Plants for shade

Our shade tunnel is the place to head for a wide range of shade-tolerant plants.

Visit our Plants for Shade page to see the kind of plants you are likely to find inside it, including Ferns!
Many types of plants can succeed in areas of low-light, including many shrubs and perennials, as well as some grasses, climbers and seasonal plants.

Extract from 'Gardening for the Uncommitted: What you really need to know when you don't really want to know'

by Katie's Garden's own Catherine McMillan

'Seeing the light'

Now, aspect – where is your garden in relation to your house?

If it is south of the house then the estate agent would have been sure to mention this; the house will shelter the garden from cold northerly winds whilst blocking out very little sunlight.

West is next sunniest, then east, then north which will be coolest and shadiest of all (probably).

If your plot is hemmed in by buildings on all sides, this is all largely irrelevant. Carry on your way.
Most parts of your garden will be in shade for at least some of the day.

More than six hours in the middle of the day is considered full sun, less than two hours is deep shade.

There are many lovely spring-flowering plants that will grow in a woodland setting but that is because the trees have yet to regrow their leaves, so it isn’t actually very shady.

If your light is being blocked by a brick wall, those bluebells aren’t going to be so enthusiastic.

Please (please, seriously) accept that flowers don’t like deep shade: embrace the chance to create a peaceful, understated, leafy area (or get in a tree surgeon/demolition operative to address the source of the problem).