17 Shade Garden Design Layout Ideas

Shade garden design layout ideas that will help you create a shade garden of your own in your backyard to enjoy all summer long!

You don’t have to have full sun in your backyard to have a beautiful garden. In fact, some of the most beautiful gardens are in the shade.

Shade gardens can be so beautiful and restful and they are the perfect place to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning or a glass of wine at the end of the day.

So, today we are going to take a look at some shade garden design layout ideas to help you create a shade garden of your own in your backyard.

1. Plant a tree.

If you have the space, planting a tree is a great way to create a focal point and help define your garden.

Trees are also a great way to add interest and height to a garden that may be lacking.

If you have a large tree already, adding a shade garden under it is a great way to utilize the space and add interest.

2. Don’t forget the water.

Many shade-loving plants, like ferns and hostas, are native to areas with high humidity.

So even if you live in a climate with high humidity, your garden may need some extra water.

In general, most plants need about 1 inch of water per week. If your plants are in a low spot, they may need even more.

You can use a rain gauge to measure how much water your garden is getting and then supplement with a soaker hose or a sprinkler.

It’s also a good idea to water your garden in the early morning.

This gives the plants plenty of time to dry off before the sun goes down, which can help prevent diseases.

3. Mix and match.

If you’re new to gardening or just a bit overwhelmed by the process, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut with your plant choices. We’ve all been there!

But one of the best things about gardening in the shade is the opportunity to mix and match different plant types.

Have fun with your design and combine different flowers, shrubs, and even trees to create a layered look.

Not only will you get to enjoy a variety of blooms and colors throughout the season, but you’ll also be creating a more complex, diverse ecosystem.

If you have the space, try incorporating plants of different heights and growth habits, too.

This will make your garden feel more like a natural woodland and less like a traditional flower bed.

4. Create a secret garden.

If you have the space, consider creating a secret garden.

This is a private, quiet area that’s usually enclosed by a fence or hedge, and it feels like a separate room.

You can add a gate or archway to mark the entrance, and then fill the space with your favorite shade-loving plants.

This is a great way to add a sense of mystery and enchantment to your garden.

5. Use containers.

If you have a lot of shade, but you still want to grow sun-loving plants, you can grow them in containers and move them around the garden to follow the sun.

This also allows you to easily change up the layout and design of your garden by moving the containers to different locations.

You can also change the plants in the containers to create a different look.

Be sure to use large containers to help keep the soil temperature more consistent. Smaller containers can heat up quickly in the sun.

6. Add a pop of color.

If you want to add a pop of color to your shade garden, you can do so with just a few plants.

There are many plants that will thrive in the shade, but you can also use potted plants and flowers to add color to your garden.

In this garden, the red flowers in the hanging pots and the red accents on the bench and pillows add a pop of color to the otherwise green and white space.

7. Grow a living wall.

If you have a small garden and want to create a sense of privacy, consider growing a living wall.

This is a great way to create a green backdrop for a garden seating area and is a particularly good idea for a city garden where space is at a premium.

You can grow a living wall using a variety of different plants, but for a shady garden, you’ll want to choose shade-loving plants.

Ferns and hostas are both great options for a shade-loving living wall.

You can also add in some climbing vines or even some shade-loving annuals to add some variety to your living wall.

8. Keep it low-maintenance.

Between the lack of light and the natural mulch that covers the ground in the woods, the plants in this shade garden require almost no maintenance.

“Shade gardens are typically less work than sunny gardens because you don’t have to water as much,

you don’t have to weed as much, and you don’t have to deadhead flowers,” says Sullivan.

Pro tip: If you’re starting a shade garden from scratch, Sullivan suggests planting in the spring so the plants have a whole season to get established before the next summer.

9. Add a walkway.

A walkway can be a great way to break up the space and create a sense of direction in a garden.

Walkways can be made of many materials, such as gravel, stepping stones, wood chips, or mulch.

Consider the style of your garden and the materials you are using in other areas to choose the right material for your walkway.

For example, if you have a formal garden, you may want to use a walkway made of pavers, while a more informal garden may look best with a gravel walkway.

10. Don’t be afraid to go big.

Just because you’re working with a smaller space doesn’t mean you have to stick to small plants.

“I always like to incorporate some larger plants to add structure and height to the garden,” says Zajac.

“If you’re working with a small space, you can use a larger plant as a focal point and then work around it with smaller plants.”

In this garden, Zajac used a large Japanese maple as the focal point and then added some smaller perennials around it.

“I used a lot of different textures and colors to create a overall cohesive look,” she says.

Conclusion

The last thing you want to do is spend a lot of time and money on a garden, only to find that you’re not going to be able to see it!

Look at your garden design in the morning, afternoon and evening, so you know where the sun is and how it’s going to affect your plants.

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