Spotlight On: Myers Park Shade Garden

By Tara Roberts, CCMGA Class of 2021 and contributors Carol Davis and Doug McCabe

Has this late Texas summer temperature increase sent you running for the shade? We have the perfect place to inspire you for the shady areas in your landscaping. Myers Park in Northern McKinney has a beautiful shade garden installation that provides a shady spot to hang out and offers great plant selection ideas to help you beautify your shade garden.

Designing a shade garden can be tricky because you first need an understanding of the various degrees of shade classifications. All shade is not created equal and to be successful you must choose plants appropriate for the level of shade you have in the area you want to landscape. It is advised to watch the area over the day and note the light levels (taking into account shade created by trees, houses and other structures in the area.) Also consider that light will vary by season. Shaded areas in the spring and summer might be less shaded in the winter when many trees drop their leaves.

Knowing the light requirements of plants you might select for your shade garden is very important. Plant tags provide valuable information, but also consider that the sun's intensity in Texas differs greatly from other areas. Plant tags often list generalized information provided by growers who might supply plants to many other areas of the country. Online resources from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and the Collin County Master Gardeners can help you determine shade plants that will tolerate the Texas sun and our often challenging soil conditions.

The shade garden at Myers Park features partial, dappled and deep shade areas. All of the surrounding trees are deciduous, so the garden has considerable leaf drop in the fall.

Installation began on the shade garden at Myers Park in 2017, and the garden was expanded in 2018. Further enhancement was done in 2019 as a local Eagle Scout project provided additional improvements, including drip irrigation to the shade garden.

This demonstration garden is co-managed by Collin County Master Gardeners Carol Davis and Doug McCabe. The project leaders oversee other Master Gardener volunteers who collectively work 130+ hours annually to maintain the shade garden.

When asked to highlight top plants for shade gardens, Davis and McCabe had these wonderful suggestions:

Flowering shade plants: Top flowering plants for season-to-season interest are hellebores for early spring; Bear's Breeches for spring for their interesting foliage and striking bloom; Oakleaf Hydrangeas for spring/summer; Leopard Plant for their unique foliage and bloom; hostas for early spring; begonias for summer color; impatiens are great shade plants as well but are not planted in the Myers Park shade garden because they require so much water.

Shade plants with interesting foliage: Leopard plant; Bear's Breeches; Autumn Brilliance Fern; Holly Fern; Lambs Ear; False or Japanese Aralia; Coralberry (a native plant with seasonal interest from spring to frost). The shade garden has three varieties of Japanese Maples, which are shade tolerant and provide interest with their structure, foliage and bark. Japanese maples are a lovely understory tree for the shade garden.

Evergreen plants: Japanese Prostrate Yew; Hellebores

The shade garden beds at Myers Park are slightly raised due to the slope and configuration of the adjacent creek bank. Soil preparation is vital for any new landscaping bed. During the installation of the shade garden, the soil was tilled and amended with compost before planting, and the beds are mulched every year. Maintaining a thick layer of mulch will not only retain moisture for the plants, but also reduces the likelihood of weeds invading your landscaping.

Choosing native or adaptive plants for our growing region will provide the best results without having to overly amend the clay soil or use too much water. Once established, native and adaptive plants are generally suited for our annual rainfall, meaning you will use less water over the life of the plant. Mulch also helps with water conservation.

Overwatering is common in shadier areas since the sun does not dry out the soil as quickly as it does in sunny areas. Pay attention to the moisture level and watch for overwatering, which is as deadly to plants as underwatering. Use a soil moisture meter to help you determine proper watering levels. Watch for insect damage, especially in the spring. Common insect or disease problems in shadier areas include slugs and fungus. Burrowing animals might damage root systems.

"I enjoy the peaceful feeling of the garden.
You can take a deep breath, rest on the bench and just feel the peace settle on you," garden co-manager Carol Davis says.

The lovely backdrop of the Myers Park shade garden has been used for weddings, bridal portraits and family pictures. The Myers Park facilities manager works with individuals to ensure a successful event. More information about using the shade garden for a special event can be found on the Myers Park website (Collin County | Myers Park and Event Center Home (collincountytx.gov)

We hope you will consider a visit to the Myers Park shade garden to beat the heat and get inspired to create a shade garden of your very own.

Myers Park & Event Center is open to the public Monday–Friday 8am to 4pm. 7117 Co Rd 166, McKinney, TX 75071