Learn how to bring light to shady corners of your garden with tips on growing in shade. Discover the different types of shade and plants that thrive in them. Explore the transition to cleaner energy with National Grid and get gardening advice for shade-loving plants in dry conditions. Find out strategies for growing plants in various shade conditions, including managing pests and promoting bird life for pest control.
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Quick takeaways
Understanding dry shade vs. damp shade is crucial for plant selection in shaded areas.
Selecting shade-loving plants and enriching soil can transform deep shade areas into beautiful woodland-like spaces.
Deep dives
The Great Grid Upgrade: Making Energy Cleaner and More Affordable
National Grid is working on the Great Grid upgrade, a transformative infrastructure scheme that aims to connect more clean, affordable power from renewable sources across the UK. By overhauling the electricity grid, this upgrade will facilitate the delivery of clean energy from areas like the North Sea to homes and businesses, accelerating progress towards net-zero emissions. The Great Grid upgrade aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and utilize wind and solar energy to power everyday activities, such as gardening.
Transforming Shady Areas into Flourishing Gardens
Shady areas in gardens are often seen as a challenge, but they can be transformed into thriving spaces with the right plants. Understanding the difference between dry shade and damp shade is essential. For dry shade, plants like Emerald and Gold, Rose of Sharon, and Foxgloves can thrive. In damp shade, favorites include hostas, Rogersia, and bugle. Adding organic matter to the soil and ensuring proper establishment through watering are crucial for success. By selecting shade-tolerant plants and creating the right growing conditions, shaded areas can be reimagined as beautiful woodland-like spaces.
Revealing the Beauty of Ferns and Shade-Tolerant Plants
Deep shade offers its own set of challenges, but there are plants that excel in these conditions. Ferns are particularly well-suited for deep shade, with evergreen varieties like Hedera helix Glacier and Pachysandra terminalis providing attractive ground cover. Additionally, shrubs like Viburnum placatum tomentosum mariesii can add color to dappled shade areas. Ensuring the soil is enriched with organic matter and adequately moist during establishment is vital for the success of shade-loving plants. By embracing shade and selecting the right plants, even the darkest corners of the garden can become enchanted havens.
Alan reveals how to bring light and life to the darkest corners of your garden, with his guide to growing in shade, in this week’s Tea-Break Tutorial podcast – bite-sized solutions to your gardening questions.