Shade gardening means growing plants where direct sun is limited — under trees, on the north side of a house, or in a yard overshadowed by buildings. Shade is one of the most common garden problems, and many gardeners fight it for years, trying to grow sun-loving plants in places where they will never thrive. The answer is simpler: grow plants that love shade, and design a garden that makes shade a feature rather than a fault.
A shade garden can be one of the most beautiful parts of a garden — cool, green, peaceful, and full of ferns, hostas, hellebores and spring bulbs. It needs less watering than a sunny garden, it stays cool in summer, and it suits a slower, quieter style of gardening. The key is to understand what kind of shade you have, improve the soil, and choose plants that suit it. If you are unsure what will grow in your shade, check your local extension service for plant lists suited to your area.
What kind of shade do you have?
Not all shade is the same, and the kind you have decides what will grow. Light shade is dappled sunlight through trees, which many plants tolerate well. Part shade is a few hours of direct sun, usually in the morning, which suits a wide range of plants. Full shade is no direct sun at all, which suits only the toughest shade plants. Dry shade, under trees where roots take all the water, is the hardest of all, and needs plants that cope with both shade and drought. Watch your garden through a day and through the seasons: a spot that is shady in summer may be sunny in spring before trees leaf out, which is why spring bulbs do so well in shade. Note whether the shade is from a building, which is dry and permanent, or from a deciduous tree, which lets light through in winter and spring. Our garden planning guide helps you map sun and shade, and the answers will guide every plant choice you make.
Improving shady soil
Shady soil is often poor, because tree roots take water and nutrients, and fallen leaves can make it acidic. The fix is organic matter: add compost and leaf mould every year, in generous amounts, and mulch thickly to hold moisture. Leaf mould is especially good for shade gardens — it is made from fallen leaves, it improves soil structure, and it suits woodland plants. Do not dig deeply under trees, because you will damage their roots; instead, add compost on the surface and let worms work it in. Test the soil pH, because shade under conifers and oaks can be acidic — our soil pH testing and acidic soil guides explain how. Water new plants well in their first year, because they are competing with tree roots, and water in dry spells even when the garden looks damp — shade can be deceptively dry. Raised beds can help in deep shade, because you control the soil, but they need watering more often.
Best plants for shade
Shade-loving plants are some of the most beautiful in the garden. Ferns are the classic shade plant, with feathery fronds that suit any shady corner. Hostas have bold leaves in green, blue and gold, though they need protection from slugs. Hellebores flower in late winter and early spring, when little else is out. Foxgloves, primulas, bluebells and snowdrops all thrive in shade and give spring colour. For ground cover, try ivy, periwinkle, pachysandra or wild ginger, which will carpet a shady bank. Shrubs such as hydrangeas, camellias, rhododendrons and mahonia all flower in shade — see growing hydrangeas. For scent, try lily of the valley, sweet woodruff and daphne. Avoid sun-loving plants such as lavender, rosemary and most vegetables in deep shade — they will grow leggy and flower poorly, if at all. Choose plants for the shade you have, and they will thrive with little help.
Vegetables and herbs for shade
Vegetables need sun, but some cope with part shade better than others. Leafy crops are the best choice: lettuce, spinach, chard, kale and Asian greens all grow in part shade, and they are slower to bolt there than in full sun — see growing lettuce, growing spinach and growing kale. Root crops such as radishes, beetroot and turnips manage in part shade, though they will be smaller. Herbs such as mint, parsley, chives, coriander and lemon balm all tolerate part shade, and mint will grow almost anywhere — grow it in a pot so it does not take over. See growing mint and growing parsley. Fruiting crops such as tomatoes, peppers and courgettes need full sun and will not fruit well in shade, so do not waste space on them in a shady garden. Grow what suits the shade, and save the sunny spots for the crops that need them.
Designing a shade garden
Design a shade garden for texture and foliage, because flowers are fewer and shorter-lived in shade. Use plants with different leaf shapes, sizes and colours — the bold leaves of hostas, the feathery fronds of ferns, the glossy leaves of camellias, the variegated leaves of ivy — to create interest without flowers. Use pale flowers and light-coloured foliage to brighten dark corners, and use white and pale yellow flowers, which show up well in shade. Add a seat, a bird bath or a small water feature, because a shade garden is a cool, peaceful place to sit in summer. Use paths of stone or bark, which suit the woodland feel, and avoid lawn in deep shade, where grass will not grow — use ground cover or gravel instead. Keep the design simple and natural, with drifts of the same plant rather than single specimens scattered about, and let the garden feel like a woodland clearing rather than a failed sunny garden.
Maintaining a shade garden
Shade gardens need less work than sunny ones, but they still need care. Water new plants in their first year, and water in dry spells, because shade can be dry. Mulch each year with compost or leaf mould to feed the soil and hold moisture. Remove dead leaves in autumn, but leave some for wildlife, and do not clear every leaf — a layer of leaves is natural in a woodland garden. Divide hostas and other perennials every few years when they outgrow their space, and protect hostas from slugs with barriers, traps or hand-picking — see our slugs and snails control guide. Prune shrubs after flowering, and cut back ferns in spring before new fronds appear. Watch for plants that are struggling, and move them to a better spot rather than feeding them more — in shade, the right plant in the right place matters more than fertiliser. A shade garden that is planted well will largely look after itself, and it will look better every year.
Common mistakes to avoid
The biggest mistake is trying to grow sun-loving plants in shade and then wondering why they fail — lavender, rosemary, tomatoes and most roses need sun, and no amount of feeding will make them thrive in shade. The second is ignoring dry shade under trees, where plants need both shade tolerance and drought tolerance. The third is digging deeply under trees and damaging their roots. The fourth is planting a lawn in deep shade, where grass will thin and moss will take over. The fifth is forgetting to water, because shade looks damp even when the soil is dry. The sixth is planting single specimens scattered about, which looks sparse — plant in drifts for a fuller effect. Finally, do not use chemical slug pellets in a shade garden full of hostas: they can poison birds and pets, so use barriers, traps or hand-picking instead. If you are unsure what will grow in your shade, check your local extension service.
Frequently asked questions
What grows well in full shade?
Tough shade plants such as ferns, hostas, hellebores, ivy, periwinkle, pachysandra, foxgloves and spring bulbs. Shrubs such as hydrangeas, camellias and mahonia also flower in shade. Avoid sun-loving plants in full shade — they will grow leggy and flower poorly.
Can I grow vegetables in shade?
Some, in part shade. Lettuce, spinach, chard, kale, radishes, beetroot and herbs such as mint, parsley and chives all cope with part shade. Fruiting crops such as tomatoes and peppers need full sun and will not fruit well in shade.
Why is the soil under trees so dry?
Because tree roots take most of the water and nutrients, and the canopy stops rain reaching the ground. This is called dry shade, and it needs plants that tolerate both shade and drought, plus generous compost and mulch each year.
How do I stop slugs eating my hostas?
Use barriers such as copper tape or grit, set beer traps, hand-pick slugs at night, and encourage birds and frogs. Avoid chemical slug pellets, which can poison birds and pets. Growing hostas in pots can also help, and some varieties are more slug-resistant than others.
Can I grow a lawn in shade?
Only in light shade, and even then it will be thinner than a sunny lawn. In deep shade, grass will not grow well — use ground cover plants, gravel or bark instead. If you must have grass in shade, choose a shade-tolerant grass mix and mow it a little higher.