A shaded garden can still be a thriving garden.
Know what types of plants will thrive in shady areas. A little advance planning will pay off in a colorful, low maintenance shade garden.
Types of Shade in a Garden
Deep shade is all-day shade where no direct sun reaches the ground; this often occurs under heavily foliaged trees. Deep shade may be dry or moist depending upon whether the trees are surface-rooted or deep-rooted.
Part shade or half shade means shade for part of the day with direct sunlight during the other part. Many sun-loving plants bloom well in half shade because they get 4-6 hours of direct sun each day.
Light shade or filtered shade occurs under a tree canopy of open-branched trees where spots of sunshine filter to the ground in constantly shifting shadows.
Open shade occurs on the north side of a building where no direct sunlight falls, but where light may be reflected to the ground from surrounding walls.
What to Plant in a Shaded Garden
- Grow plants with white-variegated leaves or white or pastel flowers; these plants will seem to glow in the shadows.
- Avoid dark red or purple flowers, because these colors recede.
- Brighten open shade along buildings by painting the walls a light-reflecting white or pastel.
- Use masses of golden-leaved plants and those with yellow flowers to create the impression of a beam of sunshine.
- Include garden statues, furniture, or other ornaments to add interest.
- Contrast plants that have finely divided, fernlike leaves with those featuring big, tropical-looking leaves to add drama.
Using Ground Cover in Place of Lawn Grass in
Sometimes referred to as "living mulch," ground cover fills in to form a dense planting that discourages weeds, holds moisture, prevents erosion, and is easier to care for than a lawn.
Many ground cover plants flourish in sites hostile to lawn grass, such as deep shade. They are also more environmentally friendly than lawns, requiring less energy, water, fertilizer, and pesticides to stay well groomed. Trees, shrubs, flowering perennials, and bulbs can grow through most groundcovers.
Ground covers are also lovely to look at. Some bloom, some produce berries, and some are evergreen. Lily-of-the-valley, vinca, sweet woodruff, bishop's weed, ajuga, pachysandra, and buttercup are favorite ground covers.
When planting ground covers, spacing young plants properly is crucial in them to fill in quickly. It usually takes a year or two to achieve the desired thick cover.
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