by Glory Lennon

Created on: February 20, 2011   Last Updated: February 21, 2011

How to landscape in shady conditions can try the patience of a saint. How can a homeowner possibly have a decent landscape with no sun? The savvy homeowner, however, could if he learns about the different levels of shade, how to use the shade to his advantage and to minimize it whenever possible. Here are a few ideas to help the home gardener learn how to landscape in shady conditions.

Some shade, part shade, full shade

There are different levels and intensity of shade. There is the deep shade where not a bit of sun reaches the soil. This could be difficult, but not impossible to use. This would require plants which have the most shade tolerance.

The shade which comes midday to block most of the harsh sun, however, is a welcome sort of shade in the very hottest climates.  It could prevent the more delicate plants in the landscape from getting burned. This type of beneficial shade also helps the soil retain some moisture, moisture which would otherwise evaporate under too much sun. In this instance shade is a blessing.

Part shade is also a suitable type in which to landscape. A garden getting sun for some or most of the day with a little shade just requires the gardener to pay close attention when designing and planning the garden. The spots in the landscape which get the most shade need to be used with the amount of sun it gets in mind. A pond could be easily situated in part shade because too much sun hitting the surface of the water will encourage the growth of algae which isn’t a good thing. A shady place in the landscape can also be just the spot for secluded seating during hot summer days.

Shade tolerant plants

There are so many plants, trees and shrubs which do quite wonderfully in part or full shade conditions, that the shady landscape need not suffer. Even those which are said to require full sun have been known to tolerate a good deal of shade.  Depending on the type and amount of shade in the landscape, gardeners may not have that much to sacrifice. The home gardener just has to be willing to experiment with various plants to see what works and what doesn’t.

The common annuals impatiens, begonias, Black Magic elephant ears are lovely plants for the shady garden. Perennials which love shade are the formidable Hosta in all shapes and sizes, Cinnamon ferns, old fashioned Bleeding hearts, Japanese forest grass and English primroses. In the shrub department blueberry bushes, viburnums, azalea and rhododendrons all love the shade in varying degrees. Trees which tolerate shade are dogwood, redbud, Japanese red maples and Chokecherry. A landscape with any of these plants will be stunning.

Minimize shade

For the landscape completely hidden from the sun, there may be no other choice but to minimize the shade. How to do this can be costly and dangerous, but well worth it if the homeowner simply doesn’t like to live in perpetual semidarkness. Thinning out trees, removing select branches or clearing away and removing some excessive plantings can allow some precious sun to poke through. Thinning trees can be done by the extremely careful individual if they know how to do this, but a professional tree service might be better when the trees in question are of considerable height and when there is the possibility of the trees falling on electrical wires, structures or people. Safety should be first and foremost when dealing with the removal of limbs or entire trees.

How to landscape in shady conditions isn’t at all difficult when the homeowner is informed. Having all this information should do it.

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