Find solace in a shade garden
“Green temples, closed against the beat of noontime’s blinding glare and heat…”
Theodosia Garrison, Shade
In South Africa we are blessed with nearly unlimited sunshine. (This is why investing in Solar energy solutions makes so much sense.) We are known to have some of the most beautiful gardens in the world. Roses, flowers, veggies and fruit trees all thrive in our lovely climate.
BUT – what if your own patch of South African soil is a bit less sunny?
Well, we are here to tell you that not all is lost. Moss is just as beautiful as sunflowers and even the shadiest spots can be transformed into lush green havens with a little thought and elbow grease.
What qualifies as shade?
That depends. Shade comes in many “shades”, from dark and foreboding to dappled and delightful. The ideal spot for a shade garden is usually under the cover of larger evergreen trees. It may receive some dappled morning sun or a bit of afternoon light. But like the poem says, it should be “closed against the beat of noontime’s blinding glare and heat”. For this reason, your shade garden won’t be where you grow your roses, your lavender or your above-ground fruit bearing vegetables (think tomatoes, pepper, chillies and eggplants.)
Gardening books, blogs and chatgroups are crammed full of plant-lists for shaded spots. We want to talk about some less well know shade garden features now.
Let things get mossy
Because they receive less direct sun, shade gardens are the perfect spot for “fairy grass” or moss. This classic plant can give any garden a luxurious, aged, almost Secret Garden like feeling.
If you are interested in cultivating a shaded moss garden, growing moss from a slurry or by transplanting it, or going all out and growing a moss – lawn.
This is the perfect place to go native!
Usually when we talk about shade gardens, we mention violets, impatients and begonias. While these are lovely plants and we don’t completely dislike them, why not stay a bit more local and cultivate a beautiful garden of indigenous shade plants?
South Africa might be known mor for our grasslands than our forests, but we think places like Knysna and Magoebaskloof (to name only two) are some of our best kept secrets. From Afro-temperate forests to coastal forests and mist-belt forests, there is bound to be some indigenous forest plant that you can safely, and legally plant in your garden.
DO NOT STEAL PLANTS (please!)
No, we are not telling you to go out and raid your nearest green area for ferns and wild irises, but we do want to guide your eyes away from commercial six-packs of mass-produced alien species to something more local, more sustainable and often – even more lovely.
South African forests are full of delightful plants of all shapes and sizes, and with a bit of homework and footwork and click-work we can help preserve our Country’s wonderful biodiversity, one shade garden at a time.
Local Indigenous nurseries
Haakdoorn Nursery has a great selection of indigenous plants.
Hadeco also offer beautiful indigenous flowering bulbs for your shade garden
Cape Garden Centre offers many options but we love the Wild Garlic and Mona Lavender varietals, both of which can be planted in shady spots successfully.
Random Harvest offers a great retail indigenous nursery.
Plantshop Africa sell many indigenous cuttings, with their Wildemalva cuttings doing well in semi shade.
Whatever you decide to plant in that dappled spot in your garden, we hope you remember to visit there every now and then, soaking up the solace of your plants. Life is rushed, bright and busy, so go and hide out in that “green temple” that is a shade garden.
