For shady-yards, plant trees and shrubs that flourish in partial to low light. Try the serviceberry, summersweet or Annabelle hydrangea!
Consider the amount of light in your yard and determine which areas get full sun, partial shade and full shade. This will help you decide how to design your garden. To determine full versus partial shade, time the hours of sunlight a particular area receives: 6 or more hours is considered full sun while 3-4 hours is partial sun. When planning and landscaping, you must keep the needs of the plant in mind. Think of what kind of soil they require, what spacing they need and, importantly, the amount of light they must have in order to thrive. Some gardeners may feel discouraged by a shady yard but never fear! There are many beautiful plants that require shade for proper growth and will mature and flourish in your shady yard.
Carolina Silverbell (Halesia carolina) is native to North American woodlands and grows beautifully in the shade. This tree gets its name from the beautiful, bell-shaped white flowers that bloom each spring. Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) is another native that grows well in shade. This lovely deciduous shrub can grow to the size of a small tree (up to 26 feet tall) and offers lovely white flowers mid-spring and small purple fruit in mid-summer. Hemlock (Tsuga sp.) is another shade-lover that flourishes in our area. A striking conifer, the hemlock has scaly bark and lovely, weeping branches that look gorgeous when covered with snow.
Many shrubs flourish in the shade, as well. Try planting the lovely summersweet (Clethra sp). It grows well in deep shade and moist soil and is easy to care for. It produces fragrant pink and white flowers in the summer and has brilliant, yellow-green foliage in the fall. Many types of hydrangea grow well in our climate and will thrive in shade. Try the Annabelle Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) for hardiness and ease. It generates beautiful, large, showy flower-heads and lush foliage that turns dark red in the fall. Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is a hardy evergreen shrub that loves partial shade. Its clusters of white-to-pink flowers bloom each spring and its dark foliage persists throughout the winter months, making it a nice addition to the shade garden.
By planting varieties that prefer shade, you give your garden a boost towards success! Adding shade-loving trees and shrubs will provide your yard with lovely foliage and flowers, as well as adding depth and diversity.
