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Shade Gardens Exposed!

© Mary Henry

What happens after the storms finally stop? What do we do after everyone finally gets their power back on and the streets and alleys get cleared of trees and limbs that were blown down? It is going to be a lot of work. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, we lost better than 10,000 trees in the greater Twin Cities area alone. As we deal with damaged roofs, mashed cars and heaved sidewalks, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that many of us are going to have to deal with garden spaces that have gone from shady to sunny overnight. So far we have been helped by having cloudy days and scattered thundershowers. That lessens the shock of exposure for plants that are not used to direct sun. But now it is July, traditionally our hottest and often driest month. With so much to be done to get our own lives back in order, what can we do to make the transition easier for our gardens?

Mostly, we are going to have to put the garden entirely on hold until we get our lives back together, but some of us have collections that are so important to us, that we cannot imagine letting them go.

What is going to happen to these plants? Hopefully, most will adjust. Some will not. It sometimes seems that the chances they won't are directly related to how important they are to you. Some have suffered sunburn of varying degrees and the tenderer ones may go prematurely dormant in order to survive. Some may actually die. The problem has two parts: How will I get these plants through the summer? and What long term changes will have to be made? Here's how to deal with the problem over the short term this summer. Next time I will have some suggestions for rethinking the garden and making lemonade of the lemon you've just been handed.

Most plants are adaptable enough to be moved now, if you must, but you don't have to do that job until later, when there is more time and a plan for what you want to do. The plants that truly cannot survive in full sun will have to be offered temporary shelter until that time. Anything handy will do. Over the years whenever I have needed shade for a short time I have used everything from picnic awnings and tent flys to lawn chairs and patio tables. Take a tip from the impatiens. If their exposure to direct sun is short, they generally wilt, but revive when the sun is gone. Place the protection on the west side as morning sun is always less stressful for plants than midday or afternoon sun. The dappled light that passes through an expanded metal patio table can be more than 50% less than full sun.