Made for SHADE

Add sizzle to a shaded area ith these sun-shy plants

- CHRIS MORLEY

Grades of shade

Unless you live on a wide, open prairie, it’s a good bet your garden has shaded areas, whether cast by buildings, boundaries or trees. There’s plenty of choice to perk up these dusky patches but first, check how much sun the area actually receives and when – three to six hours counts as partial or semi-shade, while less than two hours is heavy shade.

Happy in dappled light

Even light that’s filtered through a canopy of deciduous trees, or a pergola or trellis, is ideal for woodland flowers.

Early in the year, light levels are high, as tree leaves are yet to fully unfold. This gives spring-flowering bulbs time to shine – from cheerful yellow aconites to daffodils, bluebells to erythroniums.

Later on, herbaceous perennials, such as astrantia, love-lies-bleeding, solomon’s seal, corydalis and tiarella, come into flower.