: Shady characters

They also allow us to tap into a wide variety of interesting and appealing shade-loving plants. Even many sun-tolerant plants grow, flower and fruit better with protection from intense midday sun.

Shade gardens aren't difficult to create. In fact, you probably have a spot under a broad spreading mesquite or sweet acacia that would be the perfect spot for your shade garden.

Light shade allows you to grow a great number of plants. But if you want to grow the full variety of shade plants, consider a spot on the east side of your home. Even plants that require full shade tolerate a few hours of morning sun.

North sides of homes provide winter shade, but at our low latitude, the sun's high position in the summer sky casts only a sliver of shade to the north.

There are different ways to create an overhead canopy for additional shade:

● Plant small trees (or shrubs formed into small trees) under taller, open-spreading trees.

This creates a second canopy layer providing denser shading similar to that provided by a layered forest canopy.

Layered shade can be provided by small trees such as Japanese privet, shiny-leaf privet, Mexican bird of paradise, Texas mountain laurel, Berlandier's acacia and yellow oleander.

Some shrubs also can be formed into small, under-story trees by pruning off lower branches. These include Arizona rosewood, green hop bush and red-leaf photinia.

● For instant shading, build an arbor, pergola or other shade structure.

A wood beam structure provides the perfect frame for shade coverings of wood lattice, lath, sections of ocotillo fencing or shade cloth.

● Fast-growing vines also can be planted on arbors to provide shading overhead.

Vines such as tangerine crossvine, scarlet honeysuckle, Hall's honeysuckle and Carolina jasmine grow rapidly to provide substantial overhead shading in just a season or two without becoming oversized and unruly.

Many shade plants also prefer higher humidity. Some, like camellia and gardenia, abort their flower buds just prior to opening if humidity levels are too low.

You can increase the humidity and cooling effect in the shade garden with the addition of a small water feature.

Half-wine barrels make an instant water feature when you add a waterproof, preformed liner available at many garden centers and home supply stores. Add a water pump and nozzle to provide the cooling sounds of splashing water.

Add Louisiana iris, water lilies, dwarf papyrus, water milfoil and other water plants to create a cool-shade water garden.

» Shade garden plants

When planting your shade garden, use a mixture of flowering and foliage plants. Here are some of the best:

» Flowering plants

• begonia

• caladium

• bromeliad

• New Guinea Impatiens

• shrimp plant

• sweet violet

• gardenia

• camellia

• glossy abelia

• plumbago

• agapanthus

• night-blooming jasmine

• oalis

» Foliage plants

• Japanese maple

• Japanese privet

• shiny-leaf privet

• sago palm

• lady palm

• Asian jasmine

• Japanese fatsia

• creeping fig

• vinca

• confederate jasmine

• dwarf pittosporum

• Indian hawthorn

» Succulent plants

• Madagascar palm

• ponytail palm

• wax leaf hoya

• elephant food

• crown-of-thorns

• bulbine

• hearts and purple heart

• jade plant

• kangaroo foot