Master Gardener Volunteer for Cornell Cooperative Extension in Ulster County, Barbara Bravo, joins the Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley podcast to provide some guidance and ideas. This collection of four previously aired Made in the Shade short segments has been consolidated into a single episode that focuses entirely on shade gardening.

The first segment discusses the differences between light shade, partial share and deep shade, some of the advantages of shade gardening, and things to consider when selecting appropriate plants for your garden.

Next, learn about Barbara's recommendations for drought-tolerant plants that thrive in dry shade. They are a game-changer for those struggling to cultivate their gardens. Epimedium, brunnera, liriope, hellebores and carex are all options that may work for you.

The third segment focuses on the wide range of options available to add some height to a New York shade garden which usually consist of low-growing plants. But structure and interest can be added with a number of shade tolerant plants such as flowering quince, giant fleece flower and goat’s beard. Ninebark is one of Barbara's favorites. Typically known as a medium shrub native to the eastern and central United States, there are ninebark cultivars that do well in shade. In addition to being a pollinator favorite, most varieties are drought tolerant too.

This episode concludes with a segment on how to add contrast and texture to a summer shade garden. By incorporating plants like Ligularia ‘Britt Marie Crawford’, Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’, Athyrium niponicum, Dryopteris Ferns and others, your shade garden doesn’t have to be ‘boring’. Keep it going into the fall with Colchicum autumnale ‘Pleniflorum’ a/k/a Autumn Crocus, or Asarum Europa a/k/a European wild ginger. Listen to the possibilities!

These tips can help you make a shade garden the focal point of your landscape.

Host: Jean Thomas

Guest: Barbara Bravo

Photo by: Teresa Golden

Production Support: Linda Aydlett, Deven Connelly, Teresa Golden, Tim Kennelty, Amy Meadow, Xandra Powers, Annie Scibienski, Jean Thomas

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