Planning Your Shade Garden
Here are some tips to consider before you start designing a shade garden:
Bring in the color: Shade gardens can tend to be a bit dark, but you can add color and brightness with flowering shade lovers, like Beacon® Impatiens, shade coleus, hostas, fuchsia and begonias.
Add some containers: Plants in artful containers are portable and can be easily moved throughout the garden, according to light needs and changing seasons.
Lighten the landscape: Add interest to gloomy spots with rocks, boulders, a path or an arbor.
Fabulous water features: Build in a fountain or other water feature to reflect light, create movement and add sound to an otherwise quiet space.
Illumination station: Subtle lighting grabs attention in a dark space, highlights plant forms and creates a more useful outdoor area.
Consider moisture needs: There are many plants that will thrive in the shade, but each has its own moisture needs based on the soil's ability to retain or drain moisture.
• Dry areas in a shade garden tend to be under large trees that have shallow roots, or against walls that face away from the wind and are sheltered from the rain.
• Damp areas in a shady garden are found in cool, moist woodland areas, near water and with clay soil. Use organic matter to improve drainage and mulch to break down and aid the soil structure.