Shade is a fact of life in most gardens.  Trees, shrubs, fences, and buildings all conspire to create a changing tapestry of light and dark throughout the day, testing the skills, and often the patience, of the home gardener in the process.  Urban gardens are especially prone to shadiness, with closely spaced houses and mature trees combining to rob many a yard of available sunlight.

Success or failure in a garden such as this depends upon one's ability to recognize the degree of shade and plant accordingly.  All too often, plant selection is made regardless of light, and sun-loving plants languish in a spot to which they cannot adapt.  The results are weak, spindly growth, little or no bloom, and overall poor vigor.  Fortunately, there are a great number of plants, forest dwellers in their native habitats, that thrive in a shady position, and by associating these plants together, one can develop a delightful and beautiful woodland garden.
 

There are a great number of plants, forest dwellers in their native habitats, that thrive in a shady position, and by associating these plants together, one can develop a delightful and beautiful woodland garden.

Gardens often mimic nature, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the woodland garden, where one can recreate the subtle interplay of wood, stone, earth, and leaf.  Woodland gardens have an aesthetic all their own.  The riotous, vibrant colors of a sunny border would be difficult to duplicate here.  Instead, the hues are often muted: all shades of greens, whites, lavenders, blues, pinks, soft yellows, and creams predominate.  The characteristics of leaf and plant habitat can play as important a role as flower color, and many woodland plants have striking foliage and form.  The overall effect, though, should be cooling and relaxing, just as a shady spot can provide a welcome retreat on a hot summer's day.

There is a vast difference between the shade cast by a thin, high canopy of deciduous trees, and that cast by a porch enclosure off a north-facing wall, so determining the character of the shade is of utmost importance in plant selection.  Also, with so many terms in use regarding shade gardening, it might be sensible to try to break these down to help identify areas in terms of degree of shade present.
 
 

Gardens often mimic nature, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the woodland garden, where one can recreate the subtle interplay of wood, stone, earth, and leaf.  The overall effect, though, should be cooling and relaxing, just as a shady spot can provide a welcome retreat on a hot summer's day.

Half shade:  This is the brightest position that can still be considered shady.  This occurs in areas that receive morning sun but afternoon shade, such as areas adjacent to east-facing walls.  Morning sun is not as hot as afternoon sun, so a western exposure would be too hot for many plants comfortable in an eastern exposure. Many plants normally grown in sunnier areas will adapt to an eastern exposure, so the choice of plant materials here is quite large.

Light shade/ high shade/dappled shade:  These are areas receiving some degree of sun throughout the day, but seldom for long direct periods.  Areas near deciduous trees will often have sunnier positions through winter and early spring, and many smaller plants take advantage of this by completing their growing and blooming period before the trees leaf out fully.  Also included in this area would be positions near lightly branched evergreens spaced far enough apart, and limbed high enough, to let in the sun.  Many of the plants we commonly associate with woodland plantings are happiest here.
 
 

Trees, shrubs, fences, and buildings all conspire to create a changing tapestry of light and dark throughout the day, testing the skills, and often the patience, of the home gardener in the process.

Full shade: This might be an open position that receives plenty of light but little direct sun for much of the year, such as areas adjacent to a north facing wall.  Also included are areas under a medium canopy of evergreen trees that receive filtered light for part of the day.  The choice of plants is more limited here, but is still fairly large.

Dense shade:  This is deep shade such as areas under a porch overhang or between two closely spaced buildings that never receive direct or even dappled sun.  Also included are areas under dense, evergreen trees that effectively block out sunlight.  This is the most difficult exposure to accommodate, and can be a challenge to landscape.

Please note that these conditions can be altered.  If your garden is shady due to dense tree overgrowth, you might consider some corrective pruning.  Without altering the shape or beauty of the trees, just enough of the branches can be removed to increase the available light.  Often, enough can be cut to change the shade designation considerably, and this will greatly increase the choice of plant material.  Also of note is climate.  In hotter, and more southerly areas, many plants will demand more shade than in cooler and more northerly ones, and so it's difficult to generalize across such a wide area. Sometimes a little experimentation is in order, but whatever the planting decision, thinking in terms of degree of shade goes a long way toward making a decision as to what to plant.

Plant selections:  The following are some plants to consider for your shade garden.  I've only included genuses here, and in many cases there is a wide range of plants within a genus, not all of which are shade tolerant.  In many cases, plants included in the list are also sun tolerant, so it should not be implied that all of these plants are necessarily restricted to the shade.  Also, I tried to come up with a list of plants that would grow over a reasonably wide area, so I have left out tropicals and subtropicals.  The list is by no means all inclusive -- just a small list of plants to consider.
 

                                    TREES

Many smaller trees in nature exist as understory specimens in mixed forests.  Several make excellent garden additions in half shade or lightly shaded locations.

Acer -- Many different small maples to tempt including Japanese, paperbark, vine, snakebark and several others.  Most have delicate branching patterns, and provide multi-seasonal interest.

Arbutus  -- Evergreen large shrubs or small trees with small, urn-shaped blossoms followed by red fruit.  Tough and sturdy.

Cercidiphyllum -- Katsuras can get big, but dwarf and weeping forms exist.  Heart shaped leaves are delicately colored in both spring and fall.

Chimonanthus -- A small tree or large shrub with fragrant yellowish blossoms in late winter and early spring.

Cornus -- Dogwoods of various types are familiar sights in much of the country.  Unfortunately, anthracnose is taking its toll in many areas, but some dogwoods are more resistant than others.

Davidia -- Dove trees are dogwood relatives, and have huge white blossoms appearing like handkerchiefs draped along the branches.

Halesia -- Small trees flowering in spring with pendant white bells hanging beneath the branches.

Ilex -- Many hollies grow large enough that with some pruning, they can take tree form.  Perhaps not as fruitful in shade, but easy and adaptable.

Oxydendron -- Also called Sourwood or lily of the valley tree, with white blossoms in late summer and early fall, followed by brilliant autumn color.

Parrotia -- Grown chiefly for its fall coloration, leaves of Persian ironwood often turn varying shades on a single plant.

Stewartia -- Camellia relatives producing white blossoms with golden centers.  Peeling bark and fall color add to seasonal interest.

Styrax -- Usually white, but now available in pink, with myriad little bells hanging from the branches in spring.

Taxus -- The yews are slow growing conifers, several of which will achieve tree size in time.  Long-lived and permanent.
 

                                    SHRUBS

The "bones" of a garden, and many provide seasonal interest as well as strong structure.

Aucuba -- Although not the most beautiful of all plants, these evergreens are easy, drought tolerant, and can be grown in some heavy shade.

Bamboo -- A large group of different species, many of which are shade tolerant to some degree.  A word of caution, though about the running forms...

Camellia -- Many different species, the most common of which, C. japonica, will blossom in late winter and early spring.  Valuable for their lustrous, evergreen foliage and shade tolerance.

Chamaecyparis -- Many of the dwarf forms of hinoki and other false cypress can take light shade.

Choisya -- One of the plants known as mock orange, this one is a mid sized evergreen shrub with small, fragrant blossoms in early spring.

Clethra -- Eastern natives, these deciduous shrubs bloom in late summer, and have a spicy fragrance.

Corylopsis --   Witch hazel relatives attractive in many seasons.  Late winter yellow blossoms hang from the branches; provides good spring and fall leaf color.

Daphne -- Many different species here, but almost all are exceptionally fragrant.  In general, they like good drainage and light to moderate shade.

Disanthus -- a large deciduous shrub or small tree with heart-shaped leaves and excellent fall color.  Mine turns a deep blackish-purple every
November.

Enkianthus -- Deciduous shrubs with urn-shaped blossoms of pinkish or white and excellent fall color.

Fatsia -- Large palmate leaves give a tropical appearance but are reasonably hardy.  Tolerant of heavy shade.

Fothergilla -- White bottlebrush blossoms in spring smell a bit like honey, and fall color is a bonus.

Fuchsias -- Several types are fairly hardy, and are evergreen in some areas, and will come back from the roots after a hard frost in others. Tolerant of quite a bit of shade, with long blooming seasons.

Gaultheria -- From ground huggers to mid-sized shrubs, these evergreens all have small, urn-shaped blossoms, followed by white, red, or blue fruits.

Hamamelis -- Witch hazels bloom in late winter or early spring with spidery yellow, orange, or red blossoms.  Many are fragrant, and fall color can be excellent.

Hydrangeas -- Familiar to most everyone are the large, opulent "hortensia" types, with their countless cultivars, but there are dozens of interesting lesser known species as well.  Most are happy in some degree of shade.

Kalmia -- Mountain laurels are evergreen rhododendron relatives.  The spring blossoms come in clusters, and the individual florets are often banded with contrasting colors.

Kerria -- Deciduous shrubs with a lax, arching growth habit, and yellow blossoms all along the stems in spring.

Leucothoe-- Small, evergreen shrubs with bloom like lily of the valley. One common form has leaves mottled and speckled with pink and cream.

Mahonia -- Tough, evergreen shrubs related to barberries, with yellow blossoms and spiny leaves that often turn ruddy purple in winter.

Nandina -- In areas where it is adapted, heavenly bamboo is planted by the bazillions, in sun and shade alike.  Very drought tolerant.

Osmanthus --  Evergreen shrubs looking much like holly, with small, very fragrant white blossoms at various times of year.

Pieris -- Often called lily of the valley shrub due to the appearance of their flowers, these are grown as much for their foliage, which often emerges copper, pink, or red in the spring.

Pernettya -- Small, evergreen shrubs grown for their fruit, which can be orange, pink, red, white, or purple, and last well on the plants.

Rhododendrons and Azaleas -- These hardly need a description, and many different flower colors and growth habits are represented.

Rubus -- A large genus that includes not just the many familiar berries, but also several other shrubs of varying habit and garden worthiness.

Sarcococca -- Small, neat shrubs like miniature laurels are very shade tolerant, as well as sweetly perfumed.

Skimmia -- Small, evergreen shrubs with fragrant spring blossom, followed by red fruit.

Tsuga -- There are several dwarf cultivars of Canadian hemlock with a variety of growth habits.

Vaccinium -- Although blueberries need sun, many of its cousins, like various huckleberries and lingonberries, are happy in some shade.

Viburnum -- A wide ranging genus with dozens of choices, both evergreen and deciduous.  Many are decidedly fragrant as well.
 

                                     VINES

Not a huge list, but many in nature grow scrambling into trees, and are quite happy in the garden in less than full sun.

Actinidia -- Some of the hardy kiwis are happy in less than full sun.  A. kolomikta in particular, is shade tolerant, and though is fruitless, has leaves often splashed with pink and white.

Akebia -- Vigorous vines with 3- or 5-lobed leaves, and small purplish blossoms in early spring, sometimes followed by edible fruit.

Ampelopsis -- Called blueberry climber due to its small fruits, which will attract birds.

Clematis -- Some are more shade tolerant than others, and several of the species types are well suited to these conditions.

Fatshedera -- A cross between Fatsia and English ivy, this will grow in heavy shade where adapted.

Hedera -- Some ivies have become pests, escaping into wild areas, but many of the smaller, named cultivars are worthwhile, and very shade tolerant.

Hydrangea -- Includes the climber H. anomala, which can become enormous in time, climbing by aerial roots.

Lonicera -- Many honeysuckles are shade tolerant to one degree or another, and there are many to choose from.

Parthenocissus -- Boston ivies, Virginia creepers, and others can provide some excellent fall color.

Schizophragma -- Resembling a climbing hydrangea, and closely related. One nice form has silvery mottling to the foliage.

Wistaria -- The Chinese wistaria, especially, will grow happily in less than full sun.  Buy grafted plants only, for earlier flowering.
 

                                     PERENNIALS

The icing on the cake, and so many to choose from!  With such a variety of forms, many would make welcome additions even if they never flowered.

Acanthus -- Big, bold, glossy foliage and spires of hooded flowers.  These put the Corinth in Corinthian.

Aconitum -- Tall spires of hooded blue, or occasionally white or pink blossoms.  Like a delphinium for part shade.

Acorus -- Grassy perennials useful for their spiky foliage, which can be green or variegated.

Ajuga -- Some are rambunctious, others less so, and many are valuable for their colored foliage as well as flowers.

Alchemilla -- Fuzzy leaves seem to always trap beads of water.  This will often naturalize, and seems to be one of those mainstays in many a British garden.

Anemone -- A big genus with ground huggers to six footers.  Most will
colonize and have  nice flowers.

Aquilegia -- Columbines are cottage garden favorites, available in almost all colors, and most will naturalize.

Aruncus -- Goatsbeard grows like a large astilbe with plumes of white blossoms to four feet.

Asarum -- Ground huggers with heart shaped leaves and unusual maroon flowers.  Called wild ginger due to the smell of its foliage.

Astilbe -- Plumes of airy blossoms in shades of pink, red, or white. Some are less than a foot, while others can hit five feet.

Aspidistra -- It's not called cast iron plant for nothing.  Where adapted, it is almost indestructible, growing in heavy shade and needing little
attention.

Astrantia -- With one of the longest bloom periods, these will often bloom for several months.

Bergenia -- Large, glossy leaves are evergreen, and some turn bronzy in winter.  Blossoms can appear at various times, by species, and are pink, white, red, or purplish.

Brunnera -- Blue flowers like forget-me-nots in spring, with large, heart shaped foliage through the summer.

Calceolaria -- Curious, pouch-like blossoms are yellow, often mottled with brown.  Its tender cousins are called ladies' pocket books.

Caltha, Ranunculus, and Trollius -- Various closely related buttercups.  Most favor moist soils and have yellow, orange, or white blossoms.

Campanula, Adenophora, Edrianthus, Symphyandra, and Wahlenbergia -- Several closely related genera, the bluebells offer countless choices.  Some are more shade tolerant than others.

Cardamine -- A diverse genus with typically white or pink flowers above interesting foliage.  Many will colonize.

Carex -- These sedges will tolerate wet conditions and provide tufts of green or variegated foliage.

Chrysogonum -- An eastern woodlander with little yellow daisies forming in spring above ground-hugging foliage.

Cimicifuga -- Snakeroot forms slowly spreading colonies of dissected foliage, topped in summer and fall by tall spires of white wands.

Convallaria -- Lily of the valley can form large colonies, and its white blossoms are beloved for their perfume.

Corydalis -- Finely dissected ferny foliage with blossoms of yellow, blue, pink, red, or purple, depending upon species, of which there are several. Some will seed about.

Cymballaria -- Small, scalloped foliage and tiny purple snapdragons.  Can cover the ground, or will scramble into shrubs and up walls.

Dicentra -- Bleeding hearts are familiar to most.  Some of the named varieties have a longer bloom period than the species.

Digitalis -- The common foxgloves are typically biennials, but there are a number of true perennials as well, growing from one to six feet.

Disporum, Smilacena, and Polygonatum -- Fairy bells and solomon's seal are similar in foliage, and all form slowly spreading colonies topped with white flowers.

Doronicum -- Dark green foliage sports numerous yellow daisies atop one to three foot stems.

Eomecon -- Snow poppy forms spreading colonies of foliage like terrestrial lily pads, and is topped by small white blossoms in early spring.

Epimedium -- Excellent foliage, which can often emerge copper or reddish, and the small spring blossoms can be orange, yellow, pink, red, or white depending on species.

Filipendula -- Divided leaves and plumes of feathery blossoms in white and pink.  Some small, but most grow large.

Ferns -- Too many to list individually, but indispensable for foliar effect in some of those heavier shaded areas.

Gentiana -- Legendary beautiful blue flowers have a finicky reputation, though several are quite undemanding.

Geranium -- Many of the cranesbills are tolerant of some shade, some of them quite a bit.  Countless species and cultivars.

Gunnera -- Includes those prehistoric looking monsters, and surprisingly some diminutive ones as well.

Helleborus -- Several different species, most valuable for their early bloom and palmate foliage.  Will reseed where happy.

Hemerocallis -- Daylilies will grow in a bit of shade as well as full sun. Some of the darker reds, especially, can look better with protection from hot sun.

Hepatica -- Liverleafs are little woodlanders with tri-lobed leaves and lavender to white spring flowers.  Plant where you can appreciate them up close.

Heuchera -- Coral bells are well known for their bloom, but have also been available in recent years in a number of distinctive foliage types.

Heucherella and Tiarella -- Close coral bell relatives with starry pink or white blossoms with both clumping and running varieties as well as various leaf forms.

Hosta -- Great snail and slug food and deservedly popular perennials as well.

Houttuynia -- The variety Chameleon  has become popular with its foliage splashed with cream, pink, red and yellow.  It spreads a bit rambunctiously.

Hylomecon, Chelidonium, and Stylophorum -- Woodland poppies with yellow blossoms, sometimes over a long period.  Will naturalize where happy.

Iris -- Various crested iris as well as western species and their hybrids all grow happily in woodland conditions.

Kieringeshoma -- A big perennial with maple-like leaves and pendant yellow bells in late summer.

Lamium -- The most popular varieties have silvery, ground-hugging leaves and pink or white flowers.

Liriope and Ophiopogon -- Lily turf and mondo grass have grassy leaves and small flowers resembling grape hyacinth.  Easy and popular where adapted.

Lysimachia -- Some diverse plants in this genus, and with some it's stand back and watch them grow.  They can spread.

Meconopsis -- Some of the blue poppies are legendary, and worth any effort to just see them bloom.  The welsh poppies, though, in yellow and orange, are easy and prolific.

Mertensia -- The most common form is known as Virginia bluebells, produces nodding blue blossoms opening from pink buds.

Mimulus -- Monkeyflowers are sometimes sold with annuals, but most are perennial in the right climate.  Some of the brightest blossoms in
shadedom.

Omphallodes -- Blue forget-me-nots, and nice clean, compact foliage.  A new variety called Starry eyes is worth seeking out.

Pachysandra -- The most common is an easy and adaptable ground cover for most any shady condition.  There are also some lesser known species as well.

Phlox -- There are several pretty woodland species and cultivars, most of them native to North America.

Polemonium -- Jacob's ladders are so named for the arrangement of their paired leaflets.  Blue, lavender, peach, or yellow  saucer-shaped blossoms in spring.

Primula -- Once you get away from the common Polyanthus and Acaulus types, there are many dozens of woodland treasures here.

Pulmonaria -- Sometimes called lungwort, my favorite common name is spotted dog.  Clumping plants with leaves often splashed and spotted with white or silver, and early spring blossom of blue, pink, or red.

Rogersia -- Moisture loving plants growing 3 feet or more with bold foliage and plumes of white or pink blossoms in late spring or summer.

Sanguineria -- Called bloodroot due to the sap exuded, this little native produces slowly expanding colonies of scalloped foliage with white bloom in spring.

Saxifraga -- A very large genus grown for both foliage and flower.  Most are excellent in the shaded rockery.

Schizostylis -- Linear foliage in running colonies and star-shaped spikes of flowers in red, pink, or white.  Best of all -- they bloom in fall.

Soldanella -- Frilly little purple blossoms arrive in spring and need to be seen close up to be appreciated.

Thalictrum -- Meadow rues are mostly largish perennials with columbine like foliage and fluffy blossoms of lavender, pink, white, yellow, or green.

Tradescantia -- Linear foliage, topped in summer by glistening, three petalled flowers of purple, blue,  pink, or white.

Tricyrtis -- Called toad lilies , these have curious flowers of purple, white, yellow, or brown , appearing in late summer and fall.

Vinca -- Tough and aggressive spreaders, and tolerant of dry shade. Flowers are typically blue, but white and reddish forms exist.

Viola -- For the most part easy and adaptable plants, often seeding about where happy.
 

                                       BULBS

Many of the common early spring bulbs such as crocus, narcissus, and snowdrops are quite at home planted at the foot of deciduous trees, blooming before the trees are fully leafed.  Here are a few other choices.

Arisaemas -- Jacks in the pulpit seem to be getting more popular these days.  Interesting foliage and curious, if not beautiful, bloom.

Cyclamen -- Several species, most with heart-shaped leaves, often mottled and banded with silver.  Pointed, nodding bloom at various times of the year depending on species.

Endymion -- Wood hyacinths are adaptable over a large area, and will often naturalize where happy.  Blue, pink, or white blossoms in spring.

Erythronium -- Called dog tooth violets or fawn lily, these produce low, tongue-shaped leaves, often mottled (like a fawn), and produce nodding lilies of yellow, white, or violet in spring.

Fritillaria -- A large genus of mostly small to mid sized bulbs with nodding, bell shaped flowers of various shades, often mottled and speckled.

Lilium -- True lilies exist in a wide range of flower types and colors. Shade tolerance varies quite a bit.

Zantedeschia -- The white calla lilies will grow in some very wet conditions.  Permanent in milder areas, they can be lifted and stored in colder climates.