Juniper Level Botanic Gardens: Part Sun-Part Shade Gardens

Much like the Front Shade Garden, there is a labyrinth of paths that take you past many different kinds of plants. Walk past the Southwestern Garden berm with the cacti, Agaves, and other scree garden plants. Take a rest at the patio garden, where you can see a display of Cretaceous period petrified palms and conifers. Walk over Mystic Creek via the Cattail bridge and luxuriate beneath the ‘Bridal Veil’ Flowering Apricot. The understory of trees is a mix of Carex, Lady Slippers, Ferns, Hellebores, Jack in the Pulpits, Hostas, Trilliums and so much more. Stand at the base of Mount Michelle and listen to the thundering cascade. Sit on the Overlook Deck and view the many ferns and listen to the waterfall.

Photographs A-B: In early spring, the Trachystemon orientalis with its inconspicuous blue flowers and the large leaves tempt you across the cattail bridge to hear the Mystic Waterfall. You will find Calanthe in bloom in April. Interspersed are several varieties of Hellebores, Asarum, Trilliums, and other shade-loving plants to delight your senses. 

Photographs C-D: In early April, walking along a woodland path in the Sun and Shade Garden, you will find the maroon flower blooms of the Rhododendron 'Julius Kingsley' opening up. Tucked underneath the rhododendron is the Asarum with the inconspicuous flowers hidden by the heart-shaped foliage. Along the path are Hellebores, emerging ferns, Trilliums and other unusual plants. 

Photographs E-F: In the Part Sun and Part Shade Garden, you will find this winding path with a Hedera helix Ivy bush in February with its variegated foliage. To the left of the Ivy bush, the Trachycarpus fortunei gives architectural interest to the garden. Hellebores filled with new flower buds, Galanthus with their nodding heads and emerging Trilliums remind you that spring is right around the corner. 

Photograph G: Entering the Sun Shade garden from the crevice gardens, you will be greeted by a lovely burgundy Heuchera in front of a carex and a hardy palm to give it architectural interest. In the middle of the page, you will see the remaining dried heads of the Hydrangea arborescens Spirit leftover from providing winter interest. In front, creeping phlox picks up the cool undertones throughout the garden.

Photographs H-I: In the Sun-Shade Garden, there is a path where a well-established Acanthus -Bear’s Breeches blooms in late spring to early summer. In the foreground, you will be greeted by Acanthus Summer Beauty on your left. You can find Carex, Solomon’s Seal, Amorphophallus, Tricyrtis, and Soloman’s Seal intermingled.

Photograph J: The Southwestern Patio Garden features a paved patio with a Petrified Wood bench. This photo was taken in April where you can see the Eastern Blue Phlox in bloom, Hosta, and the Mystic Waterfall overlooking the Deck. Usually, in summer you will find a display of many Agaves.

Photographs K-L: From the Southwest patio in the Partial Shade- Partial Sun garden behind the Petrified wood bench, you will see the shiny lush leaves of the Chinese Mayapple shading the Cathedral Window Hosta and the Japanese Painted Fern to the right.

Photograph M: The Cattail Bridge, located in the Sun Shade Garden, was installed by Gallucci Studios of Greensboro in 2006. At the base to the left, you will see carex. The Bridal Veil Flowering Apricot, which is covered with white blooms in mid-February, shades the carex. On the other side of the Bridge in late March, when this photo was taken, you will find the Japanese Cobra Lily Arisaema ringens in bloom. In this part of the garden, you will see Cinnamon Ferns, Japanese painted Ferns, Trilliums, Hellebores Lady Slippers and other shade-loving plants.

Photographs N-O: Mystic Waterfall found in Partial Sun Partial Shade Garden with Edgeworthia in the forefront. The photographs were taken in late winter on March 17 when the Hellebores and Edgeworthia were in bloom. On the banks of the stream, you will find ferns and Hellebores with Carex on the banks of the stream.

Photograph P: In this photo, taken April 15, the Heuchera ‘Northern Exposure,’ Pilea matsudai, and Iris are in the forefront. This path overlooks the crevice garden in the Partial Sun and Partial Shade garden.

Photograph Q: Taken in April 2019, in the Partial Sun Partial Shade, you will find the Disporum flavens with its dangling yellow bells hanging beneath the lush foliage. Towering over the Acuba is a hardy palm tree. Trillium, hostas, and ferns live in the shade near the path. On the right path, you will find the hardy bananas with the leaves emerging.

Photograph R-S: Here we have several views of the Southwest Patio in the Partial Sun Partial Shade garden. These photos were taken in early May. The Agave collection is displayed on the perimeter of the brick patio. You will find Phlox, a Chinese Mayapple, Polygonatum kingianum which is an unusual orange Soloman’s seal. In one of the photos you will  see a yucca in bloom as well as a Baptisia. It is a lovely place to rest and listen to the Mystic Waterfall at the base of Mount Michell.