Garden Photo of the Day

Spring Garden Therapy

By Kim Charles

Marlene Mullet from Ohio focuses on lush shade plants and her thriving Etsy shop.

"Spring gardens are my favorite and here in northeast Ohio we have a long spring season, usually with lots of rain. We have a lot of shade on our property which means I am always on the lookout for unique shade plants! I have found a lot of plants meant for sun also do surprisingly well in shade. I have turned our vegetable garden into a planting bed for perennials, which I sell on my Etsy shop, Green Leaf Gardens. It has always been my dream to sell perennials and I absolutely love it! People think I have so much work with all these plants to care for, but for me it is usually not a chore, but great therapy and keeps me active!"

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Comments

  1. User avater
    Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 05/02/2017

    Gorgeous, lush and fresh, Marlene. It's great to see more of your garden. That's a great Tiarella (Heucherella?) in the last shot. Yay Ohio.

    1. sheila_schultz 05/02/2017

      How is it that we always hone in on the same plants?

    2. marlenemullet 05/02/2017

      Thanks Tim! Yes it's a 'Sugar and Spice' tiarella.

  2. sheila_schultz 05/02/2017

    Spring is magnificent in your Ohio garden, Marlene. I love the 'lightness' to all of those tiny blossoms... they always make me smile and daydream about the blossoms to come.

    1. marlenemullet 05/02/2017

      Thanks Sheila!

  3. paullenhard 05/02/2017

    Lovely garden Marlene. Love the combinations of plants, texture and color. Thanks for sharing.

    1. marlenemullet 05/02/2017

      Thanks Paul!

  4. tennisluv 05/02/2017

    Lovely and lush. Love the way you have scattered blue throughout the garden - plants, blossoms, and furniture. (Blue is my new favorite color for the garden). Thanks for sharing.

    1. marlenemullet 05/02/2017

      Thanks! Blue is my favorite flower color too:)

  5. susanracettehurd 05/02/2017

    Beautiful! I have a shade garden also and I'm always looking for gardens like yours to learn from.

    1. marlenemullet 05/02/2017

      Thanks Susan! I also post a lot of photos of my shade gardens on Instagram under GreenLeafGardens.

      1. susanracettehurd 05/02/2017

        Wonderful! I'll follow you. ☺️

  6. User avater
    LindaonWhidbey 05/02/2017

    Good morning, Marlene. Your shade garden is so lush and is how I hope that mine will eventually look and now I know of a new place to buy plants. Is that tiarella in the last photo and does it spread? Love all of your blues, too. Thanks for sharing.

    1. marlenemullet 05/02/2017

      Thanks Linda! The tiarella spreads a little slower but I have already divided some of them..

  7. NCYarden 05/02/2017

    Heating up that shade with these hot plants! Fresh and beautiful. I agree that the garden, even when it seems like work, really is play and good for the head. Thank you for sharing.

    1. marlenemullet 05/02/2017

      Thanks! Yes great therapy!

  8. user-7008113 05/02/2017

    I share the joy and passion of my shade garden.

    1. user-6536305 05/02/2017

      Oh Deb, you should submit your shade garden to the post. Love it.

  9. user-4691082 05/02/2017

    Is that tiarella 'brass lantern'? I am looking for one! I'm still channeling Tim Vojt! Aren't we all so thrilled that spring is here? I love your pulmonaria also!

    1. marlenemullet 05/02/2017

      Thanks Rhonda! I also love pulmonarias! The tiarella is 'Sugar and Spice'.

  10. schatzi 05/02/2017

    Lush and beautiful.

    1. marlenemullet 05/02/2017

      Thank you!

  11. NWAgardener 05/02/2017

    Marlene - your shade beds are absolutely stunning!!

    1. marlenemullet 05/02/2017

      Thank you!

  12. marlenemullet 05/02/2017

    Thanks! Yes I have lots of Corydalis!

  13. user-6536305 05/02/2017

    Thanks for sharing your beautiful shade garden and great photos. I especially love the seating among the plants and the tiarella is 'Sugar and Spice'.

    1. marlenemullet 05/02/2017

      Thanks Lilian!

  14. User avater
    meander_michaele 05/02/2017

    Hi, Marlene, well, no one can accuse you of being the proverbial cobbler whose children have no shoes...instead, you are a plant seller who has a beautiful garden. You walk the walk of your plant enthusiasm! You have some of my most favorite hostas in your Etsy shop...I adore 'Guacamole', 'Stained Glass', 'Paul's Glory' and 'August Moon'. Coincidently, they seem to be the only ones that the hungry voles have not nibbled to nothingness. Your spring garden is delightful and looks like a wonderful place in which to stay healthy...both physically and mentally.

    1. marlenemullet 05/02/2017

      Thanks for your kind comments! And for looking at my Etsy shop:)

  15. LaurelEm 05/02/2017

    JOY!

  16. views_opinion 05/02/2017

    Stunning

  17. Maggieat11 05/02/2017

    Wonderful! Wish I lived closer so I could come and visit and see your lovely gardens!

  18. Cenepk10 05/03/2017

    Really beautiful, Marlene. Spring really is the most joyous time in the garden - your garden looks beautifully mature & sophisticated combos.

  19. janeeliz 05/03/2017

    Love your garden Marleen! Spring gardens are my favorites, too. So delicate, so blue, so much to look forward to! Is that a hellebore peeking out from the variegated host in the 1st photo? All photos wonderful. I especially like the one w. the tree/bush w. red leaves (smoke bush?), lime hosta in front of lime grass-like foliage and , maybe, forget-me -nots in the foreground..Pulmonaria lovely with moss phlox. All so inviting!

  20. greengenes 05/03/2017

    Good evening Marlene... What a wonder you have created! Shade gardens are my favorite type with ferns and lots of foilage. Hostas seem to really steal the show in them. Thanks for sharing with us!

  21. pattieswinfordclifford 05/03/2017

    So pretty!!

  22. user-3565112 05/03/2017

    " Gardening is cheaper than therapy & you get tomatoes " Anon. In your case you get plant sales. . I believe you've mastered shade gardening, Your gardening skills , plant choices & photos are terrific.
    Good luck, Joe

  23. deeinde 05/04/2017

    Love your shade garden! I also have a shade garden and a woodland garden. Do you use spring ephemerals in your garden like Trilliums, Virginia Bluebells, and Bloodroot?

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