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Greetings!
When I was a girl, we used to go for rides in the car as a form of family entertainment. I especially liked the tours of River Oaks and Tanglewood -- and it's a wonder we weren't pulled over for cruising the streets of those neighborhoods in our old VW bus, full of kids peering out the windows. From those earliest garden tours, though, I developed the idea that the shady garden was the best garden. To me, the deep greens and occasional variegated whites speak of grace, power & wealth, and I can't shake the feeling that shade is where it's at.
 | | Sparkle in the Shade |
This week, we're focusing on some plants that perform best under the canopies of trees. I hope we give you a few ideas about how to make your shady garden a lovely oasis of calm and beauty.
 | | One of Christina's Creations |
This weekend will be very busy at Papershell! Friday night is our sold-out Terrarium Party (don't worry -- we'll schedule another one!), then Saturday we begin our next 4-part Watercolor Painting series. And my friend Christina Salwitz visits Papershell Sunday morning at 11:00 for her award-winning class on creative container design. There are still a few spots in this class, so give us a call at (281) 232-4485 or email us to reserve a spot. You'll love what she does with design techniques, plant textures and color.
 | | Vintage Seed Book |
Every day, it seems, we get a delivery of new and wonderful plants, pottery and art. The first of the pentas and salvias are here, with vinca not far behind. We've got some great new Mexican clay pottery in, and I'm expecting new glazed pottery next week. And you'll love Lee Steiner's new seed-saver booklets handmade from vintage seed packets!
Thanks for signing up for our email newsletter! Come see us soon! |
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Stately Shrubs for Shade
Everyone around Houston knows about the azalea, one of our favorite showy shrubs for shade. But there are other beautiful additions to the shade garden.
 | | Clethra 'Ruby Spice' |
Clethra 'Ruby Spice', also called Summersweet, has fragrant pink blossoms in the late summer. It thrives in partial sun and loves moist soil -- perfect for that low, shady spot. This beautiful North American native gives your garden a delightful woodland look as it slowly reaches a height of 8 feet. Prune in late winter to encourage vigorous new growth.
 | | Virginia Sweetspire |
Virginia Sweetspire offers cascades of white flowers in the spring garden. It tolerates moist, heavy soils but is also drought-resistant once established. Sweetspire forms a clump of beautiful arching stems and is evergreen down to 20 degrees. The white flowers are fragrant too!
 | | Kerria japonica |
Kerria, or Japanese Tea Rose, closely resembles forsythia, except that it blooms after leaves appear in the spring. The leaves and flowers of this lovely shrub provide a fine-textured foliage in the shady garden. The foliage is bright kelly green and even though this shrub loses its leaves in the fall, the stems remain green all winter. Kerria is a great shrub for the shade of an oak tree: sun in the winter helps encourage blooms, while summer shade is essential to prevent faded flowers.
 | | Pink Indigo |
Pink Indigo is another graceful flowering shrub for shade. A little smaller than the shrubs above, Pink Indigo is only 2-3 feet tall, and tolerates heavy clay soil. Its particularly lovely used as a rather tall groundcover beneath trees. Prune it hard in late winter to maintain a neat habit and to encourage flowering in the spring.
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Seasonal Color for Shade
Don't underestimate the power of foliage in the shady garden. Relying on leaves as well as flowers for a spot of color means more drama in darker spots.
 | | Caladiums |
All caladiums are well-suited to shade, though some are also sun-tolerant. White provides the best contrast in dark shade, while reds and pinks add sizzle to brighter corners. Caladiiums love water and will wilt in dry shade. Dig the bulbs each fall and replant in April when the soil warms up, or leave them be and take your chances. Usually at least some of them return, year after year.
 | | Iresine |
Iresine is a bright, trailing annual plant that fills in flowerbeds or shady containers. This low, spreading plant is a rapid grower and tolerates our hot, humid summers with a minimum of care. It's not cold-hardy but grows so fast that it can easily fill in when replanted in the spring.
 | | Coleus |
Like caladiums, all coleus are shade-tolerant, though some can also be planted in the sun. Coleus is used in the garden for its brightly colored and patterned leaves. Pinch off flower spikes for best results. Coleus takes well to being pruned back and roots easily, so pop your clippings in the bed or containers along with the mother plant!
 | | Heuchera |
Heuchera is a low, mounding perennial for the shade garden. Although it does flower, it's used mainly for its colored leaves. Plant heuchera in moist, well-drained, humusy soils and enjoy flower stalks in the summer, and foliage all year long.
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Seed Sale Saturdays!
March is a CRAZY time where seed-starting is concerned -- you can plant almost anything this month. And to celebrate, every Saturday in March, when you buy 2 packets, you get 1 free! And they don't have to be all the same sort of seeds, and yes, we are reordering frequently to maintain a good supply. Hurry in now and snap up those pole and bush beans, along with carrots, lettuce, radishes, cosmos, hyacinth bean vine....
 | | Hyacinth Bean - beautiful and edible! |
Here's a reminder of the seeds we can plant this month: Blanket flower (gaillardia), cleome, cosmos, marigold, moonflower, morning glory, sunflowers, zinnias, pole beans, bush beans, melons (late in the month), cucumber, eggplant (late in the month), okra (late in the month), peppers, pumpkins, squash, radishes (early in the month), lettuce (early in the month), collard greens (early in the month), basil, arugula, dill, & parsley!
Plant spring seeds now, stock up for fall planting later...
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Please stop by and visit! Have a glass of world-famous lemonade (or a beer!) -- we'd love to meet you!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Barrow
Papershell: A Garden Gallery
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Watercolor Painting, Part 1 Saturday, March 17 9:00am-12:00pm Artist Michael Vollmer leads this 4-part watercolor painting workshop, designed for students of all skill levels. The classes will address landscape composition, balance, hue, creating textures and much more! Take one class for $35 or register for all four for $125. Students should bring a 1-quart container for water and any watercolor painting supplies they may already have. Reservations required: call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
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Creative Combos with Christina! Sunday, March 18 11:00am-12:30pm Christina Salwitz aka The Personal Garden Coach is making a stop at Papershell on her whirlwind tour of Texas. Her design class on planting colorful mixed containers is not to be missed! Christina is a nationally-known design expert, merchandiser and horticulturist. Join us for this unique workshop! Class fee is $10. Each participant receives a coupon good for 15% of today's purchases. Reservations suggested: call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
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Watercolor Painting, Part 2 Saturday, March 24 9:00am-12:00pm Artist Michael Vollmer leads this 4-part watercolor painting workshop, designed for students of all skill levels. The classes will address landscape composition, balance, hue, creating textures and much more! Take one class for $35 or register for all four for $125. Students should bring a 1-quart container for water and any watercolor painting supplies they may already have. Reservations required: call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
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Butterfly Gardening! Saturday, March 24 3:00-4:30pm Master Gardener and Butterfly Expert Barbara Buckley leads this informative and fun seminar. Learn about the life cycles of butterflies and how to attract these winged lovelies to your own garden. Class fee is $10. Each participant receives a coupon good for 15% of today's purchases. Reservations suggested: call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
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Sub-Tropical Fruit Trees Sunday, March 25 3:00-4:30pm Horticulturist Diana Liga returns to lead this class on sub-tropical fruits like citrus, avocado & papaya. If you've always wanted your own freshly squeezed juice, right from your own backyard, this class is for you! Learn to grow these rewarding and beautiful fruits. Class fee is $10. Each participant receives a coupon good for 15% of today's purchases. Reservations suggested: call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
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Mosaic Birdbath Class Saturday, March 31 9:00am-1:00pm Mosaic artist Susie Curry leads this workshop. Participants use glass tiles to learn the art of mosaic while making a ceramic bird or butterfly bath from a glazed saucer. Class fee is $50 and includes all necessary materials. The saucers will be grouted for you and ready to pick up at a later date. Reservations required: call (281) 232-4485 or email us to sign up.
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