There’s an area next to the RV where I started to create a shade garden. I put in my cheap plastic greenhouse so that I could propagate plants and keep frost tender varieties warm during the winter. I scrounged around the property and gathered ti plants, bromeliads, gingers, purple queen, and some baby coonties. I purchased some more gingers, a few azaleas, and three oakleaf hydrangeas. Then I got some caaldiums, chartreuse sweet potato vine, coleus, and sanchezia. The entire garden had a red, green and chartreuse color scheme.
![shade garden with coleus, gingers, and nerve plant](http://www.transcendcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PXL_20220704_221446610.jpg)
Just behind this garden, my stepfather and I had done really heavy pruning on the property line since the neighbor’s oak tree died and tried to fall down in my yard. I say “tried” because it was so tangled in vines that it could only fall so far. Regardless, it was a mess and overgrown with grapevines and beautyberries and smilax. We discovered three large podocarpus that I had planted twenty years prior. I felt I lifted a giant load off their shoulders and now they were free to bask in the warmth of the sun (for a least a few hours of the day).
![podocarpus to screen property line](http://www.transcendcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PXL_20220704_221538670-scaled.jpg)
I purchased two more podocarpus (unfortunately, one has since died) since they are evergreen and I wanted to screen the area from the neighbors for privacy. This is where I also planted two sweet viburnums and at least three of the cuttings of my gorgeous formosa azaleas. Podocarpus is very easy to propagate, so I have more babies planted and future ones that will be planted soon.
Once it warmed up, I also planted a bunch of the hawaiian ti plants I had to overwinter in the greenhouse, a couple of night blooming jessamine for a tropical scent, and some lantana I found around the property.
Well, not only did the garden hop over to the podocarpus side, it also hopped over to the side opposite of the gingers and coleus.
![coleus, elephant ears, hosta and more](http://www.transcendcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PXL_20220704_221836321-scaled.jpg)
Since I could easily propagate many of the plants I had, I added them “across the aisle” of the original garden. Without a doubt, this will look more tropical once those giant elephant ears reach 6 feet tall! I also need to add some taller gingers and a cycad or palm. Those are in the plans!
Well, this garden is the border to the wooded area, so you can walk completely around the woods in a circle and finish up the driveway. As luck would have it, I am planting there too!
The one area that still lacks is actually in the middle of the wooded patch. And, there’s a good reason for that. I planted 12 alpinia ginger tubers but I only see one coming up.
The others either don’t like the conditions or got pulled up by armadillos. I did put an ocala anise, a lday palm, an oakleaf hydrangea, another alpinia that I purchased as a small plant, a cassia tree, and a fatsia… all are pretty small at the moment and so must grow some more to have real impact.
![shade garden with begonias, spider plants, hanging baskets, and more](http://www.transcendcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PXL_20220704_221749812.jpg)
Here is the before photo (earlier this year).
![](http://www.transcendcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/shadeGardenBefore.jpg)
And now, here’s the current photo of the redesign.
![subtropical shade garden redesign](http://www.transcendcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PXL_20220704_235507309.jpg)
In the next few weeks, I plan to add crotons and palm trees and potentially more extra large gingers. I’m also hoping the elephant ears grow to 6 feet! That reminds me, I have to give them their elephant ear nitro boost fertilizer. 😉
![gingers, coleus, nerve plant in shade](http://www.transcendcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PXL_20220703_123752430.jpg)
![ti plant](http://www.transcendcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PXL_20220704_221826862-1.jpg)
![path down shade garden](http://www.transcendcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PXL_20220704_235445661-scaled.jpg)
![coleus, aloe, bromeliads, elephant ears](http://www.transcendcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PXL_20220704_221836321-1.jpg)
![shade garden birds nest fern and impatiens](http://www.transcendcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PXL_20220704_221650047-scaled.jpg)
![shade garden with begonias, spider plants, hanging baskets, and more](http://www.transcendcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PXL_20220704_221749812.jpg)
![](http://www.transcendcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PXL_20220704_235526470-scaled.jpg)
![subtropical shade garden redesign](http://www.transcendcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PXL_20220704_235507309.jpg)
![now with a new birdhouse installed](http://www.transcendcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PXL_20220724_112754714.jpg)