This was such a fun and rewarding project. A dear friend and neighbor had been struggling to get anything to grow in a dry raised bed under the shade of two large deciduous trees. She was inspired by my shady understory garden and envisioned a similar tapestry for herself. We immediately set to work improving the soil, as that’s the foundation of a thriving, sustainable garden. The results speak for themselves!
spring 2017 ~ the transformation begins
Working side by side we:
Amended the soil with lots of rich, organic compost with mycorrhizae to begin to establish beneficial soil micro-organisms
Moved existing sun-loving specimens to sunnier locations
Planted New Hampshire-grown shade-loving perennials, grasses, ground covers and woody shrubs for 4 season interest
Installed stepping stones for accessibility & design interest
Applied a top layer of heavily aged composted mulch
Through the years:
We were astounded by how quickly and beautifully plants established themselves, and the following spring was an exciting time to see every single perennial return, even more beautiful than the year before. The garden is enjoyed daily as family and friends gather on the adjacent patio. Everyone is so impressed with the results.
The garden has changed relatively little with only occasional additions of companion plants. Gail achieves mid-summer pops of color with careful placement of hanging baskets of annuals. She also had drip irrigation installed to make this more sustainable for her active lifestyle.
Click the photos below and hover on the image for more information and to see the progression through the years:
