between complete shade and direct sun throughout the day. You’re able to gain shade by planting new trees and allow in more light by hiring an arborist to lean branches and eliminate any trees that are undesirable.
Beware of trees promoted as quickly growing, as they are often too fast for their own good and plague homeowners with brittle limbs, cluttered seeds and poisonous roots. Instead, select trees that you wouldn’t mind seeing for many years to come.
More: How to Create your shade garden glow