If you’re a homeowner who has been discouraged about gardening because your property is partially or even totally shaded, take heart. Gardening in shady areas is not only possible, it is also can be very rewarding — if you understand the various ways that shade’s disadvantages can be overcome.
Of course, shade gardening can be challenging. Growing plants successfully among aggressive tree roots and matching plants to variable light conditions can take a little more effort, but is always well worth it.
The rewards include creating unique plant settings and textures that constantly evolve with the changing light, bringing color and interest to a part of your property that may otherwise be dull and monotone.
In fact, shady spots in your yard, such as under a tree or beside a building, can be every bit as beautiful as brighter areas of your landscape. The key is choosing plants that thrive in low-light conditions.
All plants have different growing requirements, including, but not limited to: soil type, drainage and light conditions. Depending on your growing zone, the plants that thrive best in shaded gardens vary.
Here in Eastern Massachusetts, we grow in hardiness zones 5 and 6, which means we can choose plants that need shade according to either of the zone areas.
We’ve all seen the plant tags with a darkened circle or half circle, sticking out of pots of perennials and annuals. It’s a quick reference indicating that that plant needs shade or half shade, respectively. So, what constitutes shade?
There are four main categories of shade, determined by the amount of time without direct sun plus the density of the shade. They are light shade, partial shade, full shade, and dense shade.
In light shade, trees account for 25% of the canopy and the plants receive 5 to 10 hours of sun. In the home landscape, this is generally just under the drip line of trees (the outermost extension of the canopy).
Partial shade occurs when the canopy is 50%, the plants receive less than 5 hours of sun, and are shaded for at least half a day. Typically this occurs in a yard with trees and where a structure shades the garden for part of the day.
Full shade means the garden receives less than one hour of direct sun, although filtered light may be present occasionally. This could be under a dense deciduous tree, close to the trunk. In these areas, the dry shade tends to lead to soil low in moisture.
Dense shade is a deep shade where the sun doesn’t reach the ground, such as in a coniferous forest or in a yard where the sun is blocked out by structures likesuch as walls and overhangs.
Once you’ve determined the level of shade your garden experiences, you can begin the selection process to ensure you have plants that will not only survive, but thrive, in a shaded environment.
Leaf shape and size differ on shade plants compared to full-sun plants. Shade leaves are generally broad and thin, such as those on a hosta. Shade-loving ferns have broad leaves designed to allow for less wind resistance. Broad, thin leaves have only one layer of palisade cells, which are photosynthetic and rich in chlorophyll.
In contrast, on full-sun plants, leaves tend to be small and thick because they have multiple layers of palisade cells. This enables the stronger sun to reach deep into the plant without burning it. The smaller surface area loses less water, but still can produce the needed energy in the same way that broad-leafed shade plants do.
Over the years, we have designed and installed many gardens with plants that thrive in the shade. These are our three favorite shade plants:
Diamond Tiara Plantain Lily (Hosta 'Diamond Tiara'): Beautiful lily with bright green foliage and perfect white edges.
Freckles Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia 'Freckles'): Showy clusters of pink flowers with dark purple spots radiating from the center adding beauty to this shrub.
Alice Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia 'Alice'): Pink and blue flowers that rebloom continuously, spring through fall.
In addition, there are many other shade plants that are well-suited to the New England climate, many of which are low maintenance and can attract butterflies and other pollinators. Some other popular options that we recommend include:
As an evergreen plant, ferns are an excellent way to add texture to your landscape throughout the year. Some of the varieties that work well in our area include the Japanese fern, ostrich fern and the maidenhair fern.
This perennial has a range of colors, from deep purple to lime green, along with small flowers, which can provide contrast to other plantings in shady areas.
The bright, feathery plumes of astilbe, which can come in colors like pink, purple, and white, add a burst of color to the landscape.
Native to Massachusetts, bleeding hearts bloom with a distinct, heart-shaped flower. As an added bonus to its beauty, it’s also deer resistant.
Creeping Jenny is one of many types of ground cover that can bring aesthetic appeal to otherwise bare spots and fill in shady nooks in your landscape.
Begonias come in a variety of vibrant colors, such red, pink, peach, salmon, coral, and white, as well as bi-color and variegated options.
As an early bloomer that begins to flower in late winter to early spring, hellebores are an excellent choice to add color to your landscape at the beginning of the season.
An annual flower that thrives in the shade, impatiens are a favorite for landscape borders and beds, as well as a hanging plant.
The large, green leaves of Brunnera plants often have a frosted or veined appearance, which will make them a notable and distinct addition to your landscape.
While it may not have the most appealing name on the list, lungwort certainly makes up for it with its beauty, featuring silver-speckled leaves and delicate flowers.
The garden pictured is a mature shade garden designed and installed by our Moodscapes team several years ago.
This shade garden was designed with a variety of shade-loving perennials and grasses. In the photo you can see:
Every shade garden is different, so select plants according to your available space. It’s great to use perennials for a shaded walkway because they add color and can have various bloom times throughout the year to continually lighten up the area. There are also larger plants and shrubs that can be used in a shade border.
A garden is more than just plants. There’s the soil they grow in, the moisture they need, and the changes in the amount of sun they receive throughout the year. Let’s take a closer look at each of these.
In general, shade gardening requires richer soil so that plants can receive all the nutrients they need.
Perhaps the most shaded growing environment is a forest, so consider a shady forest floor. It has a layer of duff — inches of accumulated leaves, pine needles, and other detritus to feed the lower story plants as well as the trees, which may mean adding compost, mulch, and other organic materials to beef up your soil composition.
Similarly, a successful shade garden will have rich, quick-draining soil much like an upland forest. Each shade plant has its own specific soil preferences, so research each plant you’re considering and amend your garden soil accordingly for each plant or grouping.
Some plants that have adapted to shady conditions have shallow roots, which enable them to absorb nutrients from the surface leaf litter. These plants also suck up surface water before it trickles down to the deep taproots of canopy plants.
Overall, shade-loving plants generally need less water than their full-sun counterparts that require moist soil. However, be aware there are some shade species that prefer dry soil, while others like it wet so, again, know what your plant choices like.
Some tree species, such as maple and oak, are free of leaves from November through April, creating a winter sunny zone where summer shade once dominated. Pay attention to how the light changes on your property throughout the year, and plant with these patterns in mind.
When seasonal foliage is gone, the garden below is more exposed to weather in an area that is sheltered from the elements for a good part of the year.
Shade gardening may take a little more homework and careful consideration to ensure success, but the payback can be tremendous. A shade garden can be an ideal space for relaxation and contemplation — a place to enjoy nature, along with some peace and quiet.
However you choose to enjoy your shade garden, with whatever design you create for it, the result will be your own unique garden to enjoy for years to come.
To learn more about creating the perfect landscape design for your home, please download our free ebook, Personalized Landscape Design: Why You Should Leave It to the Professionals.
