Some gardening friends and I recently attended a brief spring garden series. One evening focused on Shady Characters – Plants for Shady Areas presented by Kim Davidson, a local horticulturist. She did a great job covering what to consider when evaluating a shady area of the garden. There is not only the type of shade present at a given time during the day, but also soil moisture and soil fertility.

3 Shades of… Shade

Yes, there is more than one type of shade. Crazy; I know.

• Light Shade: partially filtered sun with about 3-5 hours of direct sun (remembering afternoon sun is warmer than morning sun)
• Moderate Shade: little direct sun as in under a shade tree canopy; light is usually reflected
• Dense Shade: no direct sun as in under a conifer or on the north side of a home

If there is a shady area to plant, keep track of how the shade changes throughout the day. I learned this the hard way when planting an astilbe last season in what I believed was a shady area. In actuality, the area was blasted with about 4 hours of afternoon sun. “Sizzle” went the astilbe. “Whoops” went the gardener.

Soil Moisture

When choosing shade plants, also consider the soil moisture level of the shady area. Overhangs on homes or shade tree canopies will keep rainfall from the plants below. Trees and shrubs will compete with smaller plants for water. Plants tucked beside a fence or in a lower, shady area of the garden on the other hand may receive plenty of moisture.

Soil Fertility

Again, shade plants living in the shadow of trees and shrubs will find themselves competing for soil nutrients. According to an University of Minnesota article on shade gardening, “a spring application of a balanced fertilizer, followed by one or two applications as the season progresses” should help. Most shade plants enjoy soil rich in organic matter. Woodland wildflowers are a natural example of this as they thrive in the layers of decomposing leaves on the forest floor.

Plants for the Lot

The north side of the house has dense shade and is in dire need of something to soften the transition from lawn to foundation. The finch feeder hangs near that back window, so we’d like to camouflage the discarded thistle seed shells. I’ve plunked a few plants back there knowing they “like shade,” but now feel much more confident about what to seek out. Since there is an overhang on the house, plants which are able to grow in drier soil would be a good choice. Here are a few to try:

• Epipmediums (Epipmedium): hardier varieties okay in dry soil; spider-like flowers with leaves that turn in the fall
• Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra): chartreuse in color to brighten shade area
• Siberian Iris: move from another bed on the Lot?
• Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum): white flowers and great scent