Shade is measured by the amount of light cover an area receives. Depth of shade can be measured from total to partial and various degrees of light and dappled. Areas may have shade for only a short period of the day, but dense shade is by far the most difficult type of shade in which to garden. The problem is that plants need light to photosynthesise and produce food; so only those plants with low metabolism are able to survive.



You have no doubt noticed that most of the woodland perennials flower in the spring. This is an evolutionary adaptation that was derived by the lack of leaves on deciduous trees in springtime. Plants that grew underneath the large deciduous trees found that they had to grow and flower while the leaves were absent and light was abundant. Once the trees leaf out and the amount of light diminishes, the flowers are through with their moment of glory and once again retire until the following year.

Light or partial shade is an ideal condition to grow a wide variety of garden plants. Light shade occurs where there are smattering of large and small trees, where indirect rays of light can filter through the canopy of branches. Increased light can be accomplished by selective removal of trees and shrubs, or through removal of many of the lower tree limbs.

Generally, plants that prefer cooler conditions benefit from sun in the morning and afternoon shade during the heat of the day, while plants that love heat benefit from shade in the morning and prefer to bask in the hot afternoon sun. Plants do not fall into neat groups, but by careful selection even the most shaded garden can enjoy colour and interest at some point of the day or season.

Lets begin with a few choices that would make good ground covers or low growing specimens: - Adonis amurensis, A.brevistyla, Alchemilla mollis (lady's mantle) Ajuga reptans, Anemone narcissiflora, A.nemorosa, A.sylvestris, A.ranunculoides, A.rivularis, Anemonopsis macrophylla (False anemone), Asarum, Astilbe, Brunnera macrophylla, Campanula isophylla, Cardamine enneaphyllos, C.pentaphyllos, Convallaria majalis (Lily-of-the-valley), Dicentra, Epimedium grandiflorum, E.x pubigerum, E.x versicolor, Filipendula ulmaria, Galium odoratum (Woodruff), Glaucidium palmatum, Geranium macrorrhizum, G.wallichianum, Heleborus viridis (Green hellebore), Heloniopsis orientalis, Heuchera cylindrical, H.micrantha, Hostas, Lathraea clandestine (Toothwort), Lamium maculatum, L. orvala, Lysimachia, Melittis melissophyllum (Bastard balm), Myosotidium hortensia (Chantham Island for-get-me-not), Pachyphragma macrophyllum, Tellima grandiflora, Trillium chloropetalum T. erectum, T. ovatum, T. sessile, Uvularia grandiflora (Bellwort, Merry-bells), Veronia spicata.

Low growing and ground cover plants preferring deep shade: - Epimedium x warleyense, Geranium nodosum, Lamium maculatum, Meconopis cambrica (Welsh poppy), M.ntegrifolia (Lampshade poppy), M.quintuplinervia (Harebell poppy), Mertensia pulmonarioides, Petasites japonicus, Pulmonaria officinalis, P. saccharata, Scopolia carniolica,

Tall perennials preferring partial or dapped shade include: - Anemone x hybrida, A. hupehenis, Aruncus dioicus (goatsbeard), Astilbe, Campanula lactiflora, Cimicifuga simplex, Euphorbia schillingii, E. sikkimensis, Euratorium purpureum (Joe Pye weed), Dicentra Spectabilis (Bleeding heart, Dutchman's trousers), Digitalis ferruginea, Doronicum columnae, Eupatorium rugosum, Filipendula rubra, F. purpurea, Gentiana asclepiadea (Willow gentian), Geranium sylvaticum, Helleborus argutiflius, H.foetidus (Stinking hellebore), H.niger (Christmas rose), H.x hybridus (Lanten rose), H.x sternii,

Inula hookeri, Nepeta sibirica, Smilacina racemosa (False spikenard), Strobilanthes atropurpureus, Veratrum nigrum,

Tall perennials for deep shade: - Actaea pachypoda (White baneberry), Chelone oblique (Turtle-head), Meconopsis betonicifolia M. grandis (Blue poppy), Persicaria campanulata, Polygonatum x hybridum (Solomon's seal), Geranium phaeum (Morning widow),

Annuals and biennials for shady areas: - Collinsia grandiflora, Digitalis pururea, Impatiens walleriana, Lunaria annua, Myosotis sylvatica, Nicotiana x sanderae,

Shrubs for Shade: - Acer palmatum, Anopterus glandulosus, Ardisia crenata (Coralberry, Spiceberry), Azaleas, Clethra barbinervis, C.delavayi, Corylopsis glabrescens, C.pauciflora, Crinodendron hookerianum (Lantern tree), Enkianthus perulatus, Eucryphia milliganii, Fothergilla major, Gaultheria mucronata, G.shallon, G.x wisleyensis, Ledum groenlandicum (Labrador tea), Lindera benzoin (Benjamin, Spice bush), Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon grape), M.japonica, M.x media, Pieris floribunda, P.Formosa, P.japonica, Potentilla fruiticosa, Rhododendrons, Scarcococca hookeriana, S.humilis, Skimmia japonica, Telopea truncata, Vinca major, Zenobia pulverulenta,

Rock plants for partial or dappled shade: - Andromeda polifolia, Arenaria balearica, A.montana, Cardamine trifolia, Cassiope, Chrysogonum virginianum, Cornus canadensis, Cyananthus lobatus, C.microphyllus, Daphne blagayana, Dicentra cucullaria, Dodecantheon meadia, Epilobium glabellum, Gaultheria cuneata, G.procumbens, Gunnera magellanica, Haberlea rhodopensis, Hylomecon japonica, Jancaea heldreichii, Jeffersonia dubia, Lewisia, Linnaea borealis (Twin flower), Lithophragma parviflorum, Nertera granadensis (Bead plant) Omphalodes cappadocica, Oxalis acetosella, Parochetus communis, Phlox adsurgens, P.divaricata, Phyllodoce x intermedia, P. caerulea, P. empetriformis, Polygala chamaebuxus, Ranunculus alpestris, Sanguinaria canadensis, Saxifraga cotyledon, S.cuneifolia, S.exarata, S.hirsute, S.oppositifolia, S.sancta, S.sempervivum, Shortia galacifolia, Soldanella alpina, S.villosa, Stylophorum diphyllum, Synthyis stellata, Tiarella cordifolia (Foam flower), Trillium rivale, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Vancouveria hexandra, Viola riviniana,

Rock plants for deep shade: - Anemonella thalictroides, Asarum europaeum, Cassiope mertensiana, Chiastophyllum oppositifolium, Cortusa matthioli, Cyathodes colensoi, Epigaea gaultherioides, Galax urcelata, Hacquetia epipactis, Jeffersonia diphylla, Maianthemum canadense, Mitella breweri, Omphalodes verna, Ourisia caespitose, O.microphylla, Pachysandra terminalis, Polygonatum hookeri, Pratia pedunculata, Ramonda myconi, Shortia soldanelloides,

Bulbs for Shade: - Anemone blanda, Arisaema consanguineum, A.griffithii, A.jacquemontii, A.sikokianum, A.triphyllum, Brimeura amethystine, Camassia leichtlinii, Cardiocrinum giganteum (Giant lily), Cyclamen africanum, C.cilicium, C.coun, C. graecum, C.libanoticum, C.hederifolium, C. mirabile, C. purpurascens, C.rohlfsianum, Eranthis hyemalis (Winter aconite), Erythronium americanum, E.californicum, E.denscanis (Dog's-tooth violet), E.hendersonii, E.oregonum, Fritillaria acmopetala, F.camschatcensis, F.pontica, F.verticillata, Galanthus elwesii, G.gracilis, G.ikariae, G.nivalis(Double common snowdrop), G.rizehenis, Hyacinthoides hispanica (Spanish bluebell), H.non-scripta (English bluebell), Hymenocallis narcissiflora, Ipheion uniflorum, Leucojum aestivum, L.vernum (Spring snowflake), Lloydia serotina, Nectaroscordum siculum, Nomocharis pardanthina, Notholirion campanulatum, Scilla scilloides.