Adapting To The Shadows

The Problem

The Solution

A few years ago I planted a number of trees in the back yard in SJC. I was replacing lawn and adding some much needed shade in a hot, sunny area. Because I was limited as to the size of trees I could get through the side gates, there were three small trees that were not much more that large shrubs at the time I planted them. I added extended flower beds around them to help take up the slack while they grew. After a shaky start (they were getting too much water from the sprinklers that were previously intended for the lawn) they started to grow and now I have something that resembles actual trees! And I also have some much coveted shade. The problem is the perennials and shrubs that I had originally planted were sun lovers and they are wondering what happened I'm sure (do plants wonder?). So it is now time to move them and replace them with some shade plants. This weekend the weather was like a beautiful spring day and my son and I, along with a hoard of other people, made a trip to the nursery to pick out some color to add to the empty beds. I am a blue and purple lover and always start by beds with those shades and then add color from there. Delphiniums, larkspur, cinerarias and a few columbine will be much happier in the dappled shade than the roses and salvia that were originally there.