The Dog Days of Summer Offset by the Cool Shade of a Well Placed Tree

The dog days of summer are here. This period was defined in 1813 as the time of year "when the seas boiled and all creatures became languid." That's a bit of an exaggeration, but it surely is a time when even the dogs know to find a cool, shady place in the garden to rest in the heat of the afternoon.

Summer heat does not have to drive you out of the garden. Summer evenings can be spent in a cool oasis under the shade of your favorite tree and there are even plants that find solace under the ‘cool’ of a beautiful tree. Kaempferias are the perfect choice for these conditions. This group of gingers thrives where other plants struggle. They are lovely in mass plantings for a full, luxurious effect. They are easy to maintain and divide, and are seldom bothered by pests. Kaempferias bloom — in fact many of them have exotic, orchid-like flowers, but the real show in the summer shade garden is their dramatic foliage.

Low growing Kaempferias make wonderful, cooling ground covers and look amazing when mass planted in drifts and sweeps in shady areas. Brush Strokes (Kaempferia loatica 'Brush Strokes') is a 6- to 8-inch low-mounding, root-hardy ginger. Its leaves are brushed with broad strokes of chocolate-red on the surface and have maroon undersides.If you are looking for a variety that will multiply and fill an area quickly, try Manson Peacock Ginger (Kaempferia pulchra mansonii). This selection grows to five inches and is a tough, but beautiful landscape ginger. The surface of the leaves has a feather pattern of silver with hundreds of tiny, silver flecks.

Satin Checks (Kaempferia elegans 'Satin Checks') is simply one of the best. Its bright green leaves have a satiny sheen and a deep purplish checkerboard pattern. Flowers appear almost daily on this selection from midsummer through fall. The larger, taller Kaempferias have dramatic, tropical look. An upright growth habit and large 8-inch wide by 2-foot long leaves give Grande Peacock Ginger (Kaempferia 'Grande') its name. The broad leaves have a beautiful surface pattern of silver and dark green and a rich burgundy underside.

Raven Peacock Ginger (Kaempferia rotunda 'Raven') has 16-inch long, upright, lance-shaped leaves. This is pure drama in the shade garden. The leaf surface is a very dark green patterned with beautiful strokes of silver. The underside is a dark, rich purple.

Silver Diamonds (Kaempferia rotunda 'Silver Diamonds') has distinguished, platinum-colored, diamond-shaped markings that are fanned on each side of the leaf surface in a chevron pattern. The underside of the leaves is a rich maroon color.

Kaempferias will go dormant in the winter, making late-winter/early spring cleanup a breeze. Even heavily planted beds can be accessed easily to remove debris and apply compost and mulch before spring growth begins.

Texture is important when landscaping with foliage plants. Good bed mates for Kaempferias include Cephalotaxus, Cast Iron Plant, and ferns.

The cumbersome common name of Prostrate Plum Yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia drupaceae) does not give any clue to the wonderful texture of Cephalotaxus. This evergreen has a broad, horizontal, multiple-stemmed form with flat branches and dense, fine textured foliage. It is slow growing to 2- or 3-feet tall and 3- to 5-feet wide. It's a lovely accent draping over large rocks and borders.

Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra eliator), known for its dependability and resilience. To add an additional level of interest, try planting the cultivar Ginga (Aspidistra lurida 'Ginga'). This variety is a bit smaller at 18-inches tall and is speckled with creamy-colored spots.
Once you have created your shady oasis, arrange a bench or a few chairs so you can cool down, and wind down, with tall glass of iced-tea and enjoy the dogs, and the dog days.