Understanding Shade: How to Create the Ultimate Shade Garden (2024)

Shade comes in various forms, each impacting plant growth differently.

• Dappled shade occurs when sunlight filters through overhead branches, creating a shifting pattern of light and shadow.
• Partial shade generally refers to a location receiving 3-6 hours of direct sunlight daily, preferably in the morning and early afternoon.
• Full-shade areas receive less than 3 hours of direct sunlight daily.

Lighting can also change throughout the day due to neighboring trees and structures, so it is best to monitor the amount of sunlight coming to your space at different times of the year while planning.

Keep in mind that shade areas generally dry out more slowly than other areas in the garden that have more sunlight. Monitor your space beforehand for the presence of tree roots which can consume more moisture or the compaction of the soil, which can affect drainage. If there is poor drainage, incorporating organic matter such as compost will provide essential nutrients, aerate the soil, and prepare it for planting.

Once planted, applying a 2–4-inch layer of organic mulch around your plantings (but not up against trunks) will help to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. Knowing your garden’s specific shade conditions is crucial for selecting plants that will thrive.

For starters, I would suggest the use of evergreens as the first element in your shade garden. Use taller shade-loving evergreens to provide an element of privacy or smaller evergreens for a foundation area. Some of the shade-tolerant evergreens that I use for privacy screening are Blue Holly, Dragon Lady Holly, Fastigiate Holly, Oakleaf Holly, Nellie Stevens Holly, Skip Laurel, Western Arborvitae, and Leyland Cypress.

The Dragon Lady and Fastigiate forms of holly tend to stay more on the narrow side whereas the other varieties mentioned tend to become larger and fuller. Western Arborvitae and Leyland Cypress are both shade tolerant and fast growing; however, Leyland Cypress are prone to wind damage and drying due to their shallow root system. Western Arborvitae are deeper rooted and fuller than Leyland Cypress without the risk of damage.

For foundation planting, lower-growing shrubs such as Boxwood, Compact Holly, Cherry Laurel, and dwarf Variegated Osmanthus function as a nice backdrop with taller trees or shrubs on the ends to anchor the garden.

In addition to the taller evergreens in a privacy screening, I will combine evergreen shrubs with different variegations and textures, including Variegated Boxwood, Green Gem Boxwood, Cherry Laurel ‘Otto Luyken’, Leucothoe ‘Axillaris’, Ilex ‘Compacta’, Repandens Spreading Yew, Japanese Skimmia, Osmanthus or Aucuba, to name a few.

For added interest in either type of garden, add some flowering shrubs such as ‘Little Princess’ Spirea, Hydrangea, Rhododendron, Azalea, Japanese Andromeda, or Viburnum. (Note that these shrubs do need some amount of filtered light for them to bloom correctly.) In this section of the garden (photo above) is a combination of Nellie Stevens Holly as a backdrop, with evergreen Leucothoe, Spreading Yew, Japanese Forest Grass, Hosta, and Coral Bells as an understory beneath Magnolia ‘Royal Star’.

Once the foundation of your shade planting is established, various shade-loving perennials can be added for additional interest.

Some of the best shade perennials I have encountered are:

• Heuchera (Coral Bells)
• Hosta
• Liriope
• Hakonechloa (Japanese Forest Grass)
• Astilbe
• Bleeding Heart
• Hellebore
• Pulmonaria
• Japanese Painted Fern
• Golden sedge
• Ajuga

These perennials combine beautifully with cherry laurel, Repandens yew, boxwood, variegated boxwood, leucothoe, holly, Osmanthus, Skimmia, and Aucuba. There are many forms of Hosta to choose from as well as Heuchera. My personal favorite is Hosta ‘Patriot’ combined with Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ or ‘Plum Pudding’. The variegation of the Hosta along with the deep burgundy color of the heuchera combine beautifully.

Another favorite combination is that of the outstanding color of Heuchera ‘Caramel’ with the grass-like foliage of either Golden Sedge (photo above) or Variegated Liriope (lilyturf). Astilbe can be another addition that combines nicely with Heuchera, and it is available in a variety of sizes and colors.

Winter Garden Interest with Helleborus

Hardy in USDA zones 4-9 and perfect for winter interest is Helleborus, also known as Lenten Rose or Christmas Rose. Lush evergreen leathery foliage persists throughout the seasons while showy buds appear in mid to late winter and open to blooms lasting for several months into spring. Plant Helleborus in partial to full shade, with moderate watering and well-drained soil. This variety in the photo above, Hellebore ‘Shooting Star’ produces small creamy white flowers with pink highlights that start to appear around January on an 8–12-inch high by-wide plant.

Other varieties of Hellebore include ‘Dark & Handsome’ displaying large deep purple to tuxedo black flowers, ‘Champion’ producing voluminous greenish-white flowers, and ‘Merlin’ producing deep pink blooms, each growing 18-24 inches in height.

An interesting note is that the colorful portions of Hellebore are not petals at all, but rather colorful bracts, which explains why the blooms last for months. In wintertime, it is helpful to spray the foliage of Helleborus with an anti-desiccant such as Wilt Stop to prevent winter drying and browning. If there is any damaged foliage, remove it in early spring to encourage the plant to produce new growth and to allow the blooms to be more visible.

Astilbe Blooms Light Up a Shade Garden

In the backyard shade garden above is a combination of evergreen Weeping Norway Spruce, with perennials Heuchera ‘Caramel’, Hosta, Pulmonaria, and Astilbe. The highlight of the garden, and just in time to bring in the 4^th of July, is Astilbe ‘Vision in Red’. Hardy in USDA zones 4-9, its attractive foliage and vibrant display of purplish-red blooms light up a shadier spot. On the opposite side of the Weeping Norway Spruce with blooms starting in June is Astilbe ‘Peach Blossom’ with its glorious peach-colored blooms, as the name implies.

Astilbe ‘Visions in Red’ grows to a height and width of 12-16 inches tall by 12-18 inches wide and ‘Peach Blossom’ grows to 24 inches in height. Other varieties of Astilbe include, but are not limited to, Astilbe ‘Pumila’, a more dwarf variety growing to just 12 inches tall, Astilbe ‘Sprite’, growing 18-24 inches tall with more delicate feathery pink blooms different from other Astilbe, and Astilbe ‘Fanal’, producing bright red blooms in mid-spring on a 24-inch-high plant. Astilbe prefers a location with partial to full shade and organically rich, moderately moist soil.

Color and Texture in the Shade Garden

Combining different colors and textures of foliage like the photo above is another way of making a statement in the shade garden. In this backyard space is a combination of the golden hue of shade-loving Japanese Forest Grass against the deeper green foliage of Leucothoe ‘Axillaris’ and the delicate foliage of Variegated Boxwood. Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa ‘Macra Aureola’) is a deciduous perennial which is hardy in USDA zones 4-9, displaying slender stems and arching bright green leaves with yellow stripes, while growing to a mature size of just 18-24 inches tall by wide. It is one of the few grasses that thrives in shade.

Leucothoe ‘Axillaris’, hardy in USDA zones 5-8, is a broad-leaved evergreen growing to 2-4 feet tall by 3-6 feet wide, adding a dramatic touch of contrast with its dark foliage and new growth emerging in shades of red at the tips. Variegated Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Aureovariegata’) displays striking evergreen variegated foliage on a 5- to 8-foot-tall plant at maturity and is hardy in USDA zones 5-9. It can be easily pruned to maintain a desired shape once it has pushed out its new growth in spring.

Each of these selections have the same requirements and are best grown in partial shade in moderately moist, well-drained soil. Another attribute is that all these plants can be used in the deer-resistant landscape.

Designing Your Shade Garden

Since shade gardens tend to be more on the informal side, use a garden hose or spray paint to lay out curvilinear beds, which creates a natural look and flow to the space. If it is a more formal look you are seeking, use a straight-line approach with sharper angles to create a more estate look. In either type of design, it is beneficial and aesthetically pleasing to group odd numbers of plants together for maximum impact and to repeat a theme throughout the garden.

Here are some other design factors to consider.

Layering

First, try to create depth and interest in your space by incorporating plants of varying heights. Design your space in layers using taller trees and shrubs as the main structure or framework of the garden. Once you have the backdrop or overhead canopy created. fill in the remaining spaces with lower-growing evergreen or flowering shrubs, followed by perennials along the border for a third layer.

Color Palette

Choose a cohesive color scheme to enhance the visual appeal of your shade garden. Whites, blues, and greens tend to be calming and often work well in low-light conditions while bringing highlights to the space. One common method of matching colors is the use of complementary colors from opposite sides of the color wheel to create contrast.

Texture

Experiment with different leaf textures and sizes along with color to add dimension. Combine bold foliage with finer textures such as the broad leaves of Hosta with the finer foliage of ferns or Astilbe or perhaps the deeper foliage of Skip Laurel with the variegated holly-like foliage of Osmanthus.

Hardscaping Elements

Integrate paths, decorative stones, or small features to break up the greenery and provide structure to the garden. Various hardscape elements can be used to complement your space, such as the addition of large boulders, stone pathways, and raised walls. You may also like to add a bench for seating or other hardscape element such as a birdbath or fountain to attract wildlife to your surroundings. In this shade garden design above a bench awaits visitors, inviting them over to sit and relax. Surrounding the quiet sitting area is a combination of taller evergreens, medium-sized evergreens, blooming shrubs, and perennials.

By understanding the nuances of shade, selecting the right plants, and using basic design principles, a beautiful garden can be created even in the shadows forthe next time, you ponder, “What can I do with this space?”

Creating a shade garden can be both fun and extremely rewarding, provided you have the right plants!

Written by:Lee Miller
Author:Shade Gardening for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic: A Guide to Planning the Ultimate Shade Garden