What is shade? Each garden book or catalog an individual chooses appears to apply its own terms and definitions. Here is my system with examples.
What is shade?
A short time ago, to contend with these perplexing circumstances, I adapted terminology and definitions from a wide variety of sources to construct my own shade vocabulary. I finished with five distinct types of shade - five shade microclimates. These microclimates segregate even further using moisture or soil types as secondary criteria.
Now, I can usually judge from a plant's description where it will grow well. Every so often, a new shade plant interests me enough to buy and test it. Sometimes, the description is on target; other times, I transplant until the new plant either dies or ends up in an agreeable location.
Here is my shade vocabulary with some plant examples:
- Full Sun: direct sunlight all day or during the sunniest and hottest part of the day (noon to 3pm). Most needle-leaf evergreens like Abies (fir) and Thuja(Arborvitae), Yucca filamentosa 'Bright Edge' or 'Color Guard', most of the sedums, and Verbascum spp. do well here.
- Light Shade: thin shade or filtered shade - area is in shadows for one-quarter of the day.
- Has two to three hours of the day when no light falls upon the plants; receives indirect, reflected (from light-colored sand, stones, building color) light for remainder of the day.
- Scattered pattern of light all the time through young or very open trees such as Gleditsia triacanthos inermis (Thornless Honey Locust).
- Betula pendula 'Filigree Lace' (Dwarf Cut-leaf Birch), Eucomis comosa 'Oakhurst' (Purple Pineapple Lily), Paeonia (Peony), violas, and many but not all Heuchera (Coral Bells or Alum-Root)do well here.
- Partial Shade: dappled shade, half shade, medium shade or semi-shade - area is in shadows for one-half of the day.
- There are four to five hours when no light falls upon the plants; receives indirect, reflected light for remainder of the day.
- dappled pattern of equal sun and shade all day through trees like Malus spp. (Crabapples) or Euonymus alatus (Burning Bush).
- Plants that do well here include Lonicera periclymenum 'Harlequin' (Variegated Honeysuckle), Persicaria varieties (Ornamental Knotweed), Kalmia spp. (Laurels) and many but not all Heuchera (Coral Bells or Alum-Root).
- Full Shade: shade and shadows all day.
- no direct sunlight;
- only indirect, reflected light.
- Small herbaceous perennials do well in this situation if there is moisture present.
- Ferns such as Arthyrium niponicum variety pictum (Japanese Painted-fern), Begonia spp.,Dicentra spp. (Bleeding Heart / Dutchman's Breeches) and Pulmonaria spp. (Lungwort)all do well here.
- Dense Shade: deep shade, heavy shade, and dark shadows all day.
- no direct sunlight.
- no indirect, reflected light.
- Few plants other than moss grow here.
When you stop to think about these microclimates, it is easy to see why certain plants are so popular. Taxus sp. (Japanese and English yew), Betula (Birch) and groups of plants like Heuchera varieties (Coral Bells / Alum Root) and Pulmonaria spp. and varieties (Lungworts) grow well in a variety of shade microclimates. It is only with new fancy introductions that experimenting with exacting shade microclimates is important.
Looking at catalogs and web sites help us to understand where plants grow well. Looking also helps the creative process. Descriptions and pictures of plants which tolerate a range of shade conditions may be found at:
- Terra Nova Nurseries is a breeding, selection and wholesale nurery whose site contains magnificent pictures and great ideas.
- Plant Delights Nursery is a mail order nursery specializing in hosta and unusual perennials. It is located in Raleigh, N.C. and runs open weekends as well as workshops throughout the season.
- Monrovia Nurseries is one of the world's largest wholesale growers of mostly woody container-grown plants. This site is chuck-full of information as well as good clear photographs of Monrovia's plants.
More about Shade in Landscapes can be found at:
©
Text and photograph by Georgene A. Bramlage, April 2006. Reproduction without permission prohibited.
