The Ultimate Guide to a Lush Summer Shade Garden
When landscaping your yard, sometimes the most challenging part is finding plants that will thrive in your specific lighting conditions. While most plants need sun to grow, a select number of plants thrive with minimal sunlight.
If you’re struggling to build a shady backyard oasis, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog, we will cover the key elements of low-light landscaping and list a few of our favorite shade garden plants for the summer landscape.
Key Elements of Shade Garden Design
Understanding Shade Levels
The most crucial element to consider when designing your shade garden is assessing the varying shade levels. Believe it or not, all shade is not the same. Knowing the difference helps you select plants that will thrive best on your property. Below are the different levels of shade.
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Light Shade: A few hours of morning sun or dappled light throughout the day
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Partial Shade: About 3–6 hours of sun, preferably morning
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Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sun; mostly indirect or filtered light
Playing With Texture and Color
Texture and color are the next vital elements to consider in designing your low-light outdoor space. Lack of sunlight doesn’t have to mean a lack of fun! To bring vibrance and interest to the shady corners of your yard, we recommend incorporating shade plants with bold colors and unique textures.
The Art of Layering
The final design element to consider when planning your shady oasis is the art of layering. For an aesthetically pleasing garden, you will want to layer tall trees and shrubs at the back of your garden, fill the mid-layer with mid-size shrubs, and incorporate shade-loving perennials and groundcovers into the bottom layer of your garden.
This tiered approach will ensure each plant gets the right amount of sunlight and all the plants can work cohesively to create a vibrant tapestry of natural beauty.
6 Must-Have Summer Shade Garden Plants
Now that you know the key elements of shade gardening, it’s time to select the plants! Below are just a few of our favorite summer shade garden plants.
Tamukeyama Japanese Maple
The Tamukeyama Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Tamukeyama’) is a striking, compact weeping maple prized for its finely dissected deep red to burgundy foliage, graceful form, and strong performance in shaded gardens, especially in summer.
The Tamukeyama prefers morning sun and afternoon shade or light, filtered sunlight throughout the day. This helps maintain the deep, rich color of the foliage and prevents leaf scorch. The tree can also survive in full shade, but the foliage color may not be as vibrant, and growth may be slower.
Endless Summer Hydrangea
For a summer full of endless pink and blue blooms, the Endless Summer Hydrangea is the way to go. The round mophead clusters of flowers are whimsical and eye-catching, and complemented beautifully by the plant’s bright green foliage. The color of the flowers on your plant is unique to your specific soil pH. The more acidic your soil, the bluer your blooms will be, whereas more alkaline soils produce more pink-tinted flowers.
Regarding sunlight, Endless Summer Hydrangeas grow best in partial shade. They thrive in morning sun and afternoon shade or dappled light throughout the day. This specific hydrangea can also grow in full shade but may produce few blooms and exhibit slower growth patterns.
Hosta Albomarginata
Hosta plants are a staple in any summer shade garden. Hosta 'Albomarginata' is a classic, reliable, shade-loving perennial known for its elegant green leaves with clean white edges. It’s a staple in many summer shade gardens because it’s beautiful, low-maintenance, and thrives where many other plants struggle.
The Albomarginata Hosta grows best in morning sun and afternoon shade or dappled light throughout the day. Hostas will also tolerate full shade, though they may grow more slowly and flower less.
Aquilegia Canadensis
For a touch of unique vibrance and playful beauty, plant Aquilegia canadensis in your summer shade garden. Also known as ‘Red Columbine,’ this North American Native produces iconic orange to red bell-shaped blooms with golden yellow centers.
Red Columbine enjoys morning sun and afternoon shade. Dappled light is also perfect for vibrant blooms and healthy growth. In cooler climates or areas with milder summers, this wildflower perennial can also handle full sun, but ensure the soil remains consistently moist.
Ostrich Fern
Next on our list of favorite summer shade plants is the Ostrich Fern. The Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) is a stunning, tall fern known for its graceful, feathery fronds that resemble ostrich plumes. It's a favorite for shade gardens due to its bold texture, vigorous growth, and ability to fill space elegantly.
The Ostrich Fern grows best in full shade in hotter climates (where it's protected from the intense sun). In partial shade, it can tolerate some dappled sunlight, but too much direct sun, especially in the afternoon, may lead to burnt fronds.
Autumn Fire Encore Azalea
To add passion and flair to the shady corners of your yard, look no further than the Autumn Fire Encore Azalea! Producing three seasons of deep red blooms, the Autumn Fire is such a stunning addition to any outdoor space.
The Autumn Fire Encore Azalea grows best in conditions of morning sun and afternoon shade. This is also a great option as an understory plant that receives filtered sunlight under the canopy of taller shade trees.
Start Building Your Shady Oasis Today!
With the right combination of shade-loving plants and thoughtful design elements, your summer shade garden can become a cool, colorful retreat bursting with texture and life.
Whether you're working with dappled woodland light or deep, full shade, there's a wide variety of plants that will not only survive but thrive in those conditions. So grab your shovel, pick your favorites from our list, and start transforming your shady spaces into a lush, serene oasis you’ll enjoy all summer long.