One of the most common misconceptions I come across in gardening is that shade is somehow less good than sun, or that it is a problem to be solved. Not so. As a rule, shade adds both depth and quality to the range of plants you can grow, as well as aesthetic pleasure for the gardener.
Gardens would be immeasurably duller without plenty of shade. I love the plants that thrive in it as well as the way in which light moves to bring texture and depth to what would be a flat desert in unbroken sun. Almost all shade shifts and varies in intensity. Many leaves merely filter the light, casting a gentle, even delicate, shadow that improves not just the cultivation but also the appearance of many plants, and even the darkest of back yards can become a beautiful garden.
Embracing damp shade
There is a triangular section of our garden at Longmeadow that is surrounded on all sides by high hedges. We call it the Damp Garden but, in reality, it is only damper than the rest of the garden for a few weeks of the year when covered by flood water. This is because our garden is a raised plateau on the edge of some water meadows that have been flooded regularly for thousands of years. The river that floods them is the Arrow, which runs 50 yards from our back door, bringing rainwater down from the Welsh hills. For a few weeks every year, about a third of the garden returns to water meadow - and very beautiful it is too. I wish it happened more.
In reality, as a result of the 15ft hornbeam hedges sheltering the south and western sides, it is more of a 'shade' than 'damp' garden. While at any one time a good third of the garden is always in full sun, the key is that in summer all of it is in shade for at least half the time - and this seems to be the right balance for almost all 'shade-loving' plants.
Denne historien er fra August 2023-utgaven av BBC Gardeners World.
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Denne historien er fra August 2023-utgaven av BBC Gardeners World.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A new plot for tasty crops
Taking on a new allotment needn't be hard work. By simply following a few easy tips you can have bumper crops in no time, just like Alessandro Vitale
We love July
July is an island floating between the joy of June and the slightly fatigued month of August. It's a grown-up month: the year has shrugged off its adolescent exuberances, the weather is (hopefully) warm enough for ice cream to be one of your five a day, the sea should be swimmable without (too much) danger of hypothermia and thoughts will be of holiday shenanigans and family barbecues. School's out this month, the next tranche of glorious summer colour is washing across our borders and it's my birthday. Lots of reasons to give three rousing cheers for July!
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Now, at the height of summer, Frances Tophill shows how to boost your plants' health and productivity with a timely cut
Hassle-free harvests
Flowers are out in abundance this month and for Jack Wallington, many of these blooms make delicious, low-effort pickings
Bite-sized bounties
Glorious doorstep harvests can easily turn into gluts, so let Rukmini Iyer's recipes help you savour every last bit
Upcycled outdoor living
Create unique and stylish garden features for minimal cost using reclaimed materials and simple DIY skills. Helen Riches shares four step-by-step projects and more inspiring eco tips
Secrets of a COLOURFUL GARDEN
Buildings and landscapes can play a vital role in supercharging your space, as Nick Bailey demonstrates
Greening up a city balcony
Looking for sustainable, small-space gardening ideas? Take inspiration from Oliver Hymans' transformed balcony garden in north-east London - now a lush, green haven for humans and wildlife
The dry and mighty garden
As we adapt our gardens to a more volatile climate, Alan Titchmarsh reveals how to create a drought-tolerant plot and picks his top plant performers
Nature knows best
Carol Klein explains how to choose plants for specific growing conditions, based on what has naturally adapted to thrive there