My friend Karin has a beautiful eye for color. And since she is an avid gardener, her color sense extends to the garden of her inner southeast Portland home.
Much of inner Portland has a wonderful tree canopy resulting in shady streets and gardens. Karin's garden is no exception. A hedge of arborvitea in the westside neighbor's garden limits her sun exposure even more.
So Karin gardens with shade plants, almost exclusively.
All the shade-lovers that would cook in my garden flourish in hers. I love the layered look of this variegated shrub with the Hosta, Podiphyllum and Pulmonaria.
When you don't have to worry about sun, you can grow the most light-sensitive plants, like this Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web', accented by a fire-cracker red Fuchsia Begonia 'Bonfire'.
In addition to colorful shade lovers, little touches of whimsey abound.
A row of de-constructed building elements rescued many years ago by Karin's father, a noted Portland architect, forms a gentle divider alongside the eastside pathway.
Her father also dragged home this stunning classical column that now drips with foliage.
Blue figures prominently in Karin's color compositions.
Though she is hardly afraid of red and pink...
... or magenta.
All her containers let Karin arrange and re-arrange for maximum impact.
Like this one, some groupings feature multiple bold colors.
While others are more subtle, but equally effective.
This shady garden is the perfect place for a summer gathering - it's always a few degrees cooler than the rest of the city.
Karin's garden beautifully illustrates the fact that shade gardens need not be boringly green; wherever you look in this garden, you'll find something colorful - and often whimsical - to delight your eye.
Much of inner Portland has a wonderful tree canopy resulting in shady streets and gardens. Karin's garden is no exception. A hedge of arborvitea in the westside neighbor's garden limits her sun exposure even more.
So Karin gardens with shade plants, almost exclusively.
All the shade-lovers that would cook in my garden flourish in hers. I love the layered look of this variegated shrub with the Hosta, Podiphyllum and Pulmonaria.
In addition to colorful shade lovers, little touches of whimsey abound.
A row of de-constructed building elements rescued many years ago by Karin's father, a noted Portland architect, forms a gentle divider alongside the eastside pathway.Her father also dragged home this stunning classical column that now drips with foliage.
Blue figures prominently in Karin's color compositions.
Though she is hardly afraid of red and pink...
All her containers let Karin arrange and re-arrange for maximum impact.
Like this one, some groupings feature multiple bold colors.
While others are more subtle, but equally effective.
And some color combinations rely on a single strong contrast to make their point.
What a fabulous garden! I agree that there is lots you can do with a shady garden to add color and pizzazz. I adore the column and the architectural fragments. I wish I had stuff like that in my garden, with so much presence. We saw gardens with a variety of columns at the Green on Green tour this past weekend, and I kept thinking I really need to add something like that.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Alison, those building fragments add so much. Ironwork is cool, too, and may be more available and affordable.
DeleteBeautiful plants and colors...I love shade gardens!
ReplyDeleteI love gardening in the sun, but when I'm here, all bets are off.
DeleteKaren has a great garden with lots of cool color/foliage combination ideas to borrow since my own garden is increasingly shady. (Someone keeps planting trees and shrubs and wonders why the sun loving plants don't seem happy.) Like Alison, I love the column and architectural fragments.
ReplyDeleteWho's been sneaking trees and shrubs into your garden, Peter? The noive!
DeleteNothing like a good shade garden - especially on a hot day like today is going to be. Wish I could hang out in the protective shelter of mine, but instead, I have to go to work. Loved all the architectural elements!
ReplyDeleteIt's the perfect garden for a hot day, indeed!
DeleteThe older I get, the more intolerant of heat I get. And the more appreciative I am of shade. That column is to-die-for! I love this garden, Jane. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI love heat, but after this summer I'm coming around to your view, too, Grace.
DeleteMan, my dad never brings me cool architectural fragments! This was a great garden, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYour dad's an architect, Heather? Better lean harder on him!
DeleteIt's inspiring to see someone turning what might be considered a liability into an asset. It would be hard to feel deprived in this garden.
ReplyDeleteKarin has worked for years to hone this shady paradise, Ricki!
DeleteI struggle with my shade areas , which are really deep shade as opposed to open shade. I have a tree removal o the agenda which I hope will result in a shade garden that is bright enough to support something besides leaf litter and spider webs ! Many great ideas in this post !
ReplyDelete"Leaf litter and spiderwebs", LOL, ks! But you're right dry shade is way challenging. Karin is lucky to have a super husband who does quite a bit of the watering.
DeleteSpectacular!
ReplyDeleteIndeed!
DeleteBeautiful! It seems that her garden is moist shade, which offers greater opportunities than shade so hot and dry the gardener is tempted to plant silk tulips. I love that she added a roof fan as garden art. Very cool!
ReplyDeleteI actually have to credit Karin's husband Alan, for carting home the fan. What's also cool is that it turns in the slightest breeze, so the movement adds an element, too.
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