TIPS FOR YOUR SUCCESS
Shade gardening is often an exercise in trial and error. We’ll share these helpful tips from an experienced shade gardener, but know that it will take some practice to fine tune your shaded landscape. Enjoy the challenge and the process!
Slivers of Sunshine Can Make All the Difference
Full shade is defined as an area that receives fewer than four hours of sunlight per day. Even if your yard receives three hours of intense afternoon sun, by definition it is in full shade. They are often found in the shadow of your home’s north side. Your shade garden might also be located where there is dappled shade all day or in the open shade under a canopy of very tall trees.
Take advantage of the small pockets of sunshine where the sun peeks through for an hour or two each day. It’s amazing what a difference even a small amount of sunshine can make for a plant. Sometimes, moving a plant over just a few feet can mean the difference between full shade and part sun.
Don’t Start a New Garden Under Shallow Rooted Trees
When someone wants to start a new shade garden, their first instinct is often to start digging right under a tree. If the tree is shallow rooted, like a maple, birch, dogwood, crabapple, crapemyrtle, cottonwood, magnolia or spruce, that’s not a good place to start a garden. The tree roots will be occupying much of the available root space and will soak up every drop of moisture if the canopy is even thin enough to allow rain to penetrate.
Deeper rooted trees that can accommodate gardens under them include oak, hickory, beech, sassafras, sweetgum and hornbeam. There may be others in your climate too; consult your local University Extension Office for more regional information. The roots of these trees tend to better accommodate shallower rooted plants under their canopies.