“Where'er you walk, cool gales shall fan the glade, Trees where you sit, shall crowd into a shade: Where'er you tread, the blushing flowers shall rise, And all things flourish where you turn your eyes. “

— Alexander Pope,   Pastorals,'Summer', l736

SweetboxSweetbox

Part sun/Light shade4-6 hours a day of direct sun. Does not have to be continuous. Some plants prefer morning sun and afternoon shade.

Dappled/filtered shadeAlternating light and shade all day, as under tall deciduous trees or beneath lattice/trellis

Partial shade2-4 hours a day of sun

Full shadeLittle or no direct sunlight. Plants rely on reflected light

Indian pink (Wikipedia photo)Indian pink (Wikipedia photo)

MayappleMayapple

Trillium (Wikipedia photo)Trillium (Wikipedia photo)Twinleaf (Wikipedia photo)Twinleaf (Wikipedia photo)

Bleeding heart/Japanese painted fernBleeding heart/Japanese painted fern Variegated Solomon’s sealVariegated Solomon’s seal

Variegated liriopeVariegated liriope CorydalisCorydalis Fothergilla (Wikipedia photo)Fothergilla (Wikipedia photo)

Oakleaf hydrangeaOakleaf hydrangea

ClethraClethraAllegheny spurge with ImpatiensAllegheny spurge with Impatiens

Baptisia with Japanese anemoneBaptisia with Japanese anemone

Take seasonal differences into consideration.

Ajuga (Wikipedia photo)

Ajuga (Wikipedia photo)

PlumbagoPlumbago

Balloon flowerBalloon flower

Kerria japonicaKerria japonica

Carolina allspice (calycanthus)Wikipedia photo

Carolina allspice (calycanthus)Wikipedia photo

Bottlebrush buckeye, Strawbridge LakeBottlebrush buckeye, Strawbridge Lake

Chelone, aka Turtlehead (Wikipedia photo)Chelone, aka Turtlehead (Wikipedia photo)

Callicarpa (aka Beautyberry), Grounds for SculptureCallicarpa (aka Beautyberry), Grounds for Sculpture

Somewhere between light and medium shade, lawn grass starts to have difficulty. Fescue blends are the best option if grass is preferred to other groundcover.

Spring-blooming bulbs offer color under deciduous trees, as they will get sun in fall after leaves drop, then again in late winter to early spring before trees leaf out.

Carex siderostichaCarex siderosticha

The ornamental sedge (above) also comes in a variegated variety, with attractive white edges.

Carex plantagineaCarex plantaginea

Clumping blue fescueClumping blue fescue

Many shrub roses will do well enough in 4-5 hours of sun. Choose once-blooming roses, e.g. English, gallica, damask and alba varieties. — per David Austin Roses

Benjamin BrittenBenjamin Britten Scarlet MeidelandScarlet Meideland

LovageLovageCurly kaleCurly kale

Purple raspberryPurple raspberry

HerbsAnise hyssopChervilChivesCilantro (Coriander)DillLemon BalmLovageMintParsleyShisoTarragonThyme

(Best success in LIGHT shade)

Begonia(Wikipedia photo)

Begonia(Wikipedia photo)

Mimulus(Wikipedia photo)

Mimulus(Wikipedia photo)

Torenia (Wikipedia photo)Torenia (Wikipedia photo)

Blue lobelia(Lady Bird Johnson

Wildflower Center photo)

Blue lobelia(Lady Bird Johnson

Wildflower Center photo)

Alyssum (Photosource.com)Alyssum (Photosource.com)

These flowers offer color in light to medium shade.

Wild ediblesRamps — a challenge to cultivate, but can be done. May take more than one year to germinate. Does best in forest environment.

Ostrich fern — eaten as fiddleheads in early spring

Ramps (Wikipedia photo)Ramps (Wikipedia photo)

Ostrich fern/fiddlehead harvest(Wikipedia photos)

Ostrich fern/fiddlehead harvest(Wikipedia photos)

LeucothoeLeucothoe

Toad lilyToad lily

No direct light, little reflected light — behind walls, north side of rock formations or solid fences, under evergreens or dense shrubs. Soil is usually moisture retentive. Deciduous woods may offer seasonal options — bulbs, etc. Some plants that tolerate or require deeper shade include:

Acrocarp — upright habit. Form dense clumps, which are more resistant to invasion by weeds.

Pleurocarp — spreading habit. Grow faster than acrocarp types. Easy to distribute by breaking off portions. Will adhere easily to rocks.

Mosses grow on most soil other than very sandy types, and unless soil is overly alkaline, is not fussy about pH. Numerous varieties fall into two basic types.

Top: Moss retaining wall (Wikipedia photo)

Left: Bloedel Reserve, WA state (Wikipedia photo)

Top: Moss retaining wall (Wikipedia photo)

Left: Bloedel Reserve, WA state (Wikipedia photo)

To allow more light on plants:

Thin overhanging trees — removing entire branches to let in more light. Consult a licensed arborist for this, for safety and plant health.

Head back — removing ends of limbs to shorten cast shadows. Will ultimately result in a denser growth of overhanging tree or shrub, meaning denser shadow, but in more limited area.

Reflective and light-colored surfaces nearby will slightly brighten shady areas. Consider choosing plants with pale flowers or foliage to outline path edges.

To create more shade:

Before planting, observe the progress of shadows over the course of days and preferably, seasons.

Add trees and shrubs to the landscape. Choose “understory” as well as large trees for layered interest and varied shade.

Pay attention to soil nutrient content and water needs.

Use an arbor, pergola or awning to shade plants.Pergola in Turin, Italy

(Wikipedia photo) Pergola in Turin, Italy

(Wikipedia photo)

Salzberg — Mirabellgarten (Wikipedia photo)Salzberg — Mirabellgarten (Wikipedia photo)

Grounds for SculptureGrounds for Sculpture

My backyard

Plants directly under trees have to compete for nutrients and water, especially near shallow-rooted trees like willow and pine.

Concrete walls, walkways and pavers can slightly raise the pH of nearby soil.

Shade-tolerant shrubs do well in slightly to moderately acid soil. Choose nearby plants for compatibility. Mulch with compost and peat moss.

Aeration of soil is also essential.

TiarellaTiarella AzaleaAzalea

Snow is slower to melt, and soil slower to warm up in spring.

Adequate drainage is important, to avoid roots drowning or rotting.

If shade is due to trees, competition for soil nutrients requires replenishment of compost.

Slugs and fungi like moist shade. Pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, don’t.

Shade plant blooms often are not showy or long-lasting, so attractive foliage is important — maybe even more so than the flowers themselves (examples right).

“I have got little feet because nothing grows in the shade.”

— Dolly Parton

“To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment.”

— Jane Austen

Happiness is sharing a bowl of cherries and a book of poetry with a shade tree. He doesn’t eat much and doesn’t read much, but listens well and is a most gracious host.

— Astrid Alauda