How to Create a Beautiful Shade Garden
Turn the cool, shady spot in your garden into your own quiet oasis
Falon Mihalic
16 August 2023
Houzz Contributor. Landscape Architect in Texas and Florida and owner of Falon Land Studio LLC. Through landscape design, I create spaces for quiet reflection and lush gardens using native plant palettes and sustainable stormwater techniques. I'm a contributing writer to Houzz so that I can be active in the conversation about sustainable design for residential projects. Learn more about my company's work at falonland.com
Houzz Contributor. Landscape Architect in Texas and Florida and owner of Falon Land... More
Shade gardens can be the most luxurious places in the landscape, because they are great places for solitude and privacy. Make the most of your cool, shaded garden spot with these planting and design tips.
What Grows in the Shade
Many beautiful plants will thrive in full or partial shade. Take some hints from naturally occurring plant communities in shady environments near you for plants to include in your shade garden.
Many beautiful plants will thrive in full or partial shade. Take some hints from naturally occurring plant communities in shady environments near you for plants to include in your shade garden.
- The forest floor: The ground of wooded areas has many types of ground covers, flowering bulbs and even tree species that will seed and grow in the shade. Examples include ferns, Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica, USDA zones 3 to 8; find your zone) and Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis, zones 3 to 7).
- The understory: The layer beneath the tree canopy in a woodland is called the understory, and this layer is home to woody shrubs and small trees — many of them flowering — that thrive in full to partial shade. Examples include rhododendrons, fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus, zones 3 to 9) and flowering dogwood (Cornus florida, zones 5 to 9).
- The forest edge: The space between meadow and woodland is a transitional ecosystem with a mix of sun and shade. Plants that thrive in this zone are usually highly adaptable. Understory flowering plants will also grow well at the forest edge, usually with a more impressive flower display. Examples include all of the sumacs (Rhus spp.) and sassafras. There are also several grasses in the Carex genus that do great in partial shade.
Understand Your Site
Trees cast different amounts of shade, depending on their species, their age and how they are pruned. For example, linden trees (Tilia spp.) cast a deep, dense shade, while birch trees (Betula spp.) cast only a light shade. Identify if you have deep shade or light shade by observing the shadow casts at different times of day. Note that some trees can be “limbed up” to let in more light to the ground below. Consult a certified arborist to identify which branches should be removed.
Trees cast different amounts of shade, depending on their species, their age and how they are pruned. For example, linden trees (Tilia spp.) cast a deep, dense shade, while birch trees (Betula spp.) cast only a light shade. Identify if you have deep shade or light shade by observing the shadow casts at different times of day. Note that some trees can be “limbed up” to let in more light to the ground below. Consult a certified arborist to identify which branches should be removed.
- Deep shade: Your palette will be mostly woodland plants, ferns and other full-shade plants that hail from the forest floor or understory. If your deep shade is from deciduous trees, you still have the option of adding spring color with bulbs that bloom in early spring or late autumn.
- Light or dappled shade: With just a little more light, you have a larger planting palette available. Dappled shade creates a beautiful effect on the ground, the result of the light that filters through the leaves. Create a place where you can sit and enjoy the dance of light across your shade garden.
Choose Your Colors Wisely
Colors have a different visual effect in the shade than in the sun, because of the way light either washes out or intensifies color. The colors that may be washed out in full sun will seem brighter — almost artificially so — in the shade.
Plan your groups of plants according to texture and form, or choose a palette of two or three colors, like blue, white and dark green.
Colorful Plant Combos for Shade Gardens
Colors have a different visual effect in the shade than in the sun, because of the way light either washes out or intensifies color. The colors that may be washed out in full sun will seem brighter — almost artificially so — in the shade.
Plan your groups of plants according to texture and form, or choose a palette of two or three colors, like blue, white and dark green.
Colorful Plant Combos for Shade Gardens
Add Water
Cool shade gardens are great spots for small water features for two primary reasons: 1. There will be less water loss due to evaporation in the shade than in the sun, and 2. a water feature adds to the calm serenity of the space. A small reflecting pool or koi pond is right at home in a protected shade garden.
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Cool shade gardens are great spots for small water features for two primary reasons: 1. There will be less water loss due to evaporation in the shade than in the sun, and 2. a water feature adds to the calm serenity of the space. A small reflecting pool or koi pond is right at home in a protected shade garden.
Shop for a fountain on Houzz
Create a Spot for Relaxing
Cool, shaded areas that are protected from the afternoon sun are prime spots for reading a book, drinking a cup of tea or just sitting quietly and enjoying nature.
Your turn: Show us your favorite shaded garden spot in the Comments!
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Cool, shaded areas that are protected from the afternoon sun are prime spots for reading a book, drinking a cup of tea or just sitting quietly and enjoying nature.
Your turn: Show us your favorite shaded garden spot in the Comments!
More on Houzz
Read other stories about landscape design
Browse landscape photos for inspiration
Find a home pro for your project
Shop for outdoor products
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The state of my shade garden today. It needs some love. The rabbits did a number on my hostas and ferns but the climbing hydrangea is ok. It bloomed earlier this summer.
One needs to be careful with water so as not to breed bugs.
Bugs? What kind of bugs?
Mosquitoes?...use Dunk it..safe for everything except mosquitoes.
Or get the little Mosquito killer fish in the pond.