Gardens in the Shade

Most gardens have a shady spot, and sometimes the growing area that's affected by shade thrown by a building or tree cover can be quite large. However, you can nearly always find some plants that will do very well in these sun-free areas. Just remember to differentiate between dry shade and moist shade, and choose the plants accordingly.

For example, the Japanese laurel (aucuba japonica) is suitable for dry shade, as are the elephant ears and heartleaf formations of the Bergenia hybrids (a strain of hardy evergreen herbaceous perennials, some of which bloom in winter).

The Common Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) is a shrub that does well in moist soil, and actually grows best in heavy clay soils. Snowberry (also known as the white coralberry) grows well in sun or shade, and is a vigorous plant that spreads rampantly -- in other words, a great choice for a difficult patch of shade.

Another plant that grows very rapidly in moist, shady conditions is the Salmonberry. In fact, this shrub can do well in full shade and is so hardy it can become invasive if not maintained.

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