My first serious garden was mostly in the shade. I was living in a small cottage and convinced the landlord to let me “spruce things up” around the property to offset my monthly rent. At the time I was going to college and working part-time at a nursery. I got all the plants at a discount, so the arrangement worked out well. The property owner got a lovely garden, and I got to keep more money in my pocket for textbooks—or Dunkin’ Donuts coffees, if I’m being honest. The only “problem” was that the garden was in deep shade. At the time I considered low-light a boon to my efforts. I couldn’t plant vibrant peonies, or baptisias, or catmints—all of my favorites. Instead I ended up experimenting with new varieties of toadlilies and rodgersia, and learned the value of colorful foliage plants like ‘Aureola’ Japanese forest grass. I now know that this shady border was stunning—and it’s probably my favorite space I’ve ever planted.

My current garden, which is nearly 10 years old, is in full sun. I always thought that was the best condition for creating the best garden, but I’ve come to realize I was wrong. It’s harder to get plants established here because you need to be so diligent in your watering regimes (I am not). And although it’s not hard to find colorful-blooming plants for full sun, they are more apt to pass quickly or bleach out. Don’t even get me started on trying to find a plant with chartreuse foliage (my favorite) for full-sun that won’t burn. When I look at photos of Mary Gore’s garden in our latest issue, I long for the shade of my first garden. Mary’s space proves that shade can be as colorful as full sun, when you make the proper plant choices. My jaw dropped when I saw a peony (‘High Noon’ tree peony) in her shady beds!

The old adage that the grass is always greener on the other side is true. When I had shade, I wanted sun and vice versa. But I’m fairly certain that my grass (and all my other plants) would in fact be greener if I had just a bit more shade.

More About Shade

How to Design a Colorful Shade Garden

How to Design a Colorful Shade Garden – Plant IDs

Regional Picks: Shrubs for Shade

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Buffalo-Style Gardens: Create a Quirky, One-of-a-Kind Private Garden with Eye-Catching Designs

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Buffalo-Style Gardens is a one-of-a-kind, offbeat garden design book that showcases the wildly inventive gardens and gardeners of Buffalo – and offers readers "the best of the best” ideas to use in their own small-space gardens.

Buy at Amazon

Bee Watering Station with Vivid Flower Design

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Thoughtful Combo: You will receive a bee feeder and 30 glass marbles. This thoughtful combo can provide clean water for the bees, you just need to put the marbles into the bee watering station, add water (note: the water level should not exceed the height of the marbles) and hang them in the right place. The round, colored marbles can provide a place for the bees to stand and prevent them from falling into the water, effectively keeping the bees safe. Fine Material: This exquisite bee bath is made of high quality iron material, smooth surface, rust and weather resistant, not easy to fade, sturdy and reliable. Bee cups for garden can well meet the drinking water needs of lovely bees, and it can also provide food for bees, such as sugar water, nectar, etc., attracting more bees to your outdoor area and making your garden full of vitality. Perfect Size: The butterfly watering station has an overall height of 13.4 inches, a bowl diameter of 9.4 inches, and a weight of 0.44 pounds. The bee cup serves the needs of the bees well without plunging them into dangerously deep water or taking up unnecessary space in your garden, and this compact and efficient design makes it a practical addition to any outdoor space. Elegant Design: Our bee watering cups are designed in unique flower shapes with vibrant and realistic colours to attract lovely bees to your garden and patio, bee feeders for outside are not only functional but can also be used as a landscaping element, their vibrant floral patterns enhance the beauty of your garden. Multicolored Decoration: Colorful bee water stations look like flowers in a garden, flower bed or pot and attract bees and butterflies. They can drink or bathe in bee feeders, which are highly decorative and practical.

Buy at Amazon

A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point - no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.

Buy at Amazon