120 Popular Shade Garden Designs and Tips
11. Tree pruning can increase the light in a thick shade. However, it’s important that you don’t over prune.
12. Consider ground covers for a striking but low-maintenance look. Planting seedlings in not so straight line will form a beautiful carpet. Sedges and Perennial ferns are an acceptable choice for shady areas too. Moss is also good for your shade as it does not require high maintenance.
13. Instead of changing the soil, try matching plants with the present soil PH. The plants that thrive in acidic soil are Tiarella, Rhododendron, Clethra, lily of the valley and cinnamon fern. Virginia bluebells, white baneberry, wild ginger, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Kentucky lady’s slipper, and trillium thrive in neutral soil.
14. Mountain ash, birch, Japanese maple, honey locust, Asian dogwood and hawthorn can be used to make give a layered shade effect due to their small leaves.
15. Plant bulbs below deciduous trees as bulbs will blossom before the shady canopies mature. Bulbs such as grape hyacinths, winter aconite, crocuses, and daffodils are the best choice.
