Creating and Caring For Shade Gardens

by Melinda Myers

Those shady spots in the landscape can make it challenging to grow a beautiful garden. Fortunately, there are more plants than you may think that will thrive in low light.

Monitor the amount of sunlight the area receives throughout the day, season, and year. You may be surprised that it gets more sunlight than you thought. Some plants, like spring ephemerals and even sunloving spring flowering bulbs, receive sufficient sunlight early in the season before most trees leaf out. Other plants need sunlight throughout the growing season and those sun-loving plants growing in hotter regions often benefit from a bit of afternoon sun.

Make a list of plants you have had success with and those that failed in the ...