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Tractor seat Ligularia. Photo: GREGOR RICHARDSON The photo shows that a row of European beech trees in the lower botanical garden was planted in the 1870s. Fagus sylvatica Avenue has matured into a huge specimen with a large spreading crown.

From winter to early spring, sunlight pours down from the fallen leaves. Then around the middle of spring, within a week or two, the trees became dense and the leaves covered in deep shade. One tree after another, staggered, at the beginning, these magnificent trees slowly fell their leaves, until the whole atmosphere suddenly changed.

One way to highlight the dim areas below is to choose plants with lighter flowers and leaves. Crimson and purple flowers may disappear in the dark, while lighter colors, white, cream, lemon and light blue, pink and fuchsia will capture and reflect light. The lighter colors draw attention to the depth of the border.

The leaves can also be bright silver, light cream and lime green to brighten darker areas. Leaves can produce good results in shadow areas.

In order to capture as much light as possible, plant leaves will grow larger to meet their food needs. Large foliage plants, such as hosta, Chatham Island forget-me-not, and tractor seat plants, as shown in the picture, appear to be bigger than life in the deep shade.

In the lower botanical garden camellia series, large leaves and reflective colors can be seen.

-Garden Life is produced by Dunedin Botanic Garden.

For more information, please contact Marianne Groothuis.

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