There’s so much to love about gardening in the shade. Weed seeds don’t germinate as well, so there are fewer to pull, and the sun isn’t as intense, so you can easily relax. Though the temperature is the same in sun or shade, it can feel 10 to 15 degrees cooler when the sun isn’t hitting your skin. On a hot summer day, that’s a big plus! The challenge is creating colorful borders that you can really enjoy to accent those laid-back retreats.
NO MORE HO-HUM BORDERS Shade gardens are often filled with loads of texture in subtle hues of green. That can look great but may not be your style. There are plenty of shade-loving plants that can make a splash with bright flowers and bold foliage. The colorful combination of ferns, hakonechloa and hosta at right is just the beginning.
On the following pages you’ll find more eye-catching plants to help you grow a colorful shade garden, and the icons below will help you find the best fit for your specific conditions. Let’s get started!
Sherri’s favorite shade garden activity is sitting in her lawn chair with a glass of lemonade and watching the hostas grow.
ICON KEY
PART SHADE Plants receive 4 to 6 hours of mostly morning sun or all-day dappled light.
FULL SHADE Plants receive 2 to 4 hours of sun per day.
Even if you don’t get rain every week or
