A Shady Woodland Garden

This garden was designed and installed beginning in 2019 in a heavily treed, very dry, shady spot. There was virtually no understory in this woodland because of the near total lack of sunlight reaching the floor. We removed a few smaller trees and some lower branches to bring in some light. We chose a palette for dry shade, inspired by the spring ephemeral beauty of our local woodlands.

This garden design focuses on contrasting and complimentary textures, interesting foliage in natural shades of green so that the garden was lively and interesting even in summer and fall. We chose flowering shrubs and perennials that also bloom through the hot, dry seasons. Ferns, bigleaf geraniums, woodland asters and goldenrods, grasses and sedges filled in and created a lush, green, colourful tapestry.