Finding the Right Shade

Are you neglecting the shady parts of your garden? Horticulturist Roger Fox shares how to to make them shine

From the flickering shadows cast by a tree, to the pools of dense shade beside a building, shade is a feature of almost every garden. But you can successfully beautify these spots with a little ‘shadescaping’ – it’s all about managing the environment and choosing the right plant species for the job. There are many fabulous plant options for dimly lit areas; after all, so many of the world’s plants evolved in the understorey of forests. Often their foliage is the star attraction, but there are seasonal flowers to brighten the view too. So, rise to the challenge and create a garden which shines in low light.

 

Gardening Under Trees

Creating lovely landscapes beneath trees takes a little determination. It’s not just the low light levels you’re dealing with, but the hungry tree roots sapping the nutrients and moisture from the soil. Don’t be tempted to simply raise the soil level—this can harm the tree’s health and potentially cause collar rot—but do start by improving the ground. First up, apply a soil wetting agent to aid water penetration, and then spread a generous mulch of compost over the area a couple of weeks before you do any planting.



When it comes to selecting plants, there are a few prerequisites—they need to be shade tolerant, drought tolerant and have shallow root systems—to have the best chance of thriving in such tough conditions. Groundcovers are great choices, with their habit of spreading horizontally while anchoring themselves in shallow soil. So too are epiphytic plant like bromeliads, with their small root systems and the ability to hold moisture in their leaves. Then there are the tough clumping plants with fleshy or fibrous roots, such as clivias and liriope – these are classic understorey survivors. One handy hint when planting under trees is to suss out the best planting pockets between the roots before you start digging; use a stake and hammer to check if there’s enough planting depth in your chosen spot. If you hit a large root below the surface, move on to another planting spot.

Planting Ideas

Bromeliads, clivias, lomandra, hosta, dianella, liriope, mondo grass, Plectranthus oertendahlii, Coleus argentatus, Aspidistra, Philodendron ‘Xanadu’, bird’s nest fern, Arthropodium (NZ Rock Lily).

A Deeper Shade

Some of the trickiest areas to landscape are those which receive no direct sunlight, at any time of year. We’re talking about the southern side of walls and fences, as well as most side-pathareas between houses. The trick for success in these spots is sticking to a very specific plant palette—you need species which will thrive in permanent shadow—as well as soil improvement using compost and manure, to provide a rich organic growing environment. Remember too that these areas can be dry as well as shady—the area under house eaves, for example, tends to miss out on rain. You’ll need to factor in regular watering if you decide to grow moisture lovers like ferns.



In terms of plant choices, it’s all about using interesting foliage to introduce colour and texture. If you live in a mild-to-warm climate, without winter frosts, then suss out the ‘indoor  plant’ section of your local nursery. Many of the plants sold for indoor use do brilliantly outdoors in full shade too – syngonium or arrowhead, is a great example, forming a handsome ground cover in places where nothing else will thrive. Ferns, in all their diversity, are great options, as are some of the smaller species of palm – think rhapis, pygmy date and parlour palms.



Planting Ideas

Calathea, ctenanthe, syngonium, maidenhairfern, blechnum, cyathea, alpinia, aspidistra, acanthus, rhapis palm, pygmy date palm, philodendron.

 

Shades of Colour

In parts of the garden which are only lightly shaded, there are lots of plant choices for introducing flower colour. Here are some favourites:

Shrubs

Hydrangea, blue sage (Eranthemumspp.), daphne, fuchsia, Plectranthus ecklonii, camellia, rhododendron, kalmia.

Flowers

Cineraria, cyclamen, impatiens, primula, forget-me-not, hellebores, Japanese anemone, begonia.

 

The Language of Shade

When you’re reading plant labels in a nursery, the various references to a plant’s shade tolerance can seem a little confusing, here’s a guide:

• ‘Full Shade’ refers to areas that receive no direct sun at any time of the year.

• ‘Light Shade (or ‘Filtered Shade’) describes the environment under lightly-foliaged trees, where some sunlight can filter through the leaves to reach the area below.

• ‘Part Shade’ refers to areas that receive shade for a part of each day, and sun for the remainder. ‘Semi-shade’ has a similar meaning, suggesting roughly half a day each of sun and shade.