Is it potential to have a outstanding garden in the least hospitable status imaginable?This garden designedby Susan Calhoun in Bainbridge Island , Washington makes us say , yes ! This stunning landscape is sited at the base of a long established forest of maples and true fir . Through thoughtful preparation of the planting areas , reduction of the flora pallet , and a targeted focus on layering , the designer was able to turn what could have been a nightmare , into a lovely garden , against all betting odds .

Plant IDs

( Each lean correspond to the pic above it . )

1 . Calla lily(Zantedeschia aethiopica , Zones 8–10)2 . Winter Glow bergenia(Bergenia cordifolia‘Winterglut ’ , Zones 4–8 ) 3 . Boxleaf hebe(Hebe buxifolia , Zones 7–10)4 . ‘ Aureola ’ Japanese woods grass(Hakonechloa macra‘Aureola ’ , Zones 5–9)5 . Joe pye weed(Eutrochium maculatum , Zones 4–8)6 . Artichoke(Cynara genus Scolymus , Zones 5–9)7 . Pine(Pinuscv . , Zones 2–9)8 . ‘ Inaba Shidare ’ weeping Japanese maple(Acer palmatumvar.dissectum‘Inaba Shidare ’ , Zones 5–8)9 . Alpine H2O fern(Blechnum penna - marina , Zones 7–9)10 . Gunnera(Gunnera manicata , Zones 7–10)11 . Western sword fern(Polystichum munitum , Zones 5–9)12 . Black bamboo and yellow bamboo(Phyllostachys nigraandPhyllostachys aurea , Zones 6–10 )

1 . Crimson Fans mukdenia(Mukdenia rossii‘Karasuba ’ , Zones 4–8)2 . lucky capitulum moss(Selaginella kraussiana‘Aurea ’ , Zones 8–10)3 . Golden sweet flag(Acorus gramineus‘Ogon ’ , Zones 5–9)4 . Pine(Pinuscv . , Zones 2–9)5 . Crimson Fans mukdenia(Mukdenia rossii‘Karasuba ’ , Zones 4–8)6 . ‘ cheer ’ prosperous privet(Ligustrum sinense‘Sunshine ’ , Zones 6–9)7 . ‘ Golden Lights ’ exbury azalea(Azalea‘Golden Lights ’ , zone 3–7)8 . Dwarf Eastern white pine(Pinus strobus‘Nana ’ , partition 3–8)9 . Weeping Japanese maple(Acer palmatumvar.dissectumcv . , Zones 5–8)10 . Nipponese spurge(Pachysandra terminalis , Zones 4–8)11 . Tassel fern(Polystichum polyblepharum , Zones 5–8)12 . ‘ Obsidian ’ heuchera(Heuchera obsidian , Zones 4–8 )

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1 . Japanese spurge(Pachysandra terminalis , Zones 4–8)2 . ‘ Green Sheen ’ Japanese spurge(Pachysandra terminalis‘Green Sheen ’ , Zones 4–8)3 . ‘ Obsidian ’ heuchera(Heuchera obsidian , Zones 4–8)4 . gilt seraphic flag(Acorus gramineus‘Ogon ’ , Zones 5–9)5 . Tassel fern(Polystichum polyblepharum , Zones 5–8)6 . Weeping Japanese maple(Acer palmatumvar.dissectumcv . , Zones 5–8)7 . ‘ temperateness ’ prosperous privet(Ligustrum sinense‘Sunshine ’ , zona 6–9 )

To learn more about designing ironical shade garden , see out the fullDry Shade Done Simplyarticle .

Susan Calhoun is the proprietor of Plantswoman Design in Bainbridge Island , Washington .

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photograph : Joshua McCullough

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