Ligularia is a shade perennial with impressive leaves and golden summer flowers.

Injecting light into the shade garden, Lamium maculatum 'White Nancy' (Spotted Dead Nettle) is a semi-evergreen, mat-forming perennial noted for its foliage of heart-shaped, silvery-green leaves adorned with thin dark green margins. Small, hooded, white flowers open in attractive whorls at the end of the stems in late spring and bloom prolifically for about 10 weeks, then sporadically into fall. With a long bloom period and colorful foliage, Spotted Dead Nettle is an excellent groundcover for semi-shaded locations. Evergreen in mild winter climates.

A few combinations from around our garden this weekend, all with a little pink...

HGTV shares some of the best shrubs for shade gardens, including shade shrubs such as oakleaf hydrangeas, euonymus, viburnum and elderberries that will add color to your garden with their flowers and foliage.

Learn everything you need to know about planting, growing, dividing and buying Hostas with this Hosta care guide that has all kinds of tips.

So you want to have a beautiful yard filled with plants that will add character, but you have no sun because your entire yard is covered with trees? Do you have a back covered patio that’s in need of some refreshing and updating? Well, we at Garden Valley Farmers Market, have got you covered with o

If your border is short on sunlight, fill it up with this lush, shade-loving combo. Your garden will look fresh all season long.

Learn just how easy Hellebore care is with these tips on planting, fertilizing, and pruning Lenten Rose (as well as some great varieties)

Use this tough plants for dry shade guide to find the best plants for dry shade. These drought-tolerant perennials, ground covers, and shrubs are the plants that tolerate dry shade.

I think I struck a cord with my last post highlighting a small suburban shade garden. Obviously gardeners are hungry for planting suggestions for shade. In this…

Have a shady spot in your yard? You will love these stunning and inspiring shade gardens and find some fantastic plant suggestions for shady spaces.

It's often hard to know what to grow in a shady area. Here's a list of beautiful, shade-tolerant plants, including astilbe, hostas, anemone, aquilegia, epimedium, and trillium. Photographs & descriptions of these shade-loving plants.

Jamie DeWolf and her husband George reside in what was once the carriage house of a large estate. The trees on the property tower over the former carriage house. Many of these trees are part of the original forest and have never been cut. Into this very special woodland, Jamie has incorporated both native and shade-loving plants. A few years ago, I paid a visit Jamie's garden in early May. Then I made a return visit to see the garden in July. Gardens change constantly, and it was fascinating to witness the garden's transformation from spring to summer. Plants that were shyly emerging in May were at their glory in July. Most people focus on the backyard when creating a garden and put a boring lawn at the front of the house. I asked Jamie what inspired her to focus on the big front yard when creating her garden. "Because the space was so large, and there was so much shade (and deep shade to boot), I decided to enlist professional help and hired a landscape architect, Christopher Campbell. When he arrived with the plan for the front, I could see that it was 90% plants. I could have cried! It was so overwhelming, but after he explained that we "would never get the grass to grow," I understood. We then decided that it would be impossible to plant it all in one year, so we put together a multi-year plan that seemed much less daunting. I think we put in about 10-12 feet per year, "Jamie says. It's hard to miss the unique front gate. "The landscape architect designed it for us, and my husband built it. It has become pretty iconic in our neighbourhood to the point of having been on neighbourhood websites," says Jamie. Jamie's summer garden is lush and green. One of the big reasons is the soil. "We compost all summer and fall; garden debris, kitchen clippings and we make mulch from the maple leaves in the fall. Oak leaves take 5 years to break down so those go to the curb for city pick up. I put the compost down every fall—usually as late as early December/late November after all the leaves have fallen. The oaks, of course, are the last to fall", she tells me. Enriching the soil and creating the garden worked hand-in-hand right from the onset: "The first summer I had found a book that described how to make your own rich soil using the ‘lasagna’ method. We overturned the sods in the fall and layered newspaper and topsoil alternately. After they had sat all winter and early spring, we tilled it all up (only that first year) and planted. This method worked fairly well, although it was a lot of work. With successive plots, and as the garden got bigger, we brought in topsoil. I’m guessing in excess of 100 yards over the years." Jamie says the book Weedless Gardening by Lee Reich helped form the foundation for all her current gardening practices: • Minimizing soil disruption (preserving natural layering by not rototilling, etc.) • Protecting the soil surface (mulch) • Avoiding soil compaction (ergo the stepping stones) • Composting 1. Astrantia 2. Yew 3. Sedge, Carex 4. Hardy Geranium 5. Astilbe 6. Purple Flowering Raspberry, Rubus odoratus Purple Flowering Raspberry, Rubus odoratus is native of Eastern North America. It is a deciduous shrub with thornless, cane-like stems and purplish-magenta flowers. Cup-shaped, red fruits which are edible, but not particularly delicious, follow the rose-like flowers. Please note that this plant spreads fairly aggressively. Full sun to light shade. Average to moist soil, well-drained soil is best for this plant. Height: 3-6 feet, Spread: 6-12 feet. USDA zones: 3-8. False Hydrangea, Deinanthe is native to cool, moist regions of China. Large hydrangea-like leaves arise from woody rhizomes in the spring. In June or July clusters of nodding, cup-shaped blooms stand above the foliage. This plant likes moist, humus-rich soil. It needs full shade and protection from strong winds. Height: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches), Spread: 60-75 cm (24-30 inches). USDA zones: 5-7. The garden is almost twenty years old now. A lot can change over such a long period of time. "Originally I stuck pretty closely to the garden plan I was given, but about 10 years ago I visited Christopher Lloyd’s garden in England (Great Dixter) and was truly inspired. His style was more of a rambling cottage garden– at least that was the impression I had anyway– where plants are left alone to flourish. He also uses height to create interest. Turning a corner always yields a bit of the unexpected. Things were always fluid, but never stodgy. This garden turned everything I knew about garden design on its head. Truly inspirational," she says. "Initially I planted everything that was on the garden plan given to me, but as plants died, I would run out the next spring and replace them. At one point I moved away from the stock more ‘generic’ plants at places like Sheridan Nurseries and went to more exotic ones that were available from the more speciality nurseries such as Lost Horizons– although some survived, others failed." "After a few years, I realized there was no point in fighting Mother Nature and there was probably some sort of happy medium. My strategy now has been to see what has done well in certain areas and stick with a good thing. I have tended to favour more native woodland plants such as Solomon’s Seal, Sweet Woodruff, May Apples, ferns, sumac and that sort of thing." "I have recently discovered a nursery near Hamilton called Northland Nurseries that sells every pot for $5.99. There is such a huge selection there, I can now afford to replace things I really like. I can also venture out into newer plants that I haven’t tried before to see what will happen without any financial repercussions." 1. Canadian Ginger, Asarum canadense 2. Forest Pansy Redbud, Cercis canadensis 'Forest pansy' 3. Sedge, Carex 4. Sedge, Carex 5. Goat's Beard, Aruncus dioicus 6. Japanese Fern, Athyrium 7. Trillium 8. Astilbe 9. Ostrich Fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris. Jamie and I weren't one hundred percent certain on the identification of these two Carex, but here are two that look very similar: Sedge Grass, Carex elata Bowles Golden' (shown on the right) has yellowish-green foliage. It is semi-evergreen, moisture-loving grass that likes to find itself on the edge of a pond. It prefers full sun, unless afternoon shade is needed to keep it from drying out. Height: 45-60 cm (18-24 inches), Spread:60-90 cm (24-36 inches). USDA Zones 5-9. Variegated Japanese Sedge, Carex morrowii, Laiche japonaise 'Ice Dance' is a grass-like perennial that forms a low mound of tufted green leaves edged in white. It likes moist, rich soil and is evergreen in habit (in colder areas it may need to have any foliage scorched by cold trimmed off in the spring). Height: 20-30 cm (8-12 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches). USDA Zones: 5-9. By this point, you've looked through a number of pictures of the garden. How much work would a garden of this size entail? Jamie's answer might surprise you: "The bulk of the work comes in the fall with raking and composting, and in the spring with cleanup and mulching. Other than that, over the summer there is just light weeding and deadheading for the most part. Like any garden, every 5 or 6 years I will deconstruct a plot and really move things around." Japanese 'Ghost Fern' has that has upright, silvery-grey-green foliage. It forms a slowly spreading clump and likes soil that is rich in organic matter. The 'Ghost Fern' is more tolerant of soil dryness than other types of Japanese ferns, but it prefers soil that has medium to average moisture. Height: 90-120 cm (36-48 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches). USDA Zones: 4-9. Tatting Fern (on the left) and Christmas Fern (on the right) Tatting Fern, Athyrium filix-femina has long, narrow fronds that have rounded pinnae along their mid-ribs. This fern prefers moist soil. Full shade. Height: 15-30 cm (6-12 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches). USDA Zones: 3-9. Christmas Fern, Polystichum acrostichoides forms a low clump of dark-green leathery fronds. It also likes moist, rich soil. Part to full shade. Height: 30-60 cm (12-23 inches), Spread: 30-60 cm (12-23 inches). USDA Zones: 3-9. Goat's Beard, Aruncus dioicus has feathery white plumes mid-summer. The plant has green ferny foliage, which is quite attractive in its own right. Full sun or part shade. Height: 120-180 cm ( 47-70 inches), Spread: 90-150 cm (35-59 inches.) USDA Zones: 2-9. What impact does the garden have on the other aspects of daily life and how do Jamie and her husband use the garden? "Pretty well everyone I see when I am working out front calls out to say how they love walking by to see what is new or blooming. So the first thing the garden is used for is for our neighbours to enjoy." "We decided about 6 or 7 years ago to convert one of the beds into a sitting area that we could use to serve meals, and for entertaining, because although everybody else got to enjoy it, we never did! It is a lovely place to have a cocktail or even dinner for 4. My husband put a small light over the table that comes on along with the other garden lights. It is very magical at night." Silene 'Clifford Moor' is a nice variegated cultivar with green leaves flecked in cream. Small magenta-pink flowers appear in spring. Silene 'Clifford Moor' prefers sun to light shade. Normal, sandy and clay soil all work well for Silene. Height: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches), Spread: 38-45 cm (15-18 inches) USDA Zones: 5-11 Valerian, Valeriana officinalis Valerian, Valeriana officinalis is a clumping perennial with ferny, scented leaves, stems, flowers and roots. It is originally from Europe and western Asia, but has escaped gardens and has become naturalized in the northern U.S. and Canada. It is easily grown in average, well-drained soil. This is a potentially invasive perennial that freely self-seeds. Full sun to part shade. Height: 3-5ft, Spread: 2-4 ft. USDA zones: 4-7. Calycanthus 'Aphrodite' is a bush that Jamie pruned to be a standard. Sweetshrub, Calycanthus 'Aphrodite' has glossy, deer-resistant foliage and fragrant red flowers in summer. It likes moist, well-drained soil. Height: 1.2-1.8 m (4-6 feet), Spread: 1.8-2.4 m (6-8 feet). USDA Zones: 5-9. A glimpse of the back garden. The white Dogwood on the right is Cornus Chinensis and the pink one (on the left and seen below) is Cornus kousa ‘Satomi’. Flowering Dogwood, Cornus kousa ‘Satomi’ I always like to ask a gardener about what they've learned and any advice they might have to share. Here's what Jamie had to say: • Hire a professional! For starters, anyways to get you going. • Don’t be discouraged. Look for the beauty in textures, different leaf colours and shapes that you had not appreciated previously. • Go for a vibe of ‘cool’, ‘serene’, ‘ethereal/whimsical’ to achieve the most satisfying results. • Experiment! It is every bit as fun as the sun.

Have a shady spot in your yard? You will love these stunning and inspiring shade gardens and find some fantastic plant suggestions for shady spaces.

Every garden needs some big-ass leaves. Who couldn't use a little big-leaf eye candy to kick off the short work week? Tetrapanax 'Steroidal Giant' is

'Angel Wings' Variegated Solomon's Seal I was talking to someone in my town who had shade in their yard and deer problems...

Ligularia is a shade perennial with impressive leaves and golden summer flowers.

There are so many lovely perennials available, so don't bother with these 14 Plants Not To Grow In Your Garden, or other invasive or aggressive plants.

Discover the secrets of creating stunning color in your landscape. Learn how to use the color wheel to achieve perfect textural contrast.

How do you design a garden for two artists who have a highly attuned sense of the visual? When I met photographer Maria Robledo and artist Holton Rower, ab

Top 8 Native Shade Pollinator Plants for Maryland Piedmont region. At LGS we like to make lists and we’re also plant nerds so lists of our favorite plants are the best! Here are 8 of our FAV shade natives for pollinators. What are yours? 1.Coral Bells– Heuchera americana are a must have in any […]

This garden designer is a pro at plantings for shade. She did the heavy lifting so you don't have to. Find plants here for a colorful shade garden.

Shade, garden, Partial shade, dappled shade, dry shade, damp shade, full shade, plants for shade, holley designs, pulmonaria, geranium, tiarella

Tiarella (Foam Flowers) is a genus of charming, shade-loving foliage plants for the woodland gardens. Tiarellas produce sprays of small, attractive flowers on top of a short mound of green foliage.

Over the years I have come to think that shade gardens are often amongst the most soothing and relaxing of all outdoor spaces. Shade makes them cool on a hot day. Showy drifts of flowers are beautiful, but color can overload the senses. Green feels serene in contrast. The focus of a good shade garden is on more subtle and sophisticated assets like texture, shape and contrast. You literally have to slow down to be able to appreciate them. Today I'd like to introduce you to one such garden in Oakville, Ontario. The backyard was pretty much a blank canvas when the McAlindon's bought the property in 1984. Cynthia McAlindon explains, "My initial vision was a modest size garden which quickly changed as I became intrigued with plants in gardens belonging to friends and family. In some cases, I would snag seeds or cuttings and start numerous plants which I would eventually place in various areas. If I ended up with a good number of them, I would give some away to friends. In essence, my garden is ever changing. I've even been known to rearrange the garden into December!" "I planted three trees by the back fence which now shade the backyard. Hostas became my passion. I would seek out small nurseries where I would find hostas which were uncommon. I became enamoured with miniature hostas. There are so many colours, sizes and textures which I use to make a nature's quilt. In the shadier areas of the garden, I planted hostas that were primarily white which attract your eyes that way." The view from just inside the back gate. Cynthia inherited her love of gardening from family members. "I was surrounded by a family of gardeners from an early age. My maternal grandmother was a prolific flower gardener for indoors and out. My paternal grandmother, a very strict English woman, also had a flower garden that was beautiful and full of very fragrant flowers. It was my father who became enthralled with vegetable gardening." "My aunt had a dairy farm. She and my uncle grew tomatoes, beans, cucs, strawberries, corn and several other crops. She had a florist shop prior to the farm and surrounded herself with flowers. I spent years working on the farm which got me very interested in gardening and landscaping." Ostrich Fern As well as collecting hostas, Cynthia became a fan of other foliage plants– ferns among them, "Ferns have interested me forever. They also are my go-to for texture. I love Maidenhair, Tassel, Rabbit's foot, and Japanese painted ferns–just to name a few. Tassel ferns are my latest additions." Hart’s tongue, Asplenium scolopendrium has leathery, tongue-shaped bright green fronds. It likes moist, soil that is well-drained. Part-shade to full shade. Height: 30-45 cm (1-1.5 feet) Spread: 30-45 cm (1-1.5 feet) USDA Zone: 5-9. Tassel Fern, Polystichum polyblepharum is an evergreen fern native to Japan and South Korea. It has shiny, dark green fronds and grows in a vase-shaped clump. "Tassels" appear as the fronds emerge. This fern likes organically rich and consistently moist soil in part-shade to full shade. Plant the rhizome on an angle to prevent the crown from rotting. Height: 45-60 cm (18-24 inches) Spread: 45-60 cm (18-24 inches) USDA Zone: 5-8. Maidenhair Fern, Adiantum venustum Maidenhair fern, Adiantum venustum is a Himalayan native that has wiry black stems and triangular fronds that are apple-green in color. This fern performs best in humus-rich acidic soil. Evenly moist, well-drained soil is key. Slow to establish. Part-sade to shade. Height: 20-30 cm (8-12 inches), Spread: 50-60 cm (20-24 inches). Zone: 3-8. The contrasting foliage of a Japanese Maple, Hosta and Japanese Forrest Grass, Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' forms a low mound of arching foliage striped with buttery-yellow and green. Moist soil is essential. This clump-forming grass is slow to get established but is worth the wait. Part to full shade. Height: 30-65 cm (12-25 inches), Spread: 45-60 cm (18-23 inches). USDA Zones: 5-9. Hosta 'Guacamole' has avocado-green foliage with a darker green edge. The flowers are white. Part-shade to full shade. Height: 45-50 cm (18-20 inches), Spread: 60-70 cm (23-27 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9. From this vantage point, the pond is partly hidden by a cluster of perennials at the foot of a tall tree. The idea for a pond was Cynthia's but her husband can take credit for its installation: "Twenty-five years ago I told my husband I wanted a pond and he promptly went and dug one for me. I regularly stock it with fish and racoons regularly use it as their food source. Damn rodents!!!" Solomon's Seal, Polygonatum Japanese Iris in light shade. From very bare beginnings, the garden began to take shape over a number of years. "The back yard was flat, all grass with a Japanese maple planted tight to the house," Cynthia says."I had the tree moved close to the fence away from the house. That tree died after being attacked by a bug but several saplings grew from its keys. Those little trees now flourish in my back yard and several have been given to friends." "In the shade of the original tree, I planted numerous hostas and heucheras. Immediately I bought four Austin Roses and planted them by the house so they would benefit from the sun and the warmth the bricks soaked up. They loved it. I planted herbs there also. As the years went by, I added a variety of plants such as False Indigo, Echinacea, lilies–just to name a few." Plants here include Heuchera, Hosta, Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa) and Hellebores. Another key plant in the shady part of Cynthia's garden is Heuchera. "Heucheras are another great plant for shade gardens, "Cynthia notes."The colours that are available are outstanding. The leaf sizes range from large to extremely small. I am loving the purples with silver veining for more colour variety." Here are references to a few Heuchera that look very similar to the ones you see in Cynthia's garden: Heuchera 'Sashay' has dark green foliage with a rust colored underside. Part to full shade. Height: 20-25 cm (8-21 inches), Spread: 20-25 cm (8-21 inches). USDA zones: 4-9. A similar cultivar with green foliage and contrasting undersides: Heuchera 'Crimson Curls' Heuchera 'Cherry Cola' has reddish-brown leaves and cherry-red flowers in late spring/early summer. Full sun or part-shade. Height: 40-45 cm (16-18 in), Spread: 30-40 cm (12-16 in). USDA zones: 4-9. Alternate cultivars with dark foliage are: Heuchera 'Encore' Heuchera 'Ginger Peach', Heuchera 'Berry Marmalade' Heuchera 'Champagne' has peach and gold leaves with a matt finish. The flowers are light-peach on maroon colored stems. Part to full shade. Height: 25-30 cm (10-12 inches), Spread: 30-35 cm (12-14 inches). USDA zones: 4-9. Similar cultivars: Heuchera 'Peach Flambe', Heuchera 'Vienna' Heuchera 'Marmalade' has foliage ranging in color from umber to deep sienna. The underside of the leaves is a blend of orange and magenta. The flowers are reddish-brown. Part-shade. Height: 25-40 cm (10-16 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches). USDA zones: 4-9. Similar cultivars: Heuchera 'Amber Waves', Heuchera 'Autumn Leaves', Heuchera 'Kassandra' Without some height, the garden could have looked a bit understated against the backdrop of the tall fence. "One other thing I like to do is to try to get height into my garden. I have an iron urn that I change up every year. It's in the darkest section of the back garden. I'll fill it with smaller Hostas, Heucheras, variegated Ivy and Hellebores", Cynthia tells me. Hosta 'Cool as a Cucumber' has long tapered leaves with a cream centre streaked and edged with green. Lavender flowers in early summer. As with many hostas, slugs can be an issue. Part-shade. Height: 60-70 cm (23-27 inches), Spread: 112-120 cm (44-47 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9. Athyrium angustum forma rubellum 'Lady in Red' has burgundy stems and lacy green fronds. It likes moist, well-drained soil. Part-shade to full shade. Height: 60-90 cm (23-35 inches) Spread: 45-90 cm (18-35 inches) Zone: 3-9. Astrantia which can be seen both in the image above and to one side of the urn in the previous picture. A similar combination of plants to the one you see in Cynthia's garden: Japanese Painted Fern, Athyrium niponicum 'Burgundy Lace' (left) and Coral Bells, Heuchera 'Berry Marmalade'. Oakleaf hydrangea Oakleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia is a deciduous shrub that produces pyramidal panicles of white flowers in the summer. This isn't strictly speaking a "full shade" plant. They will, however, be quite happy in lightly dappled shade that still allows in sunlight. This type of hydrangea blooms on the previous year's growth (do not prune in the spring). Water regularly to maintain evenly moist soil. Height: 4-8 ft, Spread: 8ft. USDA zones: 5-9. So many novice gardeners find shade intimidating. I asked Cynthia for a few words of advice and encouragement: "Shade gardening isn't that difficult. Take chances! Not every plant will survive or work into your planting scheme, but it's enjoyable to experiment." "If you see shade gardens that intrigue you and give you pleasure, talk to the owner! Ask questions and note the names of plants! Ask nicely for seeds and, who knows, they may share cuttings or plant divisions. Gardeners love compliments and spending time with other gardeners. I love sharing knowledge and my plants. I have a neighbour who laughingly tells everyone 99 per cent of his garden is actually my plants." In among the plants, there is a wooden bird feeder and a birdbath. "Birds are a joy to observe and to listen to. They bring me joy all year long. There are a good number of hawks in the area so it's interesting to see the birds scatter into my trees", says Cynthia. "Along with the birds I regularly have racoons visiting the backyard. There are several chipmunks that are so tame they will take sunflower seeds from my hands. They're too cute. Squirrels aren't my favourite but there are a good number of them running around. On occasion, opossums scamper across my back fence. Nature is wonderful." We weren't quite sure of the identity of this hosta. Here's a reference to one that's similar: Hosta 'Afterglow' has heart-shaped, blue-green foliage with a chartreuse margin. The leaves of this sun tolerant hosta are moderately corrugated. The flowers are lavender. Height: 60 cm (24 inches), Spread: 121 cm (48 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9. A frog prince awaiting his princess. In a shade garden, plants have the disadvantage of low light. Amending the soil to make sure it is rich in organic matter can help compensate for this shortfall. "For years I would attend the free mulch giveaway the town has every spring and fall. I would fill garbage bags with the mulch, pack the bags into the back of my old Windstar and drive home with a very steamy van. I wanted the best nutrients for the garden", says Cynthia. Sedum is a perennial that is generally regarded as requiring "full sun" but it does surprisingly well in part-shade. Here Cynthia has paired it with a Heuchera with warm peach-colored foliage. Sedum 'Autumn Charm' has this terrific variegated foliage and salmon-colored flowers. Full sun and average garden soil. Height: 35-40 cm (14-16 inches), Spread: 45-60 cm (18-23 inches). USDA Zones: 3-9. Heuchera 'Sweet Tea' has deeply lobed foliage that changes with the seasons. Sprays of white flowers appear in the spring. Full sun to part shade. Height: 50-68 cm (20-27 inches), Spread: 45-60 cm (18-23 inches). USDA zones: 4-9. The bright pop of pink is a peony that is very special. "The prize of my garden is the heritage fern-leaf peony that belonged to my grandmother," Cynthia says. 1. Hakonechloa 2. Astrantia 3. Japanese Fern, Athyrium niponicum 4. Heuchera 5. Heuchera 6. Hakonechloa 7. Oakleaf Hydrangea 8. Hellebore 9. Heuchera 10. Daylily 11. Hosta A couple of notes on plantings: Cynthia has repeated certain key perennials (Heuchera and Hakonechloa) along the front of the garden. This repetition has a way of unifying the planting scheme into a cohesive whole. Most shade gardens will still have areas where the sunlight breaks through. Cynthia has taken advantage of the spots with part-shade to grow flowering perennials–a daylily, a tree peony, an Oakleaf hydrangea and an Astrantia are a few examples. "Using texture over color results in a garden that is extremely soothing and serene," Cynthia muses. "Friends regularly will comment on the calming effect my garden has and that is extremely pleasing to me." Cynthia has every right to be proud of her garden. It's beautiful in a quiet and sophisticated way. Without the high drama of a lot of flowers, nothing demands your attention. I think that is why green feels so restful–it is every bit as relaxing as soft music. Bookmark this post with a PIN.

Looking for shade plants that can make your not-so-sunny garden look great? These are some of the best!

If you follow me on Instagram you may remember the photo I shared of tiny basil clippings lined up on my windowsill back in April. I'm pleased to say that the propagating technique worked and my garden is now bursting with basil. If you love basil as much as I do, you are going to want to try this! 1. Start with a healthy basil plant from the grocery store or garden nursery. 2. Cut of sections of basil at the top of the plant, making sure to cut the center stem at the intersection of 3 stems. See example in photo below: 3. Place each basil cutting in a small glass jar filled with water. 4. Place jars in a sunny windowsill. Watch water levels and refill with fresh water every few days. 5. In a couple of weeks, small roots will appear! Continue to refill water in jars until roots are 1/2" to an 1" long. 6. Plant each cutting outside in your garden and watch it grow! If you don't have a garden, basil grows very well in containers. Plant a big pot with your cuttings and you'll be all set. Who knew that propagating basil would be so easy! I can't wait to enjoy countless capreses and lots of pesto this summer.

Learn which Hosta companion plants will look the best in your yard with lots of shade garden pictures to provide inspiration and ideas.

Jacob's ladder is a shade-loving perennial for Zones 3-8 that blooms in late spring to early summer. Learn how to grow these easycare flowers in your garden.

So you want to have a beautiful yard filled with plants that will add character, but you have no sun because your entire yard is covered with trees? Do you have a back covered patio that’s in need of some refreshing and updating? Well, we at Garden Valley Farmers Market, have got you covered with our seven favorite perennials that will absolutely THRIVE in the shade, and leave your house looking like a home for years to come…

Use this guide to find the best shade perennials for your garden, plus get care tips for helping these plants thrive in your landscape.

As I sat down to write this post, I tried to think of the perfect adjective to describe Joe and the word "gentleman" sprang to mind. ...

These shade loving shrubs will fill in the space under trees with beautiful flowers and interesting foliage to beautify those shady areas.

Lady’s Mantle, Alchemilla mollis: "Gentle Alchemy" Alchemilla mollis is ubiquitous in English cottage gardens for good reason. Lady's mantle is an unfussy,

Is there anything lovelier than a shade garden on a warm day? It's hard to beat!

Does your shade garden need a pick-me-up? Check out these two combos that will liven up any shady border with color and texture from spring to fall.

Throughout the garden, and especially along its outer perimeter, mature trees cast pockets of the Chen and Linda's magnificent garden called 'Garden Canadensis' into shade and part shade. What I think will surprise and delight you is just how vibrant shady areas in a garden can be. Here then are some of the many wonderful plant parings from Garden Canadensis for shade/part shade, with a brief explanation of why each combination works, as well as a bit of information on a key perennial in each grouping. Plant combination: Dicentra 'Stuart Boothman' and Hosta 'Dancing in the Rain' What's nice about this mix is the combination of fern-like foliage and the large, broad leaves of the hosta. Chen writes: "I like all Dicentras, the fern-like leaves and the dainty flowers, and would like to have all varieties if I can, eventually. Ideally, I try to plant them in the shade of some trees with enough sunlight for decent blooms, but not so much that their leaves deteriorate too quickly into summer." See more of Chen's collection of Dicentra including: Dicentra 'Stuart Boothman' which is pictured above and has pale pink flowers and greyish foliage. Dicentra 'Aurora' A good reliable creamy white dwarf Dicentra. Dicenta 'Bleeding Hearts' Chen writes, "This is probably the most showy Dicentra, although it is not vigorous in my garden. I have lost 2 trials mostly because of vole problems." Plant Combination: Brunnera 'Jack Frost' (left) with Heuchera 'Silver Scroll' (in the foreground) and Hosta 'Fire and Ice' (in the upper right). What's nice about this combination: Both the Brunnera and the Heuchera have silver foliage, but they couldn't be more different or more complimentary. The cream of the hosta's foliage adds that all important element of contrast. Plant Combination: On the right is Pulmonaria longifolia 'Diana Clare' and to the bottom left is a deciduous rhododendron: Rhododendron schlippenbach which the "rabbits like to chew on". Above them is a hosta with a lots of cream trough the centre of its dark green foliage. What's nice about this combination: I would particularly like to draw to your attention to the silvered-grey-green Pulmonaria. Chen notes that: "The quiet beauty of Pulmonarias is indispensable for the shady parts of my garden. The flowers may be early and brief, but their foliage is highly ornamental from early spring into late fall. In mid-summer they typically go through a decline, but this can easily be taken care of by removing their foliage. New foliage will emerge, and be ready, as the weather is cooling off. They appear to self-sow readily (but not wildly) in my garden. This presents a problem for keeping the named cultivars intact after a few years. I suspect that many Pulmonarias on the market are just derivative seedlings of some kind. For the same reason, many name cultivars are not that distinct from each other." Just a few of Chen's Pulmonarias that caught my eye are : Pulmonaria 'Diane Clare' shown above has pale blue flowers:"Its foliage is highly ornamental for the whole season. It is a very vigorous Pulmonaria." Pulmonaria 'Opal' which has white flowers. Chen describes this variety as a "must have". Pulmonaria 'Raspberry Splash' which is a vigourous plant with showy red flowers and is "one of the best Pulmonarias". Plant Combination: Chen tells me that the neat green mound at the front of this planting is Buxus microphylla 'Kingsville'. It is "probably the most dwarf form of boxwood, and is popular to use in bonsai." The large golden Heuchera in the centre of the picture is Heuchera 'Carmel'. In front of 'Carmel' is what Chen describes as a"very weak, but pretty" Heuchera 'Autumn Leaves' (with reddish foliage). In the lower left corner is Heuchera 'Christa'. Behind 'Caramel' and to the right with the purplish-green foliage is Heuchera 'Petite Pearl Fairy'. Peaking out from behind it is the green foliage of Heuchera 'Silver Scroll'. What is interesting about this planting is how multi-colored it is despite the shade conditions and minimal flowers. Planting Combination: On the top left is Hosta 'Sagae'. Below it is lime colored Hosta ' Blaze of Glory'. With tiny white flowers in the centre is Corydallis ochroleuca. Peaking out from the lower right is Heuchera 'Delta Dawn'. Bending over the whole group is a Japanese Maple Acer palmatum 'Peaches and Cream'. It may be primarily one color: green, but what makes this combination work is contrast. There are the cut leaves of the Japanese maple, the large leaves of the hosta and the small, dainty fern-like leaves of the Corydallis ochroleuca. Each green is distinct and mixed together they are actually quite colorful. An excerpt from Chen's notes on Corydallis: "This is a delicate and elegant class of perennials like their relative, Dicentra. The blue flowered varieties are particularly precious, but they are not the easiest to grow here. I like Corydallis enough that I tolerate some of them that tend to self-sow wildly, bordering on weedy. Fortunately, they are relatively easy to weed... Corydallis ochroleuca is an important filler plant for me; both for the foliage and the flowers...." Read more and see the Chen's collection of Corydallis here. Another beautiful Japanese Maple, Acer palmatum 'Shigitasu sawa' which Chen says is one of his favourite maples. When I was going through my pictures, I came across this planting and was surprised to see hostas and conifers grouped together. I had always thought that most conifers needed sun. So I asked Chen about it. "I would estimate that this part of the bed is at least in 50% shade, if not more. Those conifers are not afraid of shade at all, especially the Alberta Spruce (I have some in very dense shade). The blue conifer in the front and the bright green conifer behind it are the common Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Boulevard' and Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Gracilis' respectively. They can take full sun to a fair amount of shade.", Chen tells me. What's nice about this combination: I love the way Chen has echoed the bluish-green color of the Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Boulevard' with the frosty, blue-green Hosta 'Regal Splendor'. The lime colored hosta in foreground is Hosta 'Silk Kimono'. The maroon foliage of the Japanese Maple makes a perfect counterpoint to all the cool greens. I am embarrassed to admit that I used to think hostas were kind of boring! In truth, I just hadn't seen anyone use them quite so imaginatively. Plant combination: Hosta 'Sum and Substance' (upper right) and Hosta 'Smooth Sailing' (in the foreground) light up in contrast with the deep, dark plum leaves of Ligularia 'Britt Marie Crawford'. Not only is this color combination sublime, this mix of perennials offers an interesting variety of leaf shapes and sizes as well. Chen speaks highly of the contribution hostas make to any garden, particularly a northern one: "I would think hosta is an essential perennial for the northern garden...They add an element of large leaf texture that is not prevalent in northern vegetation (in comparison with tropical environments). Depending on the variety, hosta can take full sun to full shade, and are hardy and (practically) maintenance free (except for the HVX virus). Unfortunately, it is often relatively expensive for a fair sized specimen, and takes years to develop into a nice size clump...Although I am not a Hosta addict by any means, I do like to acquire a few each year since they are so useful, elegant and take care of themselves." Here is another combination that includes conifers in shade conditions. Chen tells me that this area, "... only sees sunlight very early in the morning, and for a very short time at noon, when the sun passes between the large conifer, and the cover of a forty plus year old crabapple tree. I would estimate that this part of the garden has 60% shade or more." Plant combination: The light green conifer in the back is Juniperus rigida. As well as several hosta, there is a Japanese maple on the left: Acer shirasawanum 'Jordan' and the lime colored maple on the right: Acer palmatum 'Purple Ghost'. In the foreground with tall red flower spikes is Rheum palmatum 'Atrosanguineum'. Why this combination works: Each and every plant contributes something new and appealing to the grouping. Every green is distinct and the deep maroon of the maple adds a nice punch of warm color. The mixture of scale and texture makes an area that is largely green anything, but boring. A few more examples from Chen's hosta collection. On the left is Hosta 'Gypsy Rose' and on the lower right is Hosta 'Orange Marmalade'. The lime colored hosta behind it is Hosta 'Ogon Amagi'. In the foreground of the righthand picture you can see a very unique hosta cultivar that has upright foliage. In the picture on the right you can see Chen's photograph of it in flower. This is Hosta 'Praying Hands'. Read more and see additional hosta pictures here. This paring is quite stunning don't you think? Plant Combination: The vivid chartreuse of Hosta 'Sun Power' practically glows in contrast with the deep maroon of the Japanese Maple, Acer palmatum 'Tamuke yama'. Up next will be perennials and plant combinations from 'Garden Canadensis' for sun.

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In my area, the garden tour season kicks off with the annual Canadian Cancer Society Tour in late May. Not only does the tour support a worthy cause, it is a wonderful opportunity to see local gardens in all their late spring splendour. Today I want to share with you a garden that was a standout on last year's tour. The lot runs wide to the road and so it was hard to get everything in a single shot. This is a view of the central portion of the front garden. In the beginning, Liz Maliki inherited a builder's beige front garden with a few rather nondescript planting beds and some basic hardscaping. What she really wanted was a garden with interesting sight lines, texture, color and a full four seasons of interest. To determine a new layout for her garden, Liz stood at the front of the house in the dead of winter, when there are less visual distractions from foliage and flowers, and devised her plan. The lot she had to work with was a wide rectangle that sloped gently down to the road. Though the plantings were initially unspectacular, Liz was lucky to have inherited some mature trees including some pines and a red maple. In her new design, Liz incorporated a sweeping series of curved flowerbeds, a fresh mix of plants, and new pathway leading to the entrance to the house. Let's take a look at this pretty garden over twenty years in the making and still evolving to this day: Everywhere you look there are beautiful combinations of color and texture. Even when there is little in bloom, this planting bed will still be colorful. Here we are looking at the same bed as in the previous shot, but this time from the opposite angle. The pink flower in the middle foreground is the Tree Peony in the next shot. Tree Peony A closer look at that mix of perennials and shrubs including hosta, blue and golden colored evergreens, a maroon colored Barberry bush, a golden colored Heuchera (to the left of the Barberry) and Zebra grass (middle foreground). Most of the planting beds can be viewed from both sides and a variety of perspectives. The plantings are not stepped in the traditional way: shorter perennials in front, intermediate and then taller perennials at the back. Instead, Liz has made a point of keeping sight lines visually appealing by varying plant heights like notes in a musical score. A few of the perennials in this bed are hightlighted below: a mix of Heuchera (top right), Hosta (left) the unexpected use of Chives (lower left) and a creamy yellow Tree Peony (lower right). Hostas aren't ordinary when you combine a bright, lime-colored cultivar, a deeply-ribbed, solid green one and bookend them with two variegated varieties. What I think Liz has created here is visual music. The busier variegation of the Euonymous is like the lively notes of a violin singing above the deep, mellow notes of a chello or base, which in this case, are the big-leafed hostas. This is the walkway leading to the front door. On the left, boxwood frames a flowerbed filled with Rhododendrons, Euonymus, a Korean Lilac (on the left edge of the picture). And this is a portion of the flowerbed on the opposite side of the front walkway. Two final pictures of the front walkway. That is a pink Weigela cascading down into the picture frame on the right. In this detail shot, Liz has planted a combination of Hosta, Heather (lower left) pink Azalea and a Spirea (lower right corner). In the next post, we will head into the back garden. More Information and Links: Here are all the details you need to know to attend this year's Canadian Cancer Society Tour. I am going to link this post with the Garden Party at Fishtailcottage and to Fertilizer Friday at Tootsie Time.