Modifying Shade
Shade is a desirable element in the garden only up to a point. If your garden feels dark and dank because it is too heavily shaded by overgrown trees, you will want to prune them back so that you will have full use of your space. If you have moved into a home with an older, neglected garden it will probably be worth your while to hire professionals to do the pruning. The cost of such extensive work is usually considerable, but the results can be dramatic or even shocking if you are unfamiliar with the great ability of plants to renew themselves quickly. An additional benefit to having overgrown trees and shrubs professionally pruned is that most companies will either haul the debris away as part of the total cost, or bring a chipper to the site, leaving the material for use as a mulch or for compost.
If you have only a few problem trees, the information on pruning in this chapter will help you make the right
cuts. You’ll need a good pruning saw, the type with a curved blade on the end of an extension pole, a wide-bladed saw similar to a carpenter’s saw, and a pair of hand pruners.
In addition to producing too much shade, mature trees pose other problems for the gardener who would like to make good use of the ground beneath their spreading branches. Depending on the type of tree, the soil directly around mature specimens is often congested with roots, leaving little space for other plants to grow. An overly dense canopy of leaves can also severely restrict air circulation, an important element for the healthy growth of plants. Mature trees have prodigious appetites when it comes to nutrients and water. This fact must be taken into consideration before planting smaller plants, whose root systems may not be able to compete with those of the larger tree.
If the shade in your yard is not produced by trees, but by neighboring structures, there are fewer options in modifying the conditions. Painting the walls a light color will help to reflect whatever available light there is, and can often make a significant difference in the mood of the garden. Beyond that solution, the best advice is to make your plant selections carefully according to the prevailing conditions and soil improvement.
