Dry Shade Gardens

Garden Challenges – Dry Shade

One of the more challenging areas in which to garden is dry shade, especially if flowers are desired. Minimal sunlight and minimal water limit the number of plants that will thrive, and it can be difficult to provide interest and continuous bloom. All is not lost, there are a number of ways to have an interesting and beautiful shady space. 

Plant Selection

• Take advantage of flowering groundcovers and shrubs in addition to perennials to ensure flowers from Spring through Fall.

• Add interest through a variety of foliage – colors, textures and size. 

  • Evergreen with  dark green needles - Japanese Plum Yew and Microbiota and can be planted in dry shade as they are drought tolerant once established. 

  • Ferns - feathery foliage and movement with the lightest breeze.

  • Carex – grass-like, low growing foliage.

  • Hosta, lamium, and lamiastrum – variegated leaves that bring light into dark areas.

Bed preparation and Planting 

Time spent planning and prepping the planting area will pay off with healthy and beautiful dry shade garden:

• Use hardscaping to create pockets where soil depth can be built up and run-off slowed, so that rainfall has time to soak into the ground. 

• Care must be taken to not harm any existing  tree roots. Tuck small plants in between surface roots, many groundcovers have shallow roots and will do well. 

• Add compost and organic matter, both when planting and as mulch, to maximize the moisture retention potential of the soil.

• Start with smaller plants, they will settle in more quickly.

• Keep plants well-watered during the first year to help them get established, in subsequent seasons rainwater should be sufficient.

Sample Garden Plan – the plan below shows a 10’ x 25’ woodland border: