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Shaded Back Yard
Capital Callery Pear
Mexican Orange, Mex. Mock Orange
Society Garlic
Blue Oat Grass
Blue Star Creeper, Isotoma
Nandina, Heavenly Bamboo
Japanese Maple
Pink  Abelia
Capital Callery Pear

Common name:Capital Callery Pear
Botanical name:Pyrus calleryana 'Capital'

The 'Capital' assumes a hardy, columnar form with thick, glossy green leaves that change from a red to a purple color in the fall. White flowers are borne in the spring. It reaches a size of 30' high by 7-8' wide, and is good tree where space is limited. Reseeds easily.

Mexican Orange, Mex. Mock Orange

Common name:Mexican Orange, Mex. Mock Orange
Botanical name:Choisya ternata

This evergreen shrub has glossy yellow-green leaves and produces clusters of white flowers that have a fragrance similar to that of orange blossoms. It makes an excellent informal hedge or screen. It requires full sun for growth and partial shade when grown in hot areas. It will need soil amendments if grown in alkaline soil or if water is high in salts.

Society Garlic

Common name:Society Garlic
Botanical name:Tulbaghia violacea

This clumping perennial will grow less than 1' tall and has narrow, blue green leaves. Clusters of lavender flowers bloom in spring and summer. Leaves and flowers have a distinct onion or garlic smell if crushed.

Blue Oat Grass

Common name:Blue Oat Grass
Botanical name:Helictotrichon sempervirens

The blue oat grass is a evergreen blue clumping grass that grows 12-18 in. tall and wide. Its showy flowers are 1-2 ft. above the foliage. This plant looks good alone as well as in mass plantings. The blue oat grass likes dry hill sides and is drought tolerant. -Cornflower Farms

Blue Star Creeper, Isotoma

Common name:Blue Star Creeper, Isotoma
Botanical name:Pratia pedunculata

Laurentia fluviatilis has bright green, nearly stemless, 1/4" leaves. In late spring and summer, these form a backdrop for equally tiny, star-shaped pale blue flowers.

Nandina, Heavenly Bamboo

Common name:Nandina, Heavenly Bamboo
Botanical name:Nandina domestica

Nandina domestica is a graceful upright shrub that grows from 3 to 6' in height. It gets its name from its bamboo-like growth habit. When thinned from the center it bears a remarkable resemblance to bamboo. It is best used in groups. It can be used in a shaded patio or out in a shrub border with full sun. An interesting feature of Heavenly Bamboo is the bronze color in the new growth when planted in full sun. It also bears clusters of white flowers in the spring.

Japanese Maple

Common name:Japanese Maple
Botanical name:Acer palmatum

This magnificent plant can used as a small tree or shrub. It is deciduous with graceful leaves which have a scarlet color in spring as it leafs out. They turn orange or yellow in fall. It is slow growing to 20', and requires shelter from hot winds. The leaves of this tree are small, light green in color, and deply lobed. It should also be noted that the tree remains spectacular throughout all seasons. Second picture by Steve Mullany.

Pink  Abelia

Common name:Pink Abelia
Botanical name:Abelia X grandiflora 'Edward Goucher'

This medium-sized evergreen shrub blooms all summer, displaying small, pink bell-shaped flowers. Naturally arching form.

Designer:

Shaded Back Yard

Photographer: GardenSoft

Soils and Compost:

Maintain a two to four inch layer of mulch on the soil surface to reduce weeds, infiltrate rain water, and reduce compaction.

Water Saving Tip:

Group plants in your garden according to water needs (hydrozone).

Integrated Pest Management:

Attract, or buy beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings to control pest outbreaks in your garden.