It’s easy to love asunny gardenwhere colorful flowers grow in abundance, adding color to your landscape.

Daylilies, lavender, blanketflower,and irisesare just a few sun-loving favorites.

Plant Less Grass in Shade Gardens

Every lawn struggles if it doesn’t get enough light.

curved path through full shade garden

Credit: Lynn Karlin

Or give up the grass and useshade-loving groundcovers,such asheucheraandajuga.

Ashady retreatis the perfect place to enjoy a glass of lemonade on hot, sunny summer days.

Consider usingsalvaged landscaping materialsto create a personal garden retreat framework without investing a significant chunk of change.

shade garden with brick path

Credit: Kim Cornelison

An easy way to create texture combinations is by pairing leaves with opposite characteristics.

Here,golden meadow rueis a stunning contrast toanemone, purple-leaf coral bells, and big-leafumbrella plants.

Here, golden Japanese forest grass complements a hosta andgold-leaf ‘Chardonnay Pearls’ deutzia.

square planted shade garden in front yard

Credit: Emily Minton-Redfield Photography

A collection of silver spheres creates a focal point and adds light and charm to this garden.

The colorful orbs floating in thewater gardenoffer even more interest.

Or provide a whimsical touch with afairy gardenthat will delight visitors who find it by surprise.

shade garden with trees and path

Credit: Ann M. Wilson

To help you get started, try creatinga base map of your yard.

Here, various azaleas andrhododendronsprovide a big spring punch, and theirevergreen foliagekeeps the garden looking good in winter.

Employ Architectural Elements

Look for unique objects tofill your garden with interest.

deep full growth shade garden with mulched path

Credit: Andrew Drake

This landscape features a series of round millstones, old barrels as containers, and various paving materials.

They add a curated element, and the multiple sizes and heights are a great accent to the plants.

Choose Shade-Loving Annuals

Select annuals tocreate color in shady spots.

hakonechloa aureola and hosta and golden spirae

Credit: Tovah Martin

Annuals are a perfect addition to a shade garden, as they bloom all summer long.

Top varieties includeimpatiens,balsam,torenia,browallia, coleus, andiresine.

Mix and match the colors of your plants for a dynamic look.

hostas & companions garden

Credit: Andrew Drake

Create Interesting Plant Combinations

Sprinkle your shade garden with a fewstunning plant combinationsto act as focal points.

Includedeer-resistant shade plantslike pachysandra and columbine to keep critters from munching on your foliage.

Hostas usually have a coarse texture, so you might’t go wrong bymixing them with fine-textured plants.

sideyard featuring silver globes & hostas

Credit: Andrew Drake

Design Edging with Shade-Loving Plants

Edge your beds and borders withinteresting plants and materials.

Here,Japanese forest grassgives the border a stunning color and texture.

Look for rustic architectural elements like terra-cotta pots or other objects that reflect your personality.

mulched pathway through shade garden

Credit: Cynthia Van Hazinga

Adding curves to the border will make it feel organic and natural.

Plant in Large Numbers

Almost every throw in of plant looks better in large groupings than individually.

Here, drifts ofastilbeseem to explode out of a groundcover of goldensedumfor a colorful and sumptuous-looking landscape.

pink azalea in foreground of garden path

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

Planting en masse doesn’t necessarily mean growing only a single variety.

Here, several selections of astilbe combine for an eye-catching garden.

Smaller vines, such asclematis, are often happy to scramble up the trunk of small- to medium-sized trees.

waterfall over stones through trees and ferns to pond

Credit: Jay Wilde

Bigger vines are ideal for covering a wall orcreating a privacy screen.

Three of the best vines for shady spots areDutchman’s pipe,climbing hydrangea, andVirginia creeper.

Pay Attention to Shade Garden Shapes

Go beyond color and texture tomake your garden a showpiece.

shade garden with containers of dwarf greenstripe bamboo

Credit: Andrew Drake

Use plant shapes to draw the eye.

Mix Up Shapes in Hardscapes

Utilize other landscape features to give your yard eye-catching shapes.

Here, rectangular pavers set in ageometric patterncontrast with a fringe tree’s oval leaves.

white and pink impatiens

Credit: Alise O’Brien

Leaving space between the pavers for mulch or grass creates a more casual feel.

Go a step beyond this in your yard bymixing materials for a path.

Opt for Shade-Tolerant Trees

Create layers tokeep your garden interesting.

shade garden featuring red japanese maple

Credit: Andrew Drake

With the wide range of shade plants available, you could create a theme in almost any color.

You could also grow climbing vines on awnings, pergolas, or trellises.

Overall, shade tolerant plants need less water than plants that require full sun.

garden with decorative objects

Credit: Trish Maharam

ensure that you provide enough water to keep the soil in your shade gardens moist but not overly wet.

Yes, there are plenty of vegetables that will grow in partial shade.

This includes kale, carrots, potatoes, and lettuce.

garden with bridge over stream

Credit: Carole Ottesen

garden beds outlined by boxwood hedges

Credit: Linda Vater

pathway of rectangular pavers

Credit: Julie Sprott

garden with tree ferns

Credit: Lynn Karlin

potted plants on deck and steps

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul