Five top tips - growing in shade

Being confident about growing in shade comes with knowing what will grow well. Once you know the type of shade you are dealing with and what will give you success, your confidence as a gardener will lift off. Taking time to familiarise yourself with your situation and then doing some research will save you time and money in the long run and bring new interest into your garden.

• Flo Headlam's five favourite plants for shade
• Types of garden shade
• Five tips for planting in shade
• Container plants for shade
• Wildlife-friendly plants for shade

Add organic matter

Whether dry or damp shade, adding organic matter is always of great benefit to your soil. Garden compost, well-rotted manure, peat-free compost – all are good soil improvers and your plants will love you for it. In the case of dry shade, the additional moisture is a massive win.

Water regularly

Plants growing in dry shade will need regular watering, especially when establishing, to support root development. This is particularly an issue when underplanting trees or mature shrubs where there is competition for nutrients and moisture. Mulching around the plants will also help retain moisture around the roots.

• Guide to garden mulches

Pick shade-tolerant flowers

Despite the shady conditions, it is still possible to grow plants for their flowers, such as hydrangeas and rhododendrons. Both are at home in woodland, slightly acidic habitats, and are equally happy in clay. They respond well in light/medium dry shade, bringing colour and joy with their flowers.

Use ground cover plants

Bare areas in a shady corner can benefit from ground cover. Not only will it help to suppress weeds, ground cover plants are also useful to fill in borders, create understory planting and add colour and texture. Pachysandra terminalis or Ajuga reptans ‘Black Scallop’ are excellent choices.

Consider what will thrive in shade

Some plants, although stated as sun loving, thrive better in shade. Mint, for example, I have discovered over the years prefers light shade. Best grown in a pot as it can become invasive, it requires daily watering during the growing season.