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June 23, 2016

Shade Gardens ~ Central Florida



Hot, humid, sunny, and miserable will best describe Florida's weather this week.  Staying indoors all day is not an option for me, so I'm thankful for my shade gardens under the Live Oaks.  The largest of my shade gardens is filled with gingers, cordylines, hostas, caladiums and a variety of elephant ears.



This border is somewhat subdued in color compared to my other shady areas.  I've used mostly 'Miss Muffet' caladiums in here to keep it restful to the eye.



'Gold Dust' Ginger bloomed before it's leaves came out as it's part of the family of  'hidden gingers'.



The flower that preceded the leaves a few weeks ago...



Curcumas are also part of the 'hidden ginger' family, but they bloom after they leaf out.





Curcumas with this garnet striped leaf will have a deep purple bloom in a few weeks...something I'm look forward to.



A Peacock Ginger in front of the border and 'Pink China' Colocasia, with the red stems...one of my favorite elephant ears.



A variegated ginger lily with 'Costus Spicatus', or Indiandhead Ginger behind it.



'Freida Hemple' Caladiums, sharing a barrel with a 'Devil's Backbone' plant.



'Mojito' Colocasia, a dwarf Split-Leaf Philodendron,  Tibouchina, and a deep purple Cordyline.



As we leave this border and go to the other side of the yard, there's lots of 'Dark Heart' Coleus planted as a ground cover.



Tractor Seat, or 'Farfugium japonica' is between blooms now, but the big, bold leaves are still beautiful.



Around this Bleeding Heart Vine is where the color really begins.  There's a rainbow of coleuses and caladiums mixed with hostas, toad lilies, and curcumas.





   Coleuses come in a vast array of colors and shapes and if they reseed they're usually something altogether different from anything you initially planted.  In my zone 9 garden, they behave as an annual and have to be replaced each year.  They root easily in water or soil, so you can make many plants from one.

  

Caladium bulbs can remain in the ground year round in Florida, returning faithfully each spring.  Too many varieties to name, but that is 'Kathleen' planted in the pot.
  


I think my favorite caladiums are the ones edged with a contrasting border, like this group behind a toad lily.



The shade gardens seemed to get off to a slow start this year, or maybe I'm not as patient as I once was.  Before summers gone, most caladiums will be knee high. 




One last look at 'Pink Lady' in morning's first light.



Thanks for visiting.


14 comments:

  1. I'm beginning to think you need to post an "ugly" picture or something. I'm not sure I believe this is actually your garden anymore. It's just too darn perfect.

    On a serious note . . . how old is your garden? Seems to me it would take years to reach that level of fullness and diversity. Please tell me you've slaved over it for a decade or so. Longer would make me feel better. :-)

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  2. Hi Eli! You're too funny...but yes, I've actually gardened here for two decades. Hit my 'about' button on my home page and you can see where it started from. The real story is that I had a much larger garden fifteen years ago. Half of my front was old garden roses - long story, short version - my daughter had my beautiful grandson and I became 'Grandma daycare'. Priorities shifted to him, making some of the best memories of my life. Anyway, I downsized my gardens and didn't really get too involved again until 5 or 6 years ago, which is probably the true age of most of my present gardens. _Janice

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  3. Those toad lilies look so cool. I need to get some

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    1. Look for them in Walmart next spring, in their packaged bulb area. _Janice

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  4. What a blessing to have shade in the summer garden. I think my favorite is the tractor seat. Too cold!

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    1. Amen, it is truly a blessing. The tractor seat plant was named well. _Janice

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  5. Hi Janice - I used to love sunny gardens but these days I really love shade gardens. If I weren't so concerned about attracting butterflies I would turn my entire yard into shade. It seems today there are so many more colorful choices of shade plants. I love caladiums and you have a wonderful collection of gingers. It's amazing how many varieties there are. Your shade gardens look like a great place to be on a hot sunny day.

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  6. Susan, I couldn't agree more. I've planted a few small trees in my front sunny beds to give the plants a little respite from the sun, but trees take time. I do enjoy puttering in my shade gardens...and I have less weeds in them than in the sun gardens. _Janice

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  7. Gosh, I really love the tractor seat plant. The leaves are so big and glossy, and it looks so great with the pink caladiums. I can't believe all the color you've got in the shade! I'd love to brighten up my shade gardens, and this post gives me lots of ideas.

    Do you have winter annuals that you plant in this area when the coleus and caladiums die back?

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    1. Hi Leslie. I have planted winter annuals in the past, but lately I just let the shade gardens rest(and me too) and enjoy the camellias while they're blooming. _Janice

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  8. Hi Janice! I'm so glad I found you! I've been taking time off again and I came back and you were GONE! Oh, no, I thought...but thank goodness, here you are! Everything is so beautiful in your garden, I just love looking at all the photos! Glorious gingers! I'm going now to wander around all the different areas of your blog page. I love how you set it up! Hope everything is going great! L.

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    1. Lynn!!! Glad you're back! I haven't been inspired to do much blogging either, it's too darn hot to even take pictures outside. I finally went out this morning and took a few so I could do a post today. Thank you for all your kind remarks. Take care and don't stay away too long. _Janice

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  9. I love how you have planted this area Janice. All the colors move so beautifully together and it is very restful to the eye. Your tractor seat is looking so glossy and lovely. I found a new nursery near me recently which has now become my favorite and I was so excited to find this plant there...I let out a squeal! Suffice to say it is now in my gazebo garden. I hope it will be as happy as yours!

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