Arlene Wright-Correll

More Perennials to Consider for Your Shade Garden©



Posted: Sunday, September 07, 2008

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http://www.learn-america.com

For years I could not figure out why my Lily-of-the-Valley plants never did well until I realized I was planting them in the wrong part of my garden. These are shade loving perennials that when planted in their proper environment will burst forth with myriads of tiny bell-shaped blossom complimented with brilliantly rich green leaves.

Besides being so easy on the eyes they have the ability to fill the late spring air with a wonderful, gentle and romantic fragrance. Even when the flowers leave, the foliage will grace your garden through out the summer into the fall. It will multiply to become a dense and carefree groundcover that excludes weeds and it took me a long time to figure that out.

When we built our B & B on the river in TN we had wonderful Rhododendrons that grew throughout the woods and there are now superb hardy ones that can be planted on the shady edges of your woods in glorious colors of yellow, white, pinks and purples if you live in zones 5 -8. These should be given a lot of space when planted because they usually grow about 5 feet high and 5 feet wide. They will reward you with years of pleasure.

Azaleas are another shade loving plant and were originally thought to be their own kind of species. Now they are classified as flowering shrub making up a part of the genus Rhododendrons. There are a few differences though and one of them is size. I have good luck with these shrubs and usually just buy the $2.98 kind in any garden center, plant them, giving them lots of space and let them rip. I do feed them good organic azalea food each early spring. I have not had any luck at all with the newer "Sun Loving" azaleas I put in last year. All 20 of them died from too much sun I guess even though they received plenty of water. So I guess I will stick with the shade loving one. Each spring I walk way around my house to enjoy their blossoms that come out all at once and last about a week. But they return every year. Fill up a great space and look lovely even when the blooms have fallen.

"Tread the Earth Lightly" and in the meantime May your day be filled with

Peace, Light and Love,

Author's note: This article was originally written for GreenThumbArticles.com

About the Author & Artist. Arlene Wright-Correll (1935- ___), popular American award winning Artist, published author, columnist, & is the resident art instructor for Avalon Stained Glass School, at the age of 68, decided to pick up her paint brushes again after 54 years and paint.  She is a cancer and stroke survivor who is able to strive forward each and everyday to welcome the beauty of this small planet.  She also is a China & Porcelain painter, Sandblasting & Etching, Stained Glass & fused glass Artisan. She is one of the six KY Artists who worked 6 months to create the dolls for Journey Jots in 2006 and a Smithsonian Institute art exhibit in 2008. Her published books can be found here . She is also a featured writer for GreenThumbArticles.com and teaches Art Vacation Holidays at Avalon Stained Glass School and Creativity Center.

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