{"id":3989,"date":"2022-07-19T12:56:41","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T12:56:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whiteflower1.wpengine.com\/?p=3989"},"modified":"2024-09-10T13:13:35","modified_gmt":"2024-09-10T13:13:35","slug":"surprised-by-shade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/","title":{"rendered":"Surprised by Shade"},"content":{"rendered":"

When summer reaches its zenith, visitors to the gardens at White Flower Farm may enjoy one of the many shady recesses on the property in which to escape the sun and continue their exploration of plants great and small. The stone wall along Esther\u2019s Lane, lined with stately old Sugar Maples, is an example. On the side of the partition facing the lane, multiple plantings of our Emerald Isle Hosta Collection<\/a> cover the ground, creating a verdant tapestry. On the opposite side of the wall, visitors will discover an even more surprising swath of shade-loving plants. The intricately woven drifts of annuals, perennials, and small shrubs combine diverse colors and textures, ultimately demonstrating the tremendous opportunity for creativity that gardeners have when designing for shade.<\/p>\n

Shade Is an Opportunity<\/h4>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Hosta \u2018Patriot\u2019<\/a> and Heuchera \u2018Obsidian\u2019<\/a> create a striking contrast of light and dark, while various Astilbes<\/a> add color and texture to the border by Esther\u2019s Lane.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

An opportunity? Yes, shade is hardly a death knell for gardeners. While light is critical to a plant\u2019s ability to thrive, it is heartening to recall that some plants require partial shade<\/em>, which is 3\u20134 hours of direct sunlight per day. Still other plants are happy in full shade<\/em>, which means little or no direct sunlight but some reflected light (not, it is important to note, total darkness). Having limited sun in your yard may catapult you into a wider world of flowers and foliage than you previously knew existed. We will explore some of the many options below.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, shady sites have other advantages. During the heat of summer, a shade garden is a veritable oasis. Garden guests can pause in the shadows, while gardeners can work in much greater comfort. In addition, plants in these areas do not dry out as quickly as others that require full sun (defined as 6 or more hours of direct sunlight per day), meaning they are much lower maintenance.<\/p>\n

Shade Is Cool<\/h4>\n

It\u2019s no surprise that it\u2019s cooler in the shade. Shade gardens, however, demonstrate another way in which plants can make you feel cool. Foliage thrives in shady areas, so green in all its various tones comes to the fore, along with occasional shades of blue, purple, silver, and white. All are visually \u201ccool\u201d in temperature. Flowers in these colors have the same effect, too. They are calming and peaceful, thereby contributing to the overall refreshment found in shade. Check out the following cool combinations.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
A shady area of the farm beside Route 63 invites visitors with a cooling vista of green-on-green. From left to right: Hydrangea paniculata \u2018Bombshell\u2019 with greenish-white flowers; lime green Hosta \u2018Final Summation\u2019; and hybrid Painted Fern (Athyrium \u2018Ghost\u2019)<\/a> with silvery green fronds.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
The white plumes and dark green foliage of Astilbe x arendsii \u2018White Gloria\u2019<\/a> beautifully complement the blue-green leaves of Hosta \u2018Sagae\u2019<\/a> with creamy margins. A pop of yellow-green Smokebush foliage (Cotinus coggygria Winecraft Gold\u00ae<\/a>) makes an effective separation between them and the stone wall along Esther\u2019s Lane.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Top down: In the shade garden along Route 63, a massive lime green Hosta \u2018Sum and Substance\u2019<\/a> steadies sinuous drifts of variegated Solomon\u2019s Seal (Polygonatum odoratum Variegatum)<\/a>, Hosta \u2018Fire and Ice,\u2019<\/a> Impatiens SunPatiens\u00ae Compact Orchid Blush<\/a>, Persian Shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus)<\/a>, and Dead Nettle (Lamium maculatum \u2018Purple Dragon\u2019)<\/a>, which appear to lap like cool waves at the base of a glowing Cretan urn<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Shade Is Hot<\/h4>\n

Just when you thought shade gardens were all about keeping it cool, enter another kaleidoscope of plants. While some flowers and foliage in shade can emphasize cooler hues, they can also tend in the opposite direction. Perhaps this is the most surprising aspect of shade gardens: visually speaking, some like it \u201chot.\u201d With so many selections of plants available that feature colorful foliage, from gold to orange to deep burgundy, in addition to shade-loving blooms in hues such as coral and red, it\u2019s easier than ever to set the shade on fire. Scroll below to experience the exciting, energizing effect of warm colors in shade.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
This threesome along Esther\u2019s Lane is a hot number. Golden waves of Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra \u2018All Gold\u2019)<\/a> add warmth and texture to plantings of Impatiens Beacon Salmon and Coleus Mainstreet Broad Street\u2122.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Back in the shade along Route 63, a pageant of warm colors lights up the middle section of the bed. From left to right: Indian Pinks (Spigelia marilandica \u2018Little Redhead\u2019)<\/a>, a trio of Coleus (Mainstreet Broad Street\u2122, Stained Glassworks\u2122 Velvet, and Trusty Rusty<\/a>), Begonia Big\u00ae Red Bronze Leaf<\/a>, Impatiens Beacon Salmon, and dark-leaved Bugbane (Actaea simplex (Atropurpurea Group)).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Another Cretan pot<\/a> is a dynamic focal point for a puzzle of hot-colored plants. In addition to the Coleus and Begonia varieties mentioned above, golden Japanese Forest Grass<\/a>, black-leaved Elderberry (Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla Black Lace\u00ae)<\/a>, and Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana alata \u2018Crimson Bedder\u2019)<\/a> contribute powerful contrasts and an overall richness to the display.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Shade Is Special<\/h4>\n

Something special happens when you stop in the garden to look more closely at plants, a habit that shade gardens certainly encourage. There are remarkable details that can be appreciated much more easily when you are leisurely strolling in the shade. Look below to see some unique finds in the shade at White Flower Farm. Hopefully these and all of the above will inspire you to enhance a shady site near you.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The flowers of Indian Pinks (Spigelia marilandica \u2018Little Redhead\u2019)<\/a>, with their little yellow stars atop bright red chalices, provide unexpected flares of color. This North American native thrives in part shade to full shade.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Among the cool-toned flowers and foliage in this shady vignette, stems of Dwarf Papyrus (Cyperus Nile Princess\u2122)<\/a>, with their frothy green inflorescences, encircle a ceramic vessel<\/a> like miniature fountains.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Another stone wall in the dappled shade of Sugar Maples forms a makeshift terrace for a medley of containers. This one features our popular Hummingbird Annual Collection<\/a>, which intermingles Begonia Dragon Wing\u00ae Pink, Fuchsia \u2018Billy Green,\u2019<\/a> Coleus Campfire<\/a>, Coleus Lava\u2122 Rose<\/a>, and vining Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas \u2018Margarita\u2019)<\/a>. Linger long enough, and you just may spy an iridescent hummingbird darting among the blooms.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When summer reaches its zenith, visitors to the gardens at White Flower Farm may enjoy one of the many shady recesses on the property in which to escape the sun and continue their exploration of plants great and small. The stone wall along Esther\u2019s Lane, lined with stately old Sugar Maples, is an example. On […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":3991,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[24],"tags":[254],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"\nSurprised by Shade - White Flower Farm's blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Having limited sun in your yard may catapult you into a wider world of flowers and foliage than you previously knew existed.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Surprised by Shade - White Flower Farm's blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Having limited sun in your yard may catapult you into a wider world of flowers and foliage than you previously knew existed.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"White Flower Farm's blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-07-19T12:56:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-09-10T13:13:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Shade-Garden_01_2240x1260.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2240\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1260\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Erica Anderson\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Erica Anderson\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Erica Anderson\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/7a4c03a10f8e0a79fea960b8e9040e60\"},\"headline\":\"Surprised by Shade\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-07-19T12:56:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-10T13:13:35+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/\"},\"wordCount\":1093,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"What's Going on in the Gardens?\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Shade Garden\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/\",\"name\":\"Surprised by Shade - White Flower Farm's blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2022-07-19T12:56:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-10T13:13:35+00:00\",\"description\":\"Having limited sun in your yard may catapult you into a wider world of flowers and foliage than you previously knew existed.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Surprised by Shade\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"White Flower Farm's blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"White Flower Farm's blog\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/WFF_logo-blk-02.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/WFF_logo-blk-02.png\",\"width\":884,\"height\":193,\"caption\":\"White Flower Farm's blog\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/7a4c03a10f8e0a79fea960b8e9040e60\",\"name\":\"Erica Anderson\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/82dedcc58f30b093a90468e99e8de8da?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/82dedcc58f30b093a90468e99e8de8da?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Erica Anderson\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/author\/ericawff\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Surprised by Shade - White Flower Farm's blog","description":"Having limited sun in your yard may catapult you into a wider world of flowers and foliage than you previously knew existed.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Surprised by Shade - White Flower Farm's blog","og_description":"Having limited sun in your yard may catapult you into a wider world of flowers and foliage than you previously knew existed.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/","og_site_name":"White Flower Farm's blog","article_published_time":"2022-07-19T12:56:41+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-09-10T13:13:35+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2240,"height":1260,"url":"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Shade-Garden_01_2240x1260.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Erica Anderson","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Erica Anderson","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/"},"author":{"name":"Erica Anderson","@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/7a4c03a10f8e0a79fea960b8e9040e60"},"headline":"Surprised by Shade","datePublished":"2022-07-19T12:56:41+00:00","dateModified":"2024-09-10T13:13:35+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/"},"wordCount":1093,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#organization"},"keywords":["What's Going on in the Gardens?"],"articleSection":["Shade Garden"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/","url":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/","name":"Surprised by Shade - White Flower Farm's blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2022-07-19T12:56:41+00:00","dateModified":"2024-09-10T13:13:35+00:00","description":"Having limited sun in your yard may catapult you into a wider world of flowers and foliage than you previously knew existed.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/19\/surprised-by-shade\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Surprised by Shade"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/","name":"White Flower Farm's blog","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"White Flower Farm's blog","url":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/WFF_logo-blk-02.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/WFF_logo-blk-02.png","width":884,"height":193,"caption":"White Flower Farm's blog"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/7a4c03a10f8e0a79fea960b8e9040e60","name":"Erica Anderson","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/82dedcc58f30b093a90468e99e8de8da?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/82dedcc58f30b093a90468e99e8de8da?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Erica Anderson"},"url":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/author\/ericawff\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3989"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3989"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3989\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5030,"href":"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3989\/revisions\/5030"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3991"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wffblog.mi9retail.com\/\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}