Landscaping in Full Shade: Tips for Your Success

Learning how to garden in full shade can be daunting at first, but when you see an underused shady space transformed into something beautiful, it becomes a very rewarding experience. Let’s talk about the key bits of knowledge you’ll need to establish a garden in the shade. We’ll cover the advantages, disadvantages and tips for your success – all shared by a seasoned shade gardener.

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ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF GARDENING IN THE SHADE

If you are accustomed to gardening with plentiful sunshine, you might not realize there are many advantages to gardening in the shade. Here are just a few:

  • Weeds grow slower and aren’t as plentiful in the shade. Hooray for less weeding!
  • Plants tend to grow and spread at a more controlled rate, so they don’t get out of hand easily.
  • Depending on what is causing the shade, the soil tends to stay more moist and cool there which is of benefit to your plants.
  • The protection of large trees and shrubs creates a haven for birds and other wildlife, and it creates an hospitable environment for establishing new plants.
  • If the shade is caused by deciduous trees, the natural topsoil tends to be full of nutrient rich humus. Their leaves provide a free source of mulch.
  • Tending a garden in cool shade is far more relaxing and you won’t get sunburned while doing it!

As lovely as they are, shade gardens can come with a few disadvantages. Deer, rabbits and other critters may also call your garden “home” and they may want to dine there each morning, noon and night. Applying animal repellents and planting critter resistant varieties can help. If the shade is caused by other plants, root competition and water resources can be an issue. Having an irrigation system really helps in shade gardens. You’ll also need to be more selective in what you plant given the limited sunlight, and maintain any tall trees causing the shade to prevent damage to your home and garden.

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TIPS FOR YOUR SUCCESS

Shade gardening is often an exercise in trial and error. We’ll share these helpful tips from an experienced shade gardener, but know that it will take some practice to fine tune your shaded landscape. Enjoy the challenge and the process!

Slivers of Sunshine Can Make All the Difference

Full shade is defined as an area that receives fewer than four hours of sunlight per day. Even if your yard receives three hours of intense afternoon sun, by definition it is in full shade. They are often found in the shadow of your home’s north side. Your shade garden might also be located where there is dappled shade all day or in the open shade under a canopy of very tall trees.

Take advantage of the small pockets of sunshine where the sun peeks through for an hour or two each day. It’s amazing what a difference even a small amount of sunshine can make for a plant. Sometimes, moving a plant over just a few feet can mean the difference between full shade and part sun.

Don’t Start a New Garden Under Shallow Rooted Trees

When someone wants to start a new shade garden, their first instinct is often to start digging right under a tree. If the tree is shallow rooted, like a maple, birch, dogwood, crabapple, crapemyrtle, cottonwood, magnolia or spruce, that’s not a good place to start a garden. The tree roots will be occupying much of the available root space and will soak up every drop of moisture if the canopy is even thin enough to allow rain to penetrate.

Deeper rooted trees that can accommodate gardens under them include oak, hickory, beech, sassafras, sweetgum and hornbeam. There may be others in your climate too; consult your local University Extension Office for more regional information. The roots of these trees tend to better accommodate shallower rooted plants under their canopies.

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Garden in Raised Beds and Planters

If you struggle with extensive tree roots, consider growing your shade plants in raised beds and planters to raise their roots up above competing plants. This is especially helpful if the shadiest parts of your yard are under shallow rooted trees or if you have heavy clay soil that isn’t well-drained.

Another advantage to gardening in containers is that it is much easier to move plants around to take advantage of the limited pockets of sunshine you do have. If the amount of shade changes through the seasons, containers can be shifted as needed.

Lastly, it’s easy to grow many kinds of plants in containers since the soil is lighter and often contains more nutrients than the topsoil in the ground. Your shade plant options might be broader if you can grow them in potting soil and keep them watered more easily in containers.

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Photo Courtesy of Susan Martin
Make an Irrigation Plan Before You Begin

Shade gardens established under large trees tend to be drier, so you’ll need to make a plan for how you will keep your plants watered enough to thrive. Watering by hand takes a lot of time and you’ll need to water often, so investing in an irrigation system at the start can be a worthwhile long term solution. Drip irrigation hoses set to a timer can also be useful in shade gardens.

Maintain Your Trees on a Regular Basis

If large trees are what’s creating the shade in your garden, it is critically important to keep them in good health. Find and hire an ISA Certified Arborist who can monitor and maintain your trees through the years. They are trained to spot pest and disease issues, perform deep root feeding and prune your trees.

You may need to have lower limbs removed every few years as the trees mature. Keeping them fertilized and healthy will prevent issues down the road. The last thing you’d want to happen is that you spend your time and resources establishing a shade garden only to lose it all when the shade tree comes down.   

Espoma® Organic Mushroom CompostFeed Your Shade Plants

Surrounding plants that are creating the shade in your garden are competing for moisture and nutrients in the soil. Plan to feed your garden so there’s plenty of organic matter and food to keep them all happy and healthy. Shredding leaves that decompose to make humus, topdressing your garden beds annually with compost or organic planting soil, and feeding individual plants with slow release fertilizer can all greatly boost your plants’ growth and resilience.

Focus on Foliage Color, Texture and Form

Shade gardens aren’t all about flashy flowers. Instead, focus on plants that have interesting or colorful foliage or bark that can carry the interest all season in lower light conditions. Pair plants that have contrasting textures, leaf shapes and forms. For example, plant a ferny textured plant next to a broad-leaved hosta or a plant with bright gold leaves next to a dark green one. Flowers can be fleeting in the shade, but these other important design elements will carry the visual interest in the space all season long.

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Grow Plants that Thrive in Shade Conditions

It can be to your advantage to test the shade tolerance of plants not labeled for shade, since you might find that the type of shade you have suits them just fine. However, look for plants labeled as partial or full shade tolerant for the bulk of your garden to form a reliable foundation.

Some classic plants that will grow and bloom (if applicable) beautifully in the shade include:

This lists just scratches the surface of the many kinds of plants you can grow in the shade. Check out all the shade tolerant varieties we offer: shade shrubs, shade perennials, shade annuals, part shade EZ Scapes and full shade EZ Scapes.

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