Planning Your Shade Garden
It takes research and planning for all sections of a yard, whether it’s a do-it-yourself project or one that’s handled by a professional. Consider these tips when designing a shade garden:
Choose a garden style: If you love tropical or cottage gardens, stick with your choice and be consistent throughout the yard. That way, everything flows without a distraction or interruption, as in, “What’s that doing here?” Continuity and consistency: Yes, full-sun and light-shade plants differ. But aim to use the same or similar plants throughout the yard to tie it together, so it doesn’t seem like you accidentally wandered into someone else’s yard. Choose plants that grow in partial sun/shade to transition from one zone to another. Containers: Plants potted in attractive containers can be easily moved throughout the garden, according to light needs and season. Color: It’s no surprise that shade gardens tend to be a bit dark. Lighten the space with flowering shade lovers, a colorful container, or statuary. Hardscape: Break up a potentially gloomy spot with rocks, boulders, a path, arbor, or other hardscape elements. Water: Consider building or installing a fountain or other water feature to reflect light, create movement, and add sound to an otherwise quiet dark space. Lighting: Subtle lighting that will illuminate the shady area in the late afternoon will draw attention to the space, highlight plant forms, and make the area more usable.
A vessel fountain creates a focal point, movement, and sound in the space. White impatiens brighten up the spot, along with the purple spikes of Liriope muscari ‘Big Blue.’ That drought-tolerant, shade-loving vine is creeping fig (Ficus pumila), which likes to attach itself to fences and walls. That lush-looking lawn is artificial turf. To cool things off, Mark constructed a stone fountain with water that pools at the top and rolls down the boulder. Plants used in borders and beds include coral bells, columbine, Japanese maple, and a blue spruce pine tree. That’s an English ivy scaling the walls. One of the biggest challenges for Grace Design Associates in creating this Asian garden was proportion and scale: artistically using various-sized statuary and hardscape elements in a 40 x 80-foot outdoor space. The objects the design firm worked with include a 6-foot-high Buddha, a 1,500-pound stone urn, and a prayer bell. Trees and plants were chosen and carefully placed to provide balance and counterweight to the ornaments and statues in the garden. Shade-tolerant plants include Korean grass, papyrus, and Japanese maples.
