A Shade Garden in Four Easy Steps

By Michelle Mastro

A great way to help yourself (and wildlife!) cool down this summer is to build a shade garden. These gardens take on many shapes and sizes, from pre-built structures like pergolas to an abundance of trees—strategically placed away from your flower beds, of course. The best natural air filter of all, trees like stately oaks remove carbon dioxide from the air and increase the amount of breathable oxygen. More trees also mean you’re helping cool down the world.

Shade gardens allow unexpected or unique plants to thrive. Victorians, for example, amassed ferns in their shade gardens, making “ferneries” where guests could sit and while away the hours next to these less traditional garden variety plants. But if ferns and hostas aren’t your thing, don’t worry. There are actually some flowers that prefer the shadier side of things. Read on to discover these and all the ways to build your own shade garden.

A shade garden full of lush ferns.

Simply put, a shade garden doesn’t need lots of sunshine to survive. A shade garden might be plants sitting under a collection of trees in a corner of your property getting very little sun or plants below an awning or tarp.

Yes. Have you ever noticed the different hosta varieties? These plants range from a lime color to a dark evergreen hue. Not only that, they actually flower. The feathery flowers of the shade-friendly Astilbe plant come in vibrant red and pink, for example, while towering foxgloves appear in pretty white or purple shades, as do the dazzling hydrangea whose colors vary wildly, even on one stem.

From colorful flowers to a sea of different greens, a shade garden can be as bright or verdant as you like.

Pools of shade occur between tall buildings, under a group of trees, or along a house’s northern side. If none of these are available, Samara Toole, senior vice president of TimberTech, suggests building a pergola or awning. This latter option, she says, is “one of the best outdoor shade ideas for those looking to enjoy their patio or deck year-round.” You could also try growing more shade with native shrubs and trees, such as oaks or bald cypresses, providing native habitats for birds and pollinators.

Plenty of shade-loving plants work across several regions, like rhododendron, azaleas, hydrangea, redbud, and dogwood. “My favorite plant for shade, and one that I personally use in abundance in my garden in low sunlight areas, is the hosta,” says Keegan Nesvacil, cofounder of Woodland Tools Co. “These are extremely resilient plants that grow to be shockingly large with very little maintenance.” According to Nesvacil, one plant that will cover many growing zones is the Appalachian barren strawberry, which is native from Minnesota to Maine and Arkansas to South Carolina. “This resilient plant does very well in dry conditions with moderate shade and slowly spreads to produce robust ground cover with small yellow flowers.”

Look for plants that work in your region or zone.

Experts agree that gardeners should select those that fit their region best. “When selecting plants for your yard, remember that each plant family encompasses a wide range of species,” says Teri Valenzuela, natural science manager at Sunday, maker of clean garden products. The best plants for your shade garden are adapted to your specific location and climate conditions. According to Cheekwood Estate & Gardens vice president of gardens Peter Grimaldi, “A great resource that we reference at Cheekwood is the USDA PLANTS database to establish provenance and native status,” he says. Or reach out to the native plant society in your state for guidance.

Understand the amount of shade you have. “Shade comes in various levels,” says Valenzuela, “from dappled shade that allows some sunlight through, to partial shade where only a few hours of sunlight is available, and all the way to deep shade.” Position the most shade-tolerant plants in heavy shade. Then, working your way outward, place the least shade-tolerant plants in areas of lighter shade.

To be even more thorough, Grimaldi recommends a compass. Use it to see if your garden spaces face north and east, directions that “typically receive less direct sunlight,” he says. “This condition applies most to those beds immediately adjacent to houses and other structures.” Meanwhile, plants requiring more sunlight should be planted in northern or eastern exposure where afternoon shade is more abundant. For plants that may need more sunlight, prune some of your tree canopy or vegetation to allow the sun to reach these plants.

Identify where your garden gets the most and least amount of shade and plant accordingly.

Heavily shaded areas hold moisture longer due to cooler temperatures and lack of sunlight. “The moisture needs of these plants can vary by species, but generally, these shade-dwelling plants have adapted to, and often prefer, cooler and moister environments,” says Valenzuela. Thus the best thing to do is avoid overwatering. “Instead, adjust your watering practices based on natural rainfall,” she says. “If there’s sufficient natural rainfall, there's no need to supplement with additional watering.” Monitor your soil’s moisture levels, and be in tune with the amount of water each plant species needs. “Shade-loving plants do not always require less water,” Grimaldi cautions. “Identify those plants that wilt quickly when thirsty, such as some hydrangeas, as indicators for when the garden may need more water.”