7 Tips for Designing and Growing Shade Gardens
Are you looking to add some shade-friendly plants and landscaping features to your garden and aren’t sure where to start? Whether you have acres of land or a city balcony, it doesn't have to be difficult. With a little creativity, careful selection of plants, and maintenance techniques, you can create beautiful shade gardens that will add character and delight for years. Here are 7 tips that every gardener should follow when creating and maintaining their own shady oasis!
Ferns are a perfect choice for any shade garden.
The Difference between Dry and Moist Shade Gardens
Dry shade gardens usually occur under trees or tall shrubs, where the limited sunlight and the large canopy above makes the soil dry and well-drained. Water only reaches these gardens when rains are heavy enough that the excess water eventually percolates down the canopy and reaches the ground. This is often common underneath large conifers/pine trees. In contrast, moist shade gardens are usually located in areas with higher levels of persistent soil moisture, like near streams, creeks or fountains, or areas of the garden that have poor drainage. When planting dry shade gardens, it's important to choose plants and trees that are drought-resistant, otherwise, they won't thrive in the dry ground. In moist shade gardens, gardening with plants that prefer or tolerate wet conditions, such as ferns, hostas or astilbes, will work best.
Tip 1: Start with the Soil
If you're looking to establish a beautiful and thriving garden, one of the most important things to start with is the soil. In order for your plants to grow healthy and strong, they need a nutrient-rich environment to call home. One way to provide this is by amending the soil with compost and mulch. Compost, made from decomposed organic matter, adds beneficial microorganisms and nutrients to the soil. Mulch, on the other hand, helps to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature. So, by starting with the soil and giving it the proper attention it deserves, you'll be laying the groundwork for a successful and flourishing garden.
Tip 2: Determine How Much Sun Your Shade Garden Gets
When you buy a plant at a nursery or research a plant to buy online, a supplier will often describe the plant’s light needs in terms of Full Sun, Part Sun, Part Shade, Dappled Shade or Full Shade. Full sun means that your plant will require a minimum of 6 hours of direct sun a day. Part Sun means that your plant requires a minimum of 4 hours of sunlight but would do better with 6 hours. Part Shade means that the plant should have no more than 6 hours of sun and it would actually do better with less. Dappled Shade means that the garden might not get full, direct sun during the day but have filtered, dappled sunlight coming from the trees above and full sun during the winter months when the trees are bare.
In shade gardens, it’s usually preferred that the sun that the plants do get is morning sun as afternoon sun is more intense and more likely to dry out a plant and its soil. By knowing how much sun your garden gets a day and when will ensure that you chose the right plants for the right spot and will also reduce the amount of maintenance and watering you need in that garden.
Hydrangeas have a huge range of colours, shapes and sizes and thrive in shade gardens.
Tip 3: Choose Plants That Thrive in Shady Areas
If you have a shady area in your yard and feel unsure of what types of plants will thrive in those conditions, fear not! There are plenty of options to choose from, including ferns, hostas, astilbes, bergenias, azaleas, hydrangeas and clivias. There are also a range of Australian natives that are shade tolerant such as the groundcovers ajuga and hardenbergia, native grasses like dianella and lomandra, native ferns and tree ferns. These plants not only tolerate shade but also offer a variety of textures and colors to add interest to your landscaping.
Ferns have delicate fronds that add a soft touch to any garden, while hostas large leaves come in a wide range of colors and shapes. Astilbes offer feathery plumes of pink, purple, and white, and dianellas and cliveas can create a tropical vibe with their long, strappy leaves. Clivias also boast bright orange or yellow blooms that look stunning against their deep green leaves and add a punch of colour to shady areas while Bergenias are known for their glossy, evergreen foliage. By paying attention to the specified light requirements and moisture requirements of a plant and knowing how much your garden gets, you’ll be able to pick the perfect plant. With so many options, you can create a lush and beautiful garden even in the shadiest spots.
Acanthus mollis AKA Oyster Plant or Bear’s Breeches has a number of features that make it a great shade garden plant.
Tip 4: Use Colour and Texture to Create Interest in Your Shade Garden
Shade gardens can run the risk of being boring or monotonous because there might be only one or two types of plants that you’ve found that works in that spot. There are a wide variety of groundcovers, flowers, grasses, shrubs and trees that can grow in shade and taking advantage of what makes each unique can a shade garden with multiple layers of shape, colour and texture throughout the year.
You can play with the softening foliage of ferns, the light-catching reflective leaves of Bergenia and Oyster Plant/Bear’s Breaches or the eye catching flowers of Cliveas and Azaleas to brighten up a shady spot. The selective, occasional use of a yellow-leaved plant (such as certain hostas, Japanese Temple Grass Hakonechloa macra, or Golden Columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha) can have an instant lightening-effect to the eye. Plants with variegated foliage such as Spotted Dead-Nettle (Lamium maculatum), Brunnera, certain Hostas and Australian native grass Dianella ‘Silver Streak’ can also add areas of highlight and interest in an otherwise dark garden area.
The variegated silver leaves of this Brunnera plant add a bright spot of ground cover in an otherwise dark part of the garden.
Tip 5: Add Landscape Features such as Sculpture or an Arbour to Create Interest
Adding interest to a garden doesn’t have to be just limited to your plant selection. You can create an area of focus and interest to an otherwise unnoticed part of the garden by adding a centrepiece such as a sculpture, an urn or a small water feature. Adding such an element can work to create a focal point in the garden and the foliage can be used to showcase your sculpture as it stands on its own. Other elements such as footpaths, gates and seating can add structure to a shade garden and encourage its active use to an otherwise neglected part of the yard.
This urn on a pedestal, from Bebeah Gardens in Mt. Wilson, Blue Mountains adds a focal point and interest to an otherwise ordinary corner of the garden.
This winding path with a border of glossy Bergenia adds interest through this shady garden.
Tip 6: Determine How Much Water Your Shady Spot Needs
If you have a shady spot in your garden, it may be difficult to determine how much water it needs. Knowing if you have a Dry Shade garden or Moist Shade garden will help to determine whether or not your intended garden needs much water. Shaded areas typically receive less sun and heat, resulting in slower evaporation rates and therefore requiring less water. One way to determine the optimal amount of water is to test the soil moisture level with a moisture meter or simply by using your finger to feel the soil a few inches down.
In moist gardens, aim to keep the soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged. In Dry Shade gardens, only water your new dry-tolerant shade plants for as long as it takes to get them fully established- usually a period of a few months to an entire growing season. Once they’re established you should only need to water them in extended periods of dry to prevent them from getting water stressed or dying.
If you would like to add dry shade plants to a moist garden, add additional drainage to their planting holes such as a couple handfuls of gravel to allow water to drain away from water sensitive roots. Observing your plants for signs of over or under watering, such as yellowing leaves or wilting, can also provide valuable insight. By giving your shady spot the right amount of water, your plants will thrive and your garden will flourish.
Tip 7: Control Weeds that will Compete with Your Plants
Growing a garden can be a fulfilling and rewarding experience, but it can also be frustrating when weeds begin to take over. Weeds are notorious for competing with your plants for nutrients, water, and sunlight, ultimately leading to stunted growth and lower yields. Avoid using plants like English Ivy (Hedera helix) or White Jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum) which can completely dominate a shade garden by smothering other plants, including trees. The key to controlling weeds is to tackle them before they take root. Hand pulling is a classic method for weed removal, but it can be time-consuming and physically demanding. Alternatively, using an herbicide can be an effective and efficient way to eliminate weeds. However, it's important to note that herbicides can also harm your desirable plants if not used properly, especially if they’re able to access the root systems of the trees or other plants that are creating the shade. By taking preemptive measures to control weeds, you can help your plants thrive and take your garden to the next level.
Do You Need Help with Your Garden?
If you need expert advice or help with designing a part of your garden, whether it’s adding beauty, functionality or value to your home, New Terrain Landscape Design will be happy to help you. Contact Us Now.