3 Steps to Better Shade Gardening
I note that there are a great many plants that can be successfully grown in the shade by using a few simple gardening techniques. Here are a few thoughts on what you need to do in order to have a successful shade garden. Nothing fancy as it turns out, simply basic gardening.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:03 am
I love your website, after all the various inprovements over the years, this is the classiest yet, lovely to look at, easy to read and good links. The 3 steps approach is perfect for “slow learners” in the the world of gardening, like me! Great timing for us to plan before buying seeds etc in the New Year. Thanks Doug, and Merry Christmas to you and your new lady (p.s Hope she shares her knowledge of rare old garden plants sometime)
Sheila
December 19th, 2007 at 11:58 am
Sheila - thanks for the kind words about the sites. As for the Princess - I’m sure she’ll chime in as soon as we start thinking about gardening and seed starting rather than unpacking and Christmas.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
Hi Doug !
Great teaching video .. I had not thought about the proportions of water you explained. Makes perfect sense ! Also the fact that your “light” values change as your garden matures .. especially if you planted trees a few years (hum .. maybe 7 ? LOL) ago .. I’m happy to have more shade areas with the hot summers we have even though it means me watering. A good layer of mulch helps with that as you said.
Maybe you might consider making a video on that ? Really watching your garden’s light value as it matures .. in regards to the type of plants you acquire .. the design or character of your garden as a whole .. and what future you see for it ?
Did we clear up that conversation about EBlog ?LOL ..
Joy : )
December 20th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Joy - thanks for the idea about another video. One of the delights of learning this new multimedia approach is that we can do all kinds of interesting things with it you can’t do with words. I have just added your suggestion to the (growing)
list of projects for the new year.
This multimedia stuff is only one of two major projects for next year. (Not telling what the other one is but it will make a lot of readers quite happy I’m sure) And I’m hoping you’ll be involved. (How’s that for cryptic?)
Stay tuned for January on the newsletter.
And do have a great Christmas over on your side of the water.
December 20th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
Hi Doug
I ran this through this latest video on shade gardening 3 times. I know from my own experience how important good feedback can be. I hope this is of some use to you.
First time: I wanted to test my own skills at identification and also to concentrate on the pictures without worrying about other things, so first run was without sound. My impressions for what they are (or aren’t) worth: Great healthy plants…Pictures were interesting, maybe not as tack sharp as I prefer…but that’s because I am interested in finer details than the average beginner gardener would be (I think) and the fact that I am getting into some serious amateur still photography, so am more aware of such things. Expensive…I know! Nice smooth zoom. I loved the fact that I could easily back up and take another look anytime I wanted to…something I hadn’t bothered with on video before. Also…no strange whiteouts this time. Didn’t notice any warnings about not being able to load it either…now that I think about it.
Second run: Sorry…wasn’t taking in much of what you had to say…still busy looking with fascination at the better than expected examples of shade plants…A couple I am still looking to collect in this list. One seen that I am totally unfamiliar with…always a fascinating situation when it is recommended by an very experienced garden pro. Mind you, at this point in MY experience, that usually means that it will turn out to be something that needs to be constantly damp or needs a much warmer zone. Or simply isn’t seen at this end of the country. Figuring that you weren’t likely to suggest the first and almost certainly not the second…I am anxious to know what that plant is, so I can find out more! Between seconds 57 and 1.0 in the video if that helps-or irregular broad-leaved with a (burgundy?) sprout in the middle. I suspect you are going to get LOTS of these kind of requests….A good thing I would assume in these slower winter months!
Third run: Tried to concentrate on voice, information, etc. rather than the nice moving pictures. Everything sounded good to me. I’m picky about enunciation, as I am beginning to develope mild hearing issues–BUT come to think of it– I’ve ALWAYS had a bee in my bonnet about that sort of thing…..Ditto for speed of speech…You also speak deliberately a bit slower than a person would for normal conversation, something I would expect a professional speaker/teacher to have mastered. The information offered is really good stuff for the short 90 second limit. I personally find it difficult to absorb much this way, but as I mentioned before voice was never my best medium for learning….There will be others, I know, who will take to it like a duck to water. Liked the surprise musical touch at the end too!
P.S.
Regarding content: That business about growing under trees and the need for a lot more water is something you don’t see mentioned most places. I don’t think you can say that too often. Despite all the time I spend out in the garden and how much I have always concentrated on watering, I STILL find myself startled occasionally by just how fast things will dry under a large tree…even in deep shade. (I KNOW, compost and more mulch…it’s on the list…if I ever get to it…you know the feeling!)
I also have to second what someone else said about the website itself…lookin’ good!…but then I could see you were working your way up to it, so wasn’t much of a surprise. Love not having to add my name and address in each time I go to send anymore too…
I guess if I am going to put in a request for content in this format it would be for anything on more unusual plants, but I assume you are wanting to concentrate on information for beginners at this point…so not to worry….maybe someday.
I think you must be high energy and superbly organized to spread you wings in so many directions at once! Have to admire it…Regards, Ferne
P.P.S. Don’t expect you to put this on the website. It wasn’t written for that. I’m off to check on ‘my’ wild birds…
December 21st, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Ferne - thanks! for the notes. Let me try to respond (and I put your note here because there are some great points that folks might appreciate knowing about)
Picture quality degrades when you have to reduce to video quality. I’m having to play around with this stuff a bit but generally the medium formats I’m using right now (server space dictates this) tend to create problems for any pic that isn’t crystal clear to begin with. A good lesson I’m learning.
I believe your unknown plant is bud of Trillium erectum being held a little closely on the leaves. I originally thought the slide was one of the red sessile Trilliums but the leaves aren’t mottled. So the jury is out - no tag on the plant and it was a fly-through visit and I snapped that one almost on the run.
Re the sound info and video comments. These are very much learning videos for me. I’m no pro videographer - very much a beginner here. So I’m working my way from the very simple software to more complex stuff. I’m about to take the next step and I think you’re going to like what you see - combing text, movies and still pictures into one video.
Re the content. Yes, as you know I write a lot about beginner types of things for folks. But you’re right, I do like to grow some more complicated plants myself. I think you’ll see a wider range of video produced in the new year as I build up a library.
As always, I really do appreciate your helpful comments. For example, the one about voice keeps me talking slowly.