Fffr ^'ifpttniher^ 1^21 



697 



Native Plants for Shaded Spots 



HERBERT DURAND 



FRlJ-M tlie smallest home grounds to the largest 

 estates, there is no residential property without one 

 or many shaded areas. It is, therefore, not strange 

 that the question most frequently asked by owners is 

 "\\'hat can I grow in a shady place?" 



In the effort to answer this question, the florists and 

 nurserymen suggest and offer so-called '"porch" plantings 

 or "foundation" plantings of mixed evergreens for the 

 north side of buildings, various creepers, like moneywort, 

 (Lysiinacliia iniminularm) Myrtle Bugle, (Ajuga) and 

 pacliysaiidra, for bare places under trees, and, occasion- 

 ally, some of the coarser ferns for dark corners. In my 

 opinion, none of these makeshifts solve the problem satis- 

 factorily. The right plants are not to be found in the 

 regulation nurser}- ; they are denizens of the forest and 

 can be obtained only from their native haunts or from a 

 few growers who specialize in their propagation and sale. 



Yet, when they are tastefully selected and grouped, 

 the effects are so beautiful, so perfectly natural, that they 

 are well worth the trouble involved in hunting them or in 

 locating reliable dealers who will supply them. 



I am going to suggest in this article, some combinations 

 of native plants that I have found particularly attractive 

 and pleasing, and will add lists of other desirable kinds 

 from which an unlimited number of equally beautiful 

 combinations may be evolved by any one. .\11 the species 

 and varieties I mention are absolutely hardy, require only 

 the simplest treatment and, once established will take 

 care of themselves and increase in ntunber and vigor 

 of growth from year to year. 



Let us first consider "porch" and "foundation" plant- 

 ings on the shady side of buildings. Before naming the 

 plants, however. I want to emphasize the necessity of 

 properly preparing the soil in which they are to grow. 

 In most cases the grotmd immediately adjacent to founda- 

 tion walls is a conglomeration of cellar clay, mason's sand, 

 brick bats, tar paper, plaster and junk. In this stuff, 

 even pig weeds will starve. So. if good, rich deep soil is 

 not already present, dig it to a depth of at least eighteen 

 inches. Fill the excavation, with good garden top-soil, 

 mixed with compost, or. better still, with black leaf mold 

 from the woods. This done, you can be assured of 

 success. 



Personally, the only cone-bearing evergreens I care 

 for are Hemlocks and junipers, and those I would use 

 sparingly. It seems to me that a nn'xed planting, in 

 which there are frequent displays of color, is llie kind that 

 is most |)leasing. For such a planting, Mountain Laurel, 

 Andromeda, and the five native Azaleas are entirely ap- 

 pro])riate and among and in front of these may be scat- 

 tered, with fine effect, the more delicate ferns, some of the 

 lilies, and many charming herbaceous plants. 



Here is an excellent combination for a planting 20 feet 

 long by 4 to .T feet wide: .^ .Mountain Laurel. 4 Andro- 

 meda tlorihunda. 2 Flame Azalea; 12 Maidenhair Fems, 

 f^ X'irginia Cowslijis (Mcrtcnsia) and, for ground cover 

 in front. l~i of the exquisite Canada \'iolet (]'iola Cana- 

 densis). In setting the plants, avoid straight rows, bring 

 a tall one almost to the edge in the center and near each 

 end. Aim at groups, as irregular as the limited space 

 will pcrinil. I'lant the Mertensias among the Maidenhair, 

 the latter will display its graceful fronds after the folia.ge 

 of the other has withered and disappeared, which it does 

 .about Ma\- 2.^. 



A fine fern and tlower combination is comixjsed of 



Goldie's Fern (tall), Evergreen Wood Fern (medium), 

 Prickly Shield Fern (low), with Red Wood Lilies, False 

 Solomon's Seal and Hepaticas. 



Another unique arrangement is the Royal Fern, the 

 Maidenhair, the Red Banel>erry, the White Baneberry, 

 the Purple Rue, and the Windflower. A few Jack-in-the- 

 Pulpits look well in this group. 



The following list of native plants, suitable for founda- 

 tion planting in shade will be found suggestive and useful : 



Rhododendron CaroHnianum Red BaJieberry 



Azolca uudiAoriim Wind Flower ; 



Actiica calcnduhicca Columbine 



Azalea J'ascyi Shooting Star 



Andromeda Aoribunda White Snakeroot ; 



Leucothoe Catesbceii Galax 



Hemlock Wild Geranium 



Common Juniper Hepatica 



Bayberry Golden Seal 



Inkberry Crested Iris 



Xanthorrhiza Meadow Lily 



Maidenhair Fern Red Wood Lily i' 



Christmas Fern Cardinal Flower 



Prickly Shield Fern Blue Lobelia 



Male Fern Virginia Cowslip ' 



Goldie's Fern Wild Blue Phlox 



Evergreen Wood Fern May Apple 



Narrow-leaved Spleenwort Solomon's Seal 



Silvery Spleenwort Bloodroot 



Ostrich Fern Shortia 



Royal Fern False Solomon's Seal 



Interrupted Fern Foam Flower 



Broad Beech Ferr. White Trillium 



Spiny Wood Fern Blue, White and Yellow 



Crested Fern Violets 



White Baneberry 



The care of any of these fifty kinds of plants, after 

 they are planted, consists of keeping the bed covered 

 with a light mulch of leaves until they are established, 

 pulling out any weeds that appear, and never allowing 

 the soil to 't>ecome dry, during the Summer months. If 

 Hemlocks or Junipers are used, they may be kept at any 

 desired height by clipping off the leaders. 

 (To be continued next month.) 



...J 



PLANT FOR YEAR-ROUND ENJOYMENT 

 Gary A. Rowland 



THE planting of evergreens has been steadily in- 

 creasing in poimlarity for more than a decade. 

 There must be strong reasons for this growing popu- 

 larity, especially as evergreens do not offer the advantage 

 of bloom as do the flowering trees, such as the magnolias 

 and lindens. 



But evergreens do afford all-the-year-round cheer, 

 \'isitors to the East from California speak especially 

 of the advantage which they enjoy of reveling in an 

 abundance of green foliage throughout the vear as con- 

 trasted with the too often bare and forbidding Eastern 

 winter landscapes. Yet our landscapes need not be 

 bleak at any season, and they will not be if we plant 

 judiciously with evergreens as well as with deciduous 

 trees. There's not a day in the 3'ear when the lo\-ely 

 .green tones of the spruce, arhorcitcr. pine and other 

 similar evergreens cannot bring an abundance of good 

 cheer. 



The Douglas Fir has been called "the tree for the 

 million" because of its hardiness and universal adapta- 

 bility. Tall and stately, it lends dignity to any plant- 

 ing and has rejjlaccd the once-popular Lombardy 

 {Continued on page 706j 



