Skip to content

Top Navigation

Better Homes & Gardens
Better Homes & Gardens
  • Gardening
  • Home Improvement Ideas
  • Cleaning and Organizing
  • Recipes and Cooking
  • Decorating
  • Holidays
  • Rooms
  • News
  • Beauty & Style

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • BH&G Books this link opens in a new tab
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • BH&G Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin

Explore Better Homes & Gardens

Better Homes & Gardens
Better Homes & Gardens
  • Explore

    Explore

    • The Only Weed Identification Guide You'll Ever Need: 33 Common Weedy Plants to Watch For

      The Only Weed Identification Guide You'll Ever Need: 33 Common Weedy Plants to Watch For

      Don't let these pesky plants crash your garden party! The first step is to know your enemy. Then you'll know the best way to deal with your weed problem. Read More
    • 6 Small Steps You Can Take Today to Get Organized for Good

      6 Small Steps You Can Take Today to Get Organized for Good

      A professional organizer offers advice on how to tidy up your home without feeling overwhelmed. Read More
    • 5 Anti-Inflammatory Ingredients to Add to Your Smoothie for a Healthy Boost

      5 Anti-Inflammatory Ingredients to Add to Your Smoothie for a Healthy Boost

      Anti-inflammatory smoothies do exist! Instead of blending in boatloads of sugar and artificial ingredients, try these smoothies for inflammation that are stoked with ingredients that may help lower your risk for chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease, depression, and more. Read More
  • Gardening

    Gardening

    See All Gardening
    4 DIY Seed-Starting Pots You Can Make With Items You Already Have

    4 DIY Seed-Starting Pots You Can Make With Items You Already Have

    Upcycle old newspapers, junk mail, and other waste paper to make these easy, eco-friendly containers you can use to sprout new plants for your garden.
    • Flowers
    • Houseplants
    • Plant Encyclopedia
    • Garden Pests
    • Trees, Shrubs & Vines
    • Caring for Your Yard
    • Edible Gardening
    • Garden Design
    • Gardening By Region
    • Landscaping
  • Home Improvement Ideas

    Home Improvement Ideas

    See All Home Improvement Ideas
    What Style Is Your House? The 10 Most Popular House Styles Explained

    What Style Is Your House? The 10 Most Popular House Styles Explained

    With so many types of house styles, narrowing the list down to your favorite can be overwhelming. We'll show you the top 10 most popular house styles, including Cape Cod, country French, Colonial, Victorian, Tudor, Craftsman, cottage, Mediterranean, ranch, and contemporary. Here's how to tell the differences between each architectural style.
    • Home Exteriors
    • DIY Home Electrical Tips & Guides
    • Outdoor Structures
    • Home Remodeling
    • Plumbing Installations & Repairs
    • Remodeling Advice & Planning
    • Flooring
    • Lighting
    • Decks
    • Porches
  • Cleaning and Organizing

    Cleaning and Organizing

    See All Cleaning and Organizing
    A Whole-House Cleaning Schedule You'll Actually Stick To

    A Whole-House Cleaning Schedule You'll Actually Stick To

    Cleaning your home doesn't have to be a daunting, time-consuming chore. The key to managing household duties quickly and efficiently is to design an easy-to-follow routine that includes all the most important tasks. Follow these step-by-step instructions for creating a customized whole-home cleaning schedule.
    • House Cleaning
    • Laundry & Linens
    • Cleaning Tips
    • Closet Organization
    • Organization Tips
    • Kitchen Storage Organization
  • Recipes and Cooking

    Recipes and Cooking

    See All Recipes and Cooking
    21 Essential Baking Tools Every Home Cook Needs (Plus 16 That Are Nice to Have)

    21 Essential Baking Tools Every Home Cook Needs (Plus 16 That Are Nice to Have)

    If you're a beginner baker who's just starting out (or a master chef looking to declutter), start with this list of baking tool must-haves. We'll help you set up a baking essentials kit for beginners with 21 pastry tools. For those who already own these handy tools, this list may finally provide the motivation you need to toss that never-been-used soufflé dish. Building your essential baking tools and equipment inventory starts here.
    • How to Cook
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Desserts & Baking
    • Fish Recipes
    • Beef Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
    • Lunch
    • Dinner Recipes & Meal Ideas
    • Ethnic Food
  • Decorating

    Decorating

    See All Decorating
    7 Interior Design Trends Everyone Will Be Trying in 2021, According to Experts

    7 Interior Design Trends Everyone Will Be Trying in 2021, According to Experts

    Designers weigh in on the most popular decorating styles, colors, and materials you can look forward to in the coming year.
    • Choosing Color
    • Expert Decorating Advice
    • Fireplace Design Ideas
    • Do It Yourself Magazine
    • Window Treatments
    • Styles & Decor
    • Interior Painting
    • Home Makeovers
    • Small-Space Decorating
    • Traditional Home
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    See All Holidays
    International Women's Day: The Powerful Story Behind This 111-Year-Old Tradition

    International Women's Day: The Powerful Story Behind This 111-Year-Old Tradition

    What began as a small movement, has grown into a global holiday dedicated to celebrating the strong women in our communities.
    • Valentine's Day
    • Mother's Day
    • Easter
    • Father's Day
    • Fourth of July/Memorial Day
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • New Year's
    • Juneteenth
    • Hanukkah
  • Rooms

    Rooms

    See All Rooms
    Living Room Furniture Arrangement Ideas

    Living Room Furniture Arrangement Ideas

    Get tips for arranging living room furniture in a way that creates a comfortable and welcoming environment and makes the most of your space.
    • Bedroom Decorating and Design Ideas
    • Bathroom Decorating and Design Ideas
    • Kitchen Decorating and Design Ideas
    • Living Room Decorating and Design
    • Dining Room
    • Home Office
    • Kid's Rooms
    • Baby Nursery
  • News
  • Beauty & Style

    Beauty & Style

    See All Beauty & Style
    Here's Exactly How to Find Your Perfect Nude Nail Color

    Here's Exactly How to Find Your Perfect Nude Nail Color

    Truth be told, there's no such thing as a universal nude.
    • Anti-Aging
    • Hair
    • Skin Care
    • Makeup
    • Style
    • Nails

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • BH&G Books this link opens in a new tab
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • BH&G Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. BHG.com
  2. Gardening
  3. Landscaping
  4. Landscape Basics
  5. Shade Garden Ideas

Shade Garden Ideas

Viveka Neveln Headshot
By Viveka Neveln June 09, 2015
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin FB
Shade Garden
Get landscaping ideas for areas of your yard that don't see full sun.
Start Slideshow

1 of 11

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Add a Bridge

backyard landscaping slope

A waterway with a stone bridge adds visual interest while keeping moisture levels under control. A wide variety of foliage and textures keep the area visually interesting despite a lack of flowering plants. Large pots provide further visual interest and pops of color.

1 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 11

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Plant a Wooded Wonderland

Shade Garden

Just a few plants provide enough visual contrast for a heavily shaded space.

The shape of a path can speed or slow people through a landscape. Here, gentle curves wind their way through a shady space, prompting visitors to stop and admire the plants.

Placed at a curve in the path, a large boulder acts as both an element of visual interest and a respite area.

The geometric layout of the path's pavers stands in contrast to the soft lines of the flowerbeds.

Relying on shades of yellow-green and white, the foliage of the plants, such as lady ferns, sweet woodruff, Brunnera, and Lenten rose, provide primary visual interest.

2 of 11

3 of 11

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

By Stream and Stairs

Shade Garden

A slim water feature and rhythmic plantings provide a peaceful, shaded setting.

Stairs placed close to the water curve gently down the shaded slope, creating an interesting landscape shape.

A stepped-down stream appears natural as it trickles over large stones and plants grow closely at its edges.

Variegated hostas offer visual relief from the mostly deep green tones of the landscape.

The expansive garden relies on large swaths of just a few densely spaced plants.

Golden foliage is a perfect focal point for shade. Here a golden carex and series of 'Gold Bullion' hosta practically shine.

3 of 11

Advertisement

4 of 11

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Creative Curves

Shade Garden

A few varietals of a single plant provide the basis for this shade garden.

A variegated 'Wolf Eyes' dogwood plays up the garden's white-and-light-green color scheme and offers a vertical interest point.

Proving that a single plant needn't equal garden boredom, various hostas provide a pleasant mix of leaf size and color composition.

A neat path of spaced-out flagstone pavers gently guides visitors through the garden. The chunky flagstones contrast the rounded hosta foliage.

A tidy application of mulch retains water, inhibits weed growth, and helps the hostas pop.

A patch of shade-tolerant grass undulates around the edges of the hostas, providing some visual relief.

4 of 11

5 of 11

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Path Less Traveled

Shade Garden

Vigorous shade lovers fill in the nooks around full-size trees.

Tree branches provide a casual edging between garden plants and path.

Nearly hidden from view, a rustic wood bench offers a restful slice under the tree canopy.

Bright pink and red impatiens -- which love shady environs -- pop against the mostly green and white plants.

Intermittent plantings of caladium picks up on the bright visual blooms of the impatiens.

5 of 11

6 of 11

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Gather at the Gazebo

Shade Garden

A wood structure offers a restful spot at the center of a shade garden.

Garden ornaments, such as a metal globe/sundial, are playful accents to the plants.

An open-air gazebo at the top of a gentle slope hosts a table and seats.

Draw birds and butterflies with extras, such as a ground-level birdbath.

Placed at the entrance to the gazebo, a large urn supports an abundant growth of bright red begonias.

Deep pink astilbes positioned along the path provide bright pops of color and draw the eye up to the gazebo.

6 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 11

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Simple and Shaded

Shade Garden

Skip a complex plant selection for a few plants that cope well with lack of sun.

The size and shape of stairs through a landscape directs the mood of the garden. Here, deep and wide stones gracefully rise up the shaded, woody slope.

Fill a landscape border with plants. Here sweet woodruff clusters around the edges of the stairs.

Look to nature to provide easy-care plant inspiration, such as these ferns, which love the dappled light and wet feet of the wooded landscape.

Dainty plants often offer unexpected shade blooms, such as purple Japanese primroses.

Hostas love the low light of a shade garden, and will reward with vigorous growth.

7 of 11

8 of 11

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Pretty Pair

Shade Garden

Sited at the crest of a shaded hill, two chairs create a nook in which to enjoy the shade garden.

Outdoor furniture is an intrinsic element in a garden landscape. Graceful metal garden chairs, perched at the rise of a gentle slope, present a relaxing spot to enjoy the garden.

Springtime annuals, including yellow pansies, provide late-fall and then early-spring color.

Midheight shrubs, such as rhododendrons, work wonders in a shaded landscape to supply structure year-round.

Typically reserved for porches, hanging baskets such as the one above the two chairs can be used to create garden vignettes elsewhere.

Without being too densely planted, the shade lovers in this garden dot the landscape with both color and foliage interest.

8 of 11

9 of 11

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Around the Bend

Shade Garden

A few hardscape elements dress up a heavily shaded walk that connects a front yard to a backyard.

Large, irregularly spaced pavers repeat the gentle curve of the flowerbed and fence.

A whimsical garden sculpture holds an overflowing basket of trailing plants.

An archway marks the end of the path, providing a cue that there's more to explore.

Lamiastrum grown as a groundcover is a fun substitution for traditional mulch.

Repeated plants -- here, shade-loving ferns -- offer visual consistency.

9 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 11

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Fashion a Focal Point

Shade Garden

A path undulates through the abundant forested undergrowth.

A graceful walkway that grows wider and narrower lends the landscape a casual feel.

Trimmed of lower branches, a tall spruce shields the sun but doesn't block sauntering underneath.

Skip the plastic edging for a more distinctive material. Here, irregularly stacked 2x2s offer both visual and vertical interest.

At the back of a shade area, large-scale plants, such as these interesting Dexter's Purple and Taj Mahal rhododendrons, can provide a statement for the garden in both color and design.

Instead of repeating the same plants, this garden groups larger single swaths of shady standbys, such as hostas, bleeding heart, dianthus, white alyssum, and viola.

10 of 11

11 of 11

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Charming Canopy

Shade Garden

A surprising stretch of green grass combines with flagstones for an irresistible shade garden.

Vary plant spacing so some are close together and others have more breathing room. It allows visual resting spots for the eye.

Decorative metal spikes informally delineate twists and turns in a winding path.

Suspended from a tree, a metal planter holds a burst of delicate blooms from Diamond Frost euphorbia.

Two paths -- one made of widely spaced pavers, the other a mowed grassy walkway -- intersect but don't intertwine.

Under the cover of overhead trees, woodland shrubs such as spirea and shade-tolerant variegated hostas welcome dappled sun.

11 of 11

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Viveka Neveln

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 11 Add a Bridge
    2 of 11 Plant a Wooded Wonderland
    3 of 11 By Stream and Stairs
    4 of 11 Creative Curves
    5 of 11 The Path Less Traveled
    6 of 11 Gather at the Gazebo
    7 of 11 Simple and Shaded
    8 of 11 Pretty Pair
    9 of 11 Around the Bend
    10 of 11 Fashion a Focal Point
    11 of 11 Charming Canopy

    Share & More

    Tweet Email Send Text Message
    • Better Homes & Gardens BHG Logo Products at Walmart
    • Better Homes & Gardens BHG Real Estate Real Estate Services
    Better Homes & Gardens

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Books from Better Homes & Gardens
    • Help
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithBH&G is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Better Homes & Gardens. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.bhg.com

    Sign in

    View image

    Shade Garden Ideas
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.