March Garden Guild focus on shade gardening

Wells Branch is an aging neighborhood and with that comes a wonderful cover of shade from mature trees. Or maybe not so wonderful if you're trying to figure out which plants to grow in the lower level of sunshine. Many people also are trying to find perennial or drought tolerant plants to add to their landscaping. 

The March meeting for the Wells branch Garden Guild will help you with all these questions. We are lucky to be having Michelle Pfluger from Green and Growing in Pflugerville to talk to us about shade plantings. In the brief discussion I had with her recently, she reeled off all kinds of ideas to address this "growing problem." Join us March 16th at 11 at 3000 Shoreline  for the presentation and at 10:30 for chat and seed/plant exchanging.

Creating an herb garden to accent the yard

 We have been talking for a year about doing some kind of plantings around the oak tree at the corner of our front yard but have spent way more time on the other beds. I did put stones around the tree and put down weed cloth topped with grass clippings and some weedy grasses. Last weekend we finally put down a load of compost/mulch and got it spread out. Suddenly it was plain that if I grouped all the herbs there that they would help water the tree and get a bit of protection from the blazing sun and heat we started getting this week. 

I wound up moving the plant stand too so it would be closer and open up the path area to the chairs a bit more. This may be our permanent grouping or we may move things around a bit more. I'd like to pot a couple of the coleus to get a bit more color in the area but need to monitor the sun a bit more yet for that.  I am getting lots of comments from people walking by on the garden and the mix of flowers and vegetables. The bamboo teepee is attracting a bit of attention now that the malabar spinach is climbing well.

Shade plantings with Tom Spencer

Tom Spencer talked to a crowded room. The garden guild monthly meeting brought in over 60 people interested in learning about growing plants in the shade that we all seem to share here in the neighborhood.


He made a point of how established neighborhoods have to grapple with this issue.  I want to recap some of his points and suggested plants here for those who did not make the meeting. For more examples of shade gardens click on link:  bhg.com/

• ·       Use foliage to create interest. Use different sizes, shapes, textures, colored and variegated varieties, different leaf shapes—fine, fat, long, use mosses, grasses fern.
• ·       Include shade plants that bloom like turks cap,
• ·       Include statuary, pots in colors and shapes
• ·       Encourage growth that displays seasonal change like holly fern
• ·       Find things you love and use lots of them in groupings. Repeat shapes and forms in groupings.
• ·       Decide what kind of space and shape YOU like and use that. If you like flowing areas or regimented straight lines, your garden should include the shapes you enjoy.
• ·       Make spaces utilitarian spaces that draw YOU into them—that you want to spend time in.
• ·       Be practical about what you can maintain.
• ·       Establish water and heat zones for the plantings.

Shade grasses that do well:  inland sea oats (big area), Aztec Grass-Liriope muscari, for ½ shade: Gulf muhly—2 ½’ tall, miscanthus giagantus-gets tall,

Shade groundcovers: straggler daisy—horse herb—4-6” tall, gingers—variegated to 3-3 ½’ tall, hidden ginger- curcuma, scilla peruviana—dormant in heat but comes out in purple flowers in spring

Perenials:  columbines grow in high shade or partial shade, salvias—broad leaf tolerates more shade, tropical sage—white, red, peach, Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue' is unique. 

Shrubs- natives are found along the shade line or under the trees. Recommended Mexican Buckeye and red bud, Mountain Laurel; woody plants: flowering quince and jasmine.Oxalis sorrel grows in deep shade as does Asiatic jasmine. For shade vines: star jasmine, cross vine.

Transplanting and planting time in September

The cool weather has me reinvigorated! I have been transplanting my lettuce from the picnic table (we may actually be able to use it this fall) into the garden mixed with a new multi-colored chard. The chard does not seem as ruffle leafed but it is pretty with red and yellow stems. I may even put some in my shade garden out front. I added a few spinach transplants to the far end and my seed some directly at the other end. Last winter that made them official bug food though so maybe more flats and transplants.


I transplanted the broccoli this morning and will pick up BT at Lowe's today. Using the companion planting theme (if it works) I seeded beets between them. The New Zealand spinach is loving the recent rains and the cooler nights and growing like crazy (lower left) I am getting a cup or so a day from this little patch.


The new cherry tomatoes are thriving in their pots so maybe we'll get some tomatoes this fall and winter after all. The purple basil is going crazy as well and needs to be harvested again. For a plant that is hard to start it sure gets going well.

I expanded the shade garden in the front yard another 5 feet and need to mulch it. Our plan is to bring it all the way out to the junction of the front sidewalk and driveway. 


I have some house plants in there that will have to come inside this winter if it freezes and lirope and a number of perenials which I hope to add to this fall. The Laura Bush petunias are finally doing well and blooming. The plumeria has held on and the new ruelia is taking hold.