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Tour: Savvy Shade Garden

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Walkways Connecting Rooms
Netted Chain Fern
California Black Oak
Big Blue Lily Turf
Mayten Tree
Dead Nettle, Spotted Nettle
Butterfly-Iris, Fortnight Lily
Crape Myrtle
Netted Chain Fern

Common name:Netted Chain Fern
Botanical name:Woodwardia areolata

The Netted Chain Fern is a small fern that grows 2'-3' tall. It can tolerate full sun but does best in some shade. This fern is native to California and is drought tolerant.

California Black Oak

Common name:California Black Oak
Botanical name:Quercus kelloggii

The California Black Oak is a deciduous tree that grows 20'-60' tall. It has sharply lobed leaves which turn yellow to orange in the fall. The Black Oak is a California native, is drought tolerant, and attracts butterflies.

Big Blue Lily Turf

Common name:Big Blue Lily Turf
Botanical name:Liriope muscari

Grass-like clumps of dark green leaves 1" wide up to 18" long are found on the Liriope muscari. It can reach a height of 12"-15", and dark blue flowers spikes can be seen held above the leaves during the summer. This is an excellent border, accent or ground cover plant that requires part shade exposure.

Mayten Tree

Common name:Mayten Tree
Botanical name:Maytenus boaria

The Mayten Tree is a slow growing tree that grows to 40' tall. It has weeping branches and dark green leaves. This tree can sucker in lawns and requires good drainage. It is drought tolerant.

Dead Nettle, Spotted Nettle

Common name:Dead Nettle, Spotted Nettle
Botanical name:Lamium maculatum

Lamium maculatum is a deciduous succulent that grows 8" to12" tall and 18" wide with lobed green leaves. It likes shade to deep shade, high watering, and rich, well drained, loam soil.

Butterfly-Iris, Fortnight Lily

Common name:Butterfly-Iris, Fortnight Lily
Botanical name:Dietes iridioides

This clumping evergreen Iris bears tall, narrow leaves to 30" tall and white flowers marked purple in the center on stalks up to 3' tall. This variety has stiffer, darker foliage than the bicolor form. It requires sun to part shade with little or no summer watering when established.

Crape Myrtle

Common name:Crape Myrtle
Botanical name:Lagerstroemia indica

The new leaves of this species are 2" long, bright green, and tinged with bronze. Some cultivars have spectacular fall color. When it has a bare outline, its rounded seed capsules add interest. Its delicate flowers bloom in 6"-12" long clusters. The flower colors could be shades of red, rose, pink, purple, and white, blooming in summer. It thrives on heat, and new cultivars have been created that resist mildew. This tree prefers full sun and has low watering needs once it's established.

Designer: Verdant Landscaping

Walkways Connecting Rooms
Image: 3 of 15

Photographer: GardenSoft

Soils and Compost:

Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.

Integrated Pest Management:

Develop healthy soil for plants that are vigorous and naturally pest-resistant.