| What specimen plant or small shrubs would you recommend for dry shade in clay soil in the low desert? |
| In choosing plants for shady locations look for larger leaves with deeper green color. These plants will make best use of the minimal sunlight. Are you striving for an oasis look or an arid theme? Many of the agaves do well in filtered shade and make great specimen plants http://ag.arizona.edu/classes/... (this is not a very flattering picture of this gorgeous, graceful plant) as do some of the larger aloes http://ag.arizona.edu/classes/... . To see othervarieties visit the "Plants" section of the Maricopa County Home Horticulture Web Site http://ag.arizona.edu/~bradley... Some of the penstemons get to be three or four feet across with four of even five foot flower stalks. They are a short lived perennial in our climate but often re-seed readily and they attract hummingbirds. Ruellia Britannia does well in the shade and has purple flowers almost year round. You may want to go out to the Glendale Public Librarydemonstration garden, 5959 W. Brown St. (59th Ave. just south of Peoria Ave.), with a pad and jot down the names of the shade plants you like. They have a well labeled garden with several different designs. |
