First Shade Day is the first day you can see shade from the trees each spring. May 5 was First Shade Day this year; though it was raining when I made the observation.

First Shade Day signifies the unofficial beginning of spring. I know the cold, damp gloomy days are over.

John Holden

Below are some observations of the yard on First Shade Day 2019.

Shade Garden Ideas

Below is the Hosta Garden leafing out. This garden has a lot of significance for a couple of reasons.

First, the root flare of the Sugar Maple to the left that’s 100 to 125 years old.

Second, when we bought our house this area was half moss and half weeds. It was a mess! Over the years I placed the stepping stones, spread compost, and planted the Hosta to get it to where it is today.

Theo is enjoying First Shade Day too! On the right are some Tiarella (Tiarella cordifolia) in full bloom along with an Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis ‘Old Fashioned’) .

Epimedium – Plant for Dry Shade

Sulphureum Barrenwort (Epimedium × versicolor ‘Sulphureum’) in full bloom growing in dry shade and looking great! Barrenwort dies back to the ground in the fall but reliably returns each spring. It’s a very slow spreader that works better as a grouping than as a ground cover.

Sulphureum Barrenwort (Epimedium × versicolor ‘Sulphureum’) flower and foliage. The foliage has a reddish tinge when it emerges and the small yellow flowers provide interest in the spring garden.

Japanese Crabapple – Spring Flowering Tree

Japanese Crabapple in full bloom. When we moved into the house 20 years ago the tree was a stick 6 to 8 feet tall.

Over the coming weeks, the petals will litter the plantings and lawn beneath the tree. Following that leaves will slowly drop through the summer. When the leaves drop in the fall they are thick and leathery and don’t ‘grind up’ with the lawnmower easily.

While I’m not a fan of Japanese Crabapples; few trees can compete with their beauty in full bloom. Here’s a great list of Japanese Crabapple Cultivars .

If you can identify the cultivar of Japanese Crabapple from the flowers please let me know.

Square Foot Gardening

Last year I started a square foot garden. I planted lettuce seedlings a couple of weeks ago. I only covered the plants once to protect them from frost so far.

In my other bed I planted onion sets, broccoli and peas.

When I was a kid I visited a friend whose father was growing peas early in the season. I remember watching the peas growing in the muddy, cold soil and wondering why anyone would plant so early.

I’ve learned that peas like cold, muddy soil. These seedlings were planted mid-April and they’re thriving.

Seasonal Color Ideas

My wife came back from Target with this cool bucket. She poked holes in the bottom with a nail for drainage, filled the container with potting soil and planted some pansies from the local grocery store. Voila!

German or Bearded Iris

This picture is the bed of German Iris I made a video about years ago. In the video, I mention weeding around the iris. I decided to keep the leaves in the bed to shade the soil and see if it keeps the weeds down.

Thanks for sharing First Shade Day with me.