Gardening in the shade presents gardeners with the opportunity to work with a wide variety of beautiful plants. There are virtually an end number of plants which can grow in a garden. Many plants, in fact, prefer at least some protection from full exposure to the sun.
Before you design a shade garden determine what type of shade your working with. Also, take note of the types of trees that are creating the shade. Evergreen trees provide shade year round while deciduous trees allow sun to reach the ground in winter.
There are three types of shade; dappled, part shade and deep shade. Understanding the characteristics of each will help you select the proper plants. While there are many advantages to gardening in at least some shade, deep shade conditions can be a challenge as only shade demanding plants are suitable.
The easiest type of shade in which to garden is the dappled. This is shade which occurs under deciduous trees. Keep in mind, there are extreme changes in the amount of sunlight reaching the ground throughout the year. In summer there is generally a mix of shade and sun while full sun conditions prevail in winter. Many shade tolerant perennials, such as trillium, epimedium, anemone and various bulbs have adapted to these conditions by flowering in the spring while sunlight still enters the garden.
Part shade occurs in when there is full sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon or the vice versa. It’s ideal for those plants which tolerate sun but little shade. Many plants prefer afternoon shade. ‘Nikko Blue’ hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla), for instance, does well with morning sun and afternoon shade. If the opposite is true, and it receives a sudden burst of sunlight after a cool morning in the shade, a hydrangea may show signs of stress, particularly on hot days.
Deep shade occurs when very little, if any, sunlight reaches the ground. For example, beneath evergreen tree or in spaces next to tall buildings. These conditions can present challenge. Soil beneath evergreens is usually poor due to the lack of an annual leaf fall. Plants selected for deep shade gardens need to be shade loving not just shade tolerant. While many plants can tolerate shade, few can thrive in it. For example, while ferns thrive in deep shade, they may wilt in a part shade environment. And though rhododendron may tolerant deep shade many types will fail to thrive.
Many plants which thrive in the shade have large leaves which allows them to capture as much light as possible. Hosta is a great example of this. In the summer, foliage often becomes the most prominent feature in a shade garden so include in your design plants with variegated foliage which can brighten up a garden and create the illusion of light. Use different shades of green throughout the garden as well. Remember, colors appear different in the shade. In full sun, colors can seem washed out, while in the shade they are vibrant and more intense. In your design, juxtapose foliage textures and colors. For instance, a maiden hair fern with its delicate leaves is more prominent against the large leaves of a hosta than against another type of fern.
Incorporate year round interest in the garden. Evergreens and deciduous shrubs such red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea) with its striking red bark or arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) with their dark blue berries all add interest to the winter landscape.
shady conditions, there a number of shrubs, perennials, ferns and bulbs which provide virtually unlimited planting opportunities.
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