Tabla de contenidos para Gardening for Shade en BBC Gardeners' World

No matter how shady your plot, it’s possible to transform it into a beautiful garden. Just work with the natural growing conditions the shade creates, choose plants to suit and you can’t go wrong! Whether you’re looking for beautiful blooms to brighten a gloomy spot, or the perfect plants for an area of dry shade, you’ll find all the expertise and advice you need in this one-stop guide. Also take inspiration from our container ideas that are ideal for shady locations – perfect for a shade covered doorstep, courtyard or balcony. It’s possible to enjoy a homegrown harvest from a shady spot too, so read on to discover the crops that will thrive in low light levels to give you fresh and healthy pickings year-round. So, don’t be daunted by…

Deep shade Dappled shade Partial shade Astrantias These clump-forming perennials produce pretty pincushion-like flowers in a range of colours, from white through dusky pinks to the rich ruby red of Astrantia major ‘Claret’ (pictured). Keep plants well watered during summer. Flowers June to August Height x Spread 90cm x 30cm Yew Taxus baccata is a slow-growing, tough evergreen that thrives in light or dense shade and provides a good dark green backdrop for other plants. It’s easy to grow in any well-drained soil and can be clipped, used as hedging, or left to develop a more natural, shrubby style. H x S 5m x 5m Cyclamen coum Flowering in the depths of winter when little else dares, this delightful hardy cyclamen is invaluable. The flower colour can vary from white…

Ferns – they’re green and lacy, and love the shade, right? But there’s far more to them than that. And it’s all in the detail. If any group of plants teaches us to look closely, then it’s ferns. Let’s consider dryopteris, or wood ferns. Their unfurling fronds form large shuttlecock clumps. Each frond is split into pairs of oppositely arranged leaflets, which are usually split again, and again. And it’s the overall shape of each of these fronds – and then the shape and arrangement of the divisions – that creates the individuality of these fascinating plants. You may see amber, brown or black scales covering the unfurling fronds and stems, and at the end of the season the fronds often take on attractive autumnal shades. Some make tight compact…

How can you resist a snowdrop? One of our best-loved flowers, its dainty beauty and rugged resilience in the face of the worst winter weather has ensured its lasting appeal. There are more than 700 different named varieties of Galanthus, which is remarkable when you consider that they’re all almost entirely white, with just a few, usually green, markings. Most snowdrops bloom in the depths of winter. Growing in prolific clumps under deciduous trees, they work well alongside hardy Cyclamen and species crocuses, or in front of hellebores, never failing to delight with their simplicity and charm. While admirable in naturalistic drifts, the diversity of flower shapes, and especially the markings, reward closer inspection. The differences between them may not always be obvious at a distance, but look closely and…

Clematis can be a worry. How do you prune them? How big will they grow? Can they cope in shade? Will they smother other plants? Will they get clematis wilt? Well, this species comes with few concerns. Varieties of Clematis viticella are ideal for growing on trellis and along walls, or through evergreen and deciduous hedges and shrubs. They can even be used as ground cover. And they’re happy with their feet in the shade and their tops in partial shade or sun. There’s a wide choice of colours and bicolours, and they all flower in summer and autumn – which brings us to pruning. All are pruned in early spring and, especially when young, you can usually prune the whole plant with just one snip. Simply gather all the stems…

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Deep shade Dappled shade Partial shade Plant a herb container for a shady spot A large terracotta pot filled with herbs makes an aromatic, tasty and attractive addition to any shady patio or doorway. Where direct sunshine is limited, choose soft, leafy herbs that could get scorched in strong light. These grow best in rich, damp compost or soil. Growing several herbs together like this also helps to save space and makes picking sprigs easy and convenient, as you can stand the pot right outside your door. Simply buy potted herbs from garden centres and supermarkets – or grow some, such as parsley, from seed in spring. Once planted, they’ll need little maintenance apart from regular picking to keep them compact and stimulate new leaves, and regular watering. In the…

Easy combinations Cornus & carex Winter can be a bit drab, so bright colours are invaluable, especially in shade. The scorching hot stems of dogwoods do the job admirably, underplanted with soft evergreen grasses. Cyclamen & Skimmia japonica Red is the perfect colour for perking up a dark spot. Combine scarlet-flowered cyclamen with evergreen Skimmia japonica reevesiana, with its clusters of glossy berries. Rubus & ophiopogon The white stems of this scrambling bramble, Rubus cockburnianus, look spectacular in winter light, contrasting with low-growing black grass, Ophiopogon.…

Thirty years ago, the best hellebores were rare and expensive. Propagated mainly by painstaking division, they were only available from one or two specialist nurseries, and the varieties sold in garden centres were unpredictable in colour and poor in quality. How things have changed. Inspired hybridisation, supported by new propagation techniques and refinements to traditional procedures, has led to the widespread availability of beautifully coloured and prettily patterned varieties of the highest quality. True, they’re still not the cheapest of perennials, but their long flowering season – many new varieties start to flower before Christmas – and attractive foliage add value that justifies the price. They also thrive in shady positions and are perfect for planting beneath deciduous trees. A striking development is the arrival of new hybrids between distantly…

Deep shade Dappled shade Partial shade Ajuga ‘Black Scallop’ The perfect low-maintenance ground cover, this spreading perennial has attractive foliage that adds rich, glossy colour to borders all year round. It also sends up short spikes of attractive dark blue flowers in late spring. Flowers April to June Height x spread 15cm x 45cm Bergenia x schmidtii This Bergenia thrives in deep shade and will tolerate cold winds and poor soil. It produces clusters of cup-shaped, pink flowers through spring and its large glossy evergreen leaves develop a maroon tint during winter. Flowers April to May H x S 30cm x 60cm Brunneras Reliably tough, even in poor soil, these perennials have a daintier side, with pretty forget-me-not flowers in spring. Give them moist but well-drained soil. The variety ‘Jack…

Deep shade Dappled shade Partial shade Begonias These flamboyant plants will perk up any hanging basket. They flower abundantly and will keep going until the first frosts. Choose varieties that beam out from the shade – pale lemons and gold, rather than dark reds. Flowers July to October Height x spread 30cm x 45cm Busy Lizzies Many bedding plants need sun, so mildew-resistant Busy Lizzies, such as ‘Beacon Mixed’ are handy for pots and baskets in shadier positions. They come in a choice of colours and will flower continuously all summer long. Flowers May to September H x S 60cm x 60cm Cut-leaved Japanese maple Thriving in dappled shade, Acer palmatum (Dissectum Group) is very happy in a large pot. Position this small tree by your door or as a…

Pot displays are a quick and easy way to instantly brighten up a shady patio, courtyard or doorstep. And there’s a wide range of shade-loving plants that will mingle happily within the confines of a container. Choose from an exciting array of leaf shapes, textures and hues, and combine them with beautiful blooms for a boost of seasonal colour. There’s plenty of inspiration on the following pages. How to plant up your pot Planting up your container is an easy, fun and creative process. Follow these simple steps to make sure your pot provides the right conditions for all your plants to thrive and that you arrange them in the best way to show them off to full advantage. Gather everything you need before you start – a nice large…

It’s easy to assume that growing fruit and vegetables is simply not possible if you have a shady garden. Just about every veg-growing book commands sun for success. But don’t despair – by working out how much shade you have and choosing your crops carefully, you can grow a wide range of delicious edibles. Of course, sun-loving crops such as tomatoes, courgettes and sweetcorn are never going to thrive in deep shade, but there are still plenty of other options that will produce good harvests without full sun – so you could soon be picking juicy blackberries, tasty beetroot, aromatic mint and much more. There are several ways to improve your chances of success too. These include painting your walls and fences a pale colour to amplify the light. You…

❶ Improve sowing and growing Sow your seeds initially in a sunny spot to get your plants off to the best possible start. You can sow them in pots or seedtrays on a bright windowsill, or in the sunniest part of your garden, then transplant them into a shadier spot when the young plants have good strong roots. Choose crops that can be grown up supports and into the light, such as climbing beans and courgette ‘Tromboncino’ – this needs sun to ripen, so train its long trailing stems up a sturdy frame, to lift the fruits into more light. Grow annual flowers, such as cornflowers and borage, among your veg to attract more pollinating and beneficial insects – there will generally be fewer of these in shady areas. ❷…

Choose the best site If you want to make a pond in a shady garden, choose the spot that gets the most light. Ideally it should be in sun for at least half the day. A pond that’s completely shaded the whole time is likely to become stagnant, as the aquatic plants that supply oxygen to the water need some sun to do so. If the location for your proposed pond is surrounded by trees or large shrubs, try thinning out some of the branches on the south side, to let in more light. Alternatively, consider coppicing nearby trees or even removing a few entirely. Use rainwater Top up your pond with rainwater from a water butt rather than tap water, as the former is better for pond plants and…

Easy combinations Aquilegia & hardy geranium This magenta Geranium psilostemon is a perfect match for pink aquilegias. Both of these plants will thrive in a shady spot, providing a splash of colour in early summer. Hosta & hart’s tongue fern These foliage plants are the ideal solution for areas of tricky shade in summer. They add interest for months and grow into large, lush clumps in the limited light beneath trees. Astrantia & ferns White flowers shine out particularly well in shade, and pretty Astrantia ‘Shaggy’ looks all the brighter with a backdrop of lush green ferns. Astrantias are happy in shade and flower from June to August.…

Deep shade Dappled shade Partial shade Anemone blanda Plant the tubers shallowly in autumn to enjoy the pretty daisy-like flowers in early spring. They can be violet-blue, pink or white, and combine well with yellow winter aconites and Cyclamen coum, to liven up areas at the base of shrubs. Flowers March to April Height x Spread 15cm x 15cm Angelica A great architectural plant, Angelica archangelica reaches around a metre tall with deeply cut leaves and huge, rounded, bright green flowerheads. This biennial self-seeds readily after flowering and will cope in deep shade. Flowers June to July H x S 1.2m x 1.5m Asarum europaeum A great little ground-cover plant with glossy, distinctly rounded foliage and hairy purple flowers in midsummer. It’s low maintenance too, and will grow well in…

Deep shade Dappled shade Partial shade Aquilegias Flourishing in dappled shade, aquilegias come in many pretty colours and flower shapes. Stalwarts of the cottage garden, they are equally at home in a woodland setting, where they self-seed happily. Flowers May to June Height x Spread 90cm x 45cm Bloodroot Any cool, shady location suits this little North American woodlander, Sanguinaria canadensis. Each bloom is a perfect rosette of white petals, opening just a few centimetres from the ground, above clasping leaves. Flowers March to April H x S 15cm x 30cm Bluebells Plant this fragrant native wildflower, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, for a sea of blue beneath trees and shrubs in spring. The bulbs will multiply happily in the dappled shade of deciduous trees, in moist but well-drained soil. Flowers April to…

Deep shade Dappled shade Partial shade Berberis Brighten up a dark spot with berberis, which has yellow flowers in spring, red-tinged foliage and bright red berries in autumn. This shrub makes a good informal hedge and windbreak, and a useful barrier because of its thorns. Flowers April to May Height x spread 1.5m x 60cm Black-eyed Susan This beautiful annual climber, Thunbergia alata, is extremely versatile, bringing its sunny charms to shady places. Raise it from seed indoors in spring, then plant it out into pots or borders after the last frost. Flowers July to October H x S 2.4m x 60cm Camellias The aristocrats of the early spring garden, camellias bring style and glamour at a time when it’s most unexpected. Shrugging off the winter cold, tough evergreen Camellia x…

There are some perennials that every garden should have, and pulmonarias are one of them. These resilient small plants have attractive foliage and produce bee-friendly flowers in a choice of pretty colours. Related to forget-me-nots (but more permanent) and comfrey (but less invasive), pulmonarias are tough, semi-evergreen, lowgrowing perennials that make slow-spreading clumps of usually silver-spotted foliage in shady spots. From late winter into early summer, they produce clusters of tiny bell-like flowers held in one-sided uncoiling heads. And bees love them. The flower colours range from rich blue (‘Blue Ensign’) to pastel pink (‘Dora Bielefeld’), bright red (‘Redstart’) to white (‘Sissinghurst White’). There’s even one with striped blooms (‘Barfield Pink’). The leaves make an attractive feature too – rough and raspy, they’re usually speckled with silver (‘Trevi Fountain’), occasionally…

Simply elegant Windowboxes don’t need to be crammed with a million different plants to look good. Restrict your planting for a clean, contemporary look. Here, shade-loving hellebores are set off by simple cyclamen in complementary colours, with small pine trees adding height at the back. We used Helleborus x hybridus x 2, Cyclamen coum x 8, dwarf pines x 3, trough 60cm wide Spring celebration Purple and yellow is a classic colour combination, making these cowslips and anemones perfect partners for a spring display on a shady windowsill. Welcome in the new gardening season with this cheery duo that provide flowers from March through to May. You can scale this combination up or down, depending on how large your windowbox is. We used Cowslips (Primula veris) x 7, Anemone blanda…

Deep shade Dappled shade Partial shade Beetroot Beetroot is tolerant of shade, but to get plants off to a strong start, sow seeds in modules in bright conditions, then transplant once they’re growing well. Sweet-tasting ‘Boltardy’ is a reliable variety, or try orange ‘Burpee’s Golden’. Sow March to July Harvest July to November Broad beans Hardy overwintering crops such as broad beans, which get off to a quick start in spring, can cope in dappled shade. Early maturing ‘Aquadulce Claudia’ is ready to pick a month earlier than other varieties. Sow October to November, February to March Harvest May to July Cabbages All brassicas are tolerant of shade, so as well as cabbages why not grow broccoli, spring greens and Brussels sprouts? Sow the seeds in spring for late-season cropping.…

Deep shade Dappled shade Partial shade Blackberries These are the best soft fruits for shade. Train the stems along a wall or fence, or grow a compact variety in a pot. You’ll get bigger, earlier fruits from cultivated varieties rather than wild plants. For easy picking, try thornless ‘Loch Ness’ or ‘Helen’. Plant November to March Harvest July to October Blackcurrants These plants are easy to grow and produce a heavy crop of glossy currants that are rich in vitamin C. Plants tolerate light shade and can be grown in the ground or in large pots. Prolific croppers include ‘Ben Connan’ and ‘Ben Hope’. Plant October to March Harvest June to August Cherries Acid cherries grow well when trained against north-facing walls and can also be planted in containers. ‘Morello’…

Cover bare soil with mulch Apply mulch to damp soil, ideally after steady rainfall, and it will help to hold the moisture in the soil. Never apply to dry soil. A 6-8cm layer is ideal – anything more is a waste of money and effort – and leave a gap of at least 5cm around plant stems to avoid rotting. Organic mulches, such as garden compost, are the most beneficial, adding small amounts of nutrients and lots of fibrous material, which is essential for good soil structure. This in turn attracts earthworms, which further improve the soil. Hold moisture in dry soil Dry soil often contains sand, which means it drains quickly, can dry out in summer, and lacks nutrients. On the plus side, it’s easy to dig at any…

Q Do any shade-tolerant flowers attract wildlife? A To help pollinating insects, aim to have flowers all year round, but avoid double blooms, which often have no nectar. Grow different flower shapes, so that insects of all types are catered for. To create a colourful spring carpet in shade, plant lots of white or pale pink wood anemones, such as Anemone nemorosa ‘Allenii’. In summer, let free-flowering hardy geraniums and astrantias, such as ‘Large White’, take over the baton. Q Can you suggest some low maintenance groundcover combinations? A An easy option is wood spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides robbiae), Symphytum ‘Hidcote Blue’ or sweet violets (Viola odorata). More exciting, but a little more effort too, would be a sea of glaucous-leaved Euphorbia myrsinites, punctuated with biennials and perennials such as biennial…