Gardening In The Shade - Learn What Works Best When Dealing With Shaded Property

When it comes to successful gardening, you are the creator of your design, the master of your art. And it is up to you to determine the best plants which are compatible to your property's layout, which will appeal to your sense of beauty. One of the first items on your checklist should be to qualify which plants are best planted in contrast to the shady areas of your garden.

If you are confused about what "levels" of shade you should be looking at to get a better idea, below are the three general differences:

1. Some areas may have shade that is considered “light”. If your property is light shaded then you probably have only a few trees that are lightly branched which allows your garden to receive 75% sunlight or more throughout the day.

2. The next level is considered “medium” shade. Some landscape grounds are surrounded by tall structures which may block the sunlight for the better part of the day. This type of shaded area may seem almost gloomy due to the deep shade that covers the area, which at the medium level is at least 50% or more of the day.

3. The darkest level of shade, but that still permits some sunlight, would be considered “dense” shade. Densely shaded areas have very little sunlight, less than 25% of the day. If your landscape is similar to this description and considered to be covered in dense shade, then chances are that you are probably surrounded by very tall buildings and fences, and possibly covered by canopy structures.

Which shade level is best to work with when cultivating perennials?

There is no "better" when it comes to the right shade for your needs. However, if you are concerned about cultivating a garden on your property that is considered to be densely shaded as described above, your best bet is to create a dynamic mulch design which is pleasing to the eye. You could even have a wooden deck built to enhance both the atmosphere and the look of your yard.

Medium shade gardens have a lot more options to work with in terms of choosing the right flowers which can thrive in this condition, such as woodland plants. But of course, it's best to have the opportunity to work with limited shaded garden areas that have mostly sunlight available. This gives you the best of both worlds. Your garden will have just enough shade to protect those plants which need it from burning, and the perfect amount of sunlight to satisfy all of your flower's needs.