In hotter places, some vegetables do better in the afternoon when they are in the shade of trees or other buildings.
Shade is like a “sunscreen” for your plants in the garden. Want to know what you can plant to make a garden shady?
Here are some of the favorite methods for providing shade to your garden during the hot summer months.
Types of shade in the garden
Because there are different types of shade, a cookie-cutter method does not work well in shade gardening.
Know exactly what shade you will be dealing with when deciding what to plant in a shady backyard cottage or garden area. Houseplants can also thrive in situations that have shade outdoors.
The shade of buildings or substantial tree cover, such as in a dense forest, creates deep or heavy shade, also known as dense or full shade. This is where the temperature drops dramatically on sunny days.
The leaves of trees make a pattern of partial or dappled shade, which is also called light shade or filtered light. This is most common in yards and English gardens, where arbors and other open structures are often used.
In general, areas that receive less than 4 hours of sunshine per day are classified as fully shaded. Those that receive less than 6 hours of sunlight per day are shaded.
Planning the Shade Garden
If you have the right garden equipment and take the time to carefully consider the location of your garden and the types of shade plants you want to cultivate, constructing a garden in the shade is a breeze. You can create a shade garden by following these simple steps:
What You’ll Need
Gardening Tools:
- Loppers
- Wheelbarrow
- Trowel
- Garden rake
- Hand pruner
- Shovel
- A measuring tape
Gardening supplies and materials
- Shade-tolerant plants
- Hardscaping materials
- Mulching materials
- Organic compost
Step 1:
Locate the garden in a cool, shady area.
The first step in making a garden where plants can grow in different light conditions is to pick a shady spot outside. On your lawn’s edges, in the shade of your home, or under tree canopies are common places to construct shade gardens.
Choose a location for the shade garden, and then measure that area with a measuring tape. Calculating how many plants and what kinds of hardscape materials will fit into a given area is essential.
Step 2:
Select the shade plants.
Once you’ve decided where to put your shade garden, you can begin thinking about how you want it to look and what kinds of plants you want to use.
Think about the light levels, temperature extremes, moisture levels, and drainage of the area, as well as the plant’s specific needs and the size of the garden.
Step 3:
Get the garden ready for spring planting.
After deciding which plants will thrive in your garden’s environment, the next step is to get down to business by pulling weeds and tilling your soil.
You can easily pull weeds with a weeder or shovel, and you can work the soil with a trowel. Use the wheelbarrow and garden rake to pick up the debris from the plots.
Use loppers and a hand pruner to remove any overgrown branches from any shrubs that are already there. In the end, use natural fertilizers or organic farm manure or compost to improve the soil before you plant the shade shrubs.
Step 4:
You will put the finishing touches on your hardscaping and mulch.
To further insulate the soil and shield the plant roots from the weather, use a layer of mulch after planting the shade plants. Mulch improves the aesthetic value of your garden by keeping your landscaping neat.
To improve the appearance of your shade garden, add hardscape materials after you have applied mulch.
What is considered a shade garden?
Plants that do well in partial or total shade make up a shade garden. Some plants may thrive with as little as four hours of sunlight every day, while others need at least six hours.
Common woodland plants that thrive in the shade include heucheras, hostas, and ferns. This also mean these plants can do very well in a moon garden design.
The advantages of a shade garden are many. For one thing, weed growth is stunted, making upkeep easier. Another benefit is that you can space out the water over a longer period of time.
This is because water is less likely to evaporate in the shade. Yet, fungal growth is a greater concern in a shade garden because of the increased humidity.
It’s not a good idea for a flower garden because most flowering plants need at least eight hours of sunlight every day to thrive.
Plants that grow well to maturity in a shade garden
Here are some plants that thrive in partial shade:
- Foxglove:
Foxglove is a beautiful flowering plant that is popular in cottage gardens. It blooms in the late spring and early summer with bell-shaped flowers.
It does well in somewhat shaded gardens when you plant it in moist, nutrient-rich soil. It can self-sow, so your shade garden will be filled with color year after year.
- Lungwort:
Lungwort is a gorgeous perennial that thrives in partial shade. It stands out because of its speckled, bright green foliage and purple to periwinkle flowers.
Lungwort is a wild plant that does well in shaded gardens of any size. These spectacular blooms will light up any shade garden this spring.
- Coral Bells:
Coral bells, a lovely shade plant with colorful foliage, are perfect for spring and summer shade gardens. This is a low-maintenance perennial that stays green for part of the year. The soil in which coral bells are grown must remain consistently moist and well-amended.
- Caladium:
Although most flowering plants cannot thrive in the shade, shade gardens tend to be quite lush. Caladiums and other plants with colorful foliage add much-needed vibrancy to a shade garden.
The plant’s large, brilliant leaves are a visual treat in themselves. You can plant caladiums in containers or as bedding plants to liven up shady areas of your garden.
- Hydrangea:
Hydrangea, with its showy flowers in shades of red, purple, pink, and even white, is one of the most sought-after plant species. Although hydrangeas can be difficult to grow, they will add years of color to a shade garden under the right conditions. Maintaining a soil pH that is ideal for hydrangeas is essential.
- Hosta:
Hosta is one of the hardest shade plants, with many beautiful kinds to choose from. It’s a tough plant that does well even when ignored. It is perfect for those with no gardening experience! The soil needs to be well-amended for the hosta to thrive in cooler climates.
- Ferns:
Did you realize that some ferns are almost 300 million years old? It has thrived in marsh and forest environments since the time of the dinosaurs.
This low-maintenance perennial prefers partial shade. Because of its remarkable hardiness, it is among the world’s oldest plant species. What’s even better? Growing ferns next to other vegetation is possible.
How much sun does a shade garden need?
Due to the prevalence of trees, the light in many gardens is inadequate. Choosing plants that can thrive with less light is the best approach to adapting. Remember that shady plants can usually handle some sun in the morning.
Their increased photosensitivity makes it so that prolonged exposure to sunlight causes damage such as leaf bleaching, leaf margin scorching and leaf burn marks.
If you see these warning signs, you can move the plant to a new location or shade it more effectively. This can be done by planting a new flowering tree or shrub or erecting a nearby structure.
Despite their ability to thrive in the shade of trees, some plants may still need additional watering. Always water plants first thing in the morning to promote rapid evaporation of the water and prevent the growth of any fungi.
Choose plants that can withstand pests and diseases. The best solution is to use shade-loving plants that can handle dry soil.
Despite their difficulties, shade gardens have a lot to offer. They tend to be more soothing than brighter scenery. They go through a complete metamorphosis from spring flowers to summer’s varied textures to fall’s vibrant leaves to winter’s evergreens.
The diversity of heights and textures provided by a shrubbery garden is matchless. Boost the fun factor by constructing winding walkways.
Best shade cloth for vegetable garden
Shade cloths come in many different densities. Some are better for helping plants grow, while others are better for giving as much shade as possible. Greenhouses and pergolas benefit greatly from the use of high-density shade cloths.
Vegetable gardens benefit greatly from green knitted shade cloths of 30 percent density. Exposure to a lot of heat and light promotes vegetable growth.
What happens if shade plants get too much sun?
Leaves can suffer sunburn or scorching when you place plants that prefer shade in direct sunlight.
The leaf’s chlorophyll breaks down when exposed to intense sunlight and high temperatures. The damaged areas seem faded, bleached, or white. A brittle brownness sets in overtime in these regions.
Create a cozy shade garden
Making a shade garden is a fun and easy project that can be done by yourself or with the help of family and friends.
You can create a lovely shade garden on the weekend. As long as the plants are getting at least some partial sunlight, they require very little care.