Dappled light shines through a tree canopy at these townhouse entrances.

Budded tulips are about to bloom in early April.

A small patio with cafe table surrounded by a shade garden.

Polygonum 'Darjeeling Red' blooms in a part-shade garden.

Solomon's Seal is a shade-tolerant woodland native plant.

Hostas and ferns are good companion plants for the shade garden.

The perennial bulb, Scilla heralds the arrival of spring.

In a shady garden, as in a sunny garden, the effect created by the interesting or unusual combinations of flowers, foliage, fruits and bark forms a lasting impression. Shade gardens are complex, diverse plantings ranging from tiny groundcovers that form a living carpet on the garden floor to the towering trees that form the canopy or upper story of the garden. Bulbs, perennials and evergreen and deciduous shrubs are the “workhorses” of the mid-layer of the garden.

When you can thoughtfully and artfully weave all these elements together, the shade garden conveys a sense of lushness and abundance – a oneness with nature. A colorful carpet of trout lilies, phlox, bluebells and bleeding hearts heralds the arrival of spring. A planting of lime-green fronds of the hay-scented or cinnamon ferns becomes illuminated in the glow of a sunset.

A shade garden is both an opportunity and a challenge. Homeowners and gardeners alike have the chance to create an overall effect of serenity and peace by emphasizing the beauty of leaf color, form and texture, often in the absence of showy, colorful flowers. The challenge is to achieve this effect while working with poor soils and other difficult conditions that can predominate in shady sites.

Fortunately, not all shade is the kind that negates our choices of plants. Shade can range from light to deep; it can be dark or dappled and can be cast by plants or man-made structures. Some types of shade provide much better growing conditions than others. The best type of shade for growing the broadest range of plants is described as being light to medium, partial or dappled shade – approximately a half day of sun.

The success of growing a shade garden beneath a canopy of trees lies in the ability to properly understand the judicious task of pruning, thinning and removal. To brighten up your garden, if necessary, is to start by removing damaged, unhealthy or unkempt looking trees or those that have dense surface roots that prohibit potential planting. (This is good maintenance practice even if you are not creating a shade garden)

Consider removing saplings that will not have enough space to grow. Next, “limb up” or thin out enough of the remaining trees to achieve varying degrees of light as desired throughout your garden. Finally, remove any understory brush or shrubs that block ideal light without making a genuine contribution to the overall attractiveness of the planting area.

Turning a sunny, barren spot into a shade garden requires patience and time. When developing this kind of site, use a variety of evergreen and deciduous trees. Choose trees that will eventually provide the desired shade and serve as good “bones” (structure) for a new planting. Select those trees and shrubs that do not produce heavy surface roots or that will become out of scale or overgrown in relatively short order. Small trees such as Japanese maples, dogwoods, redbuds, pawpaws and hawthorns are ideal since they do not grow too large or broad and are adaptable to our western Pennsylvania soils and climate. To get the most bang for your buck, use plants that display unusual spring or fall color, that flower later, produce fruit, have evergreen foliage, interesting bark or other ornamental appeal like good architectural structure or a combination of all the above.

Staggering the heights of individual plants in the canopy will allow sunlight to penetrate thus providing the dappled, changing patterns that are desirable in a shady setting.

Sometimes it can be difficult to tell just how much sunlight a particular spot gets. Don’t be afraid to move plants that are not growing well. I frequently tell my clients that most plants are forgiving. Watch plants closely, and if they appear stressed by too much light then move them to deeper shade. And conversely, if they are 'leggy' or sparse from too much shade, simply move them to a sunnier location.

Shade gardens must provide the moisture and fertilizer that a sunny garden must have. Large trees within the planting will first absorb any available water they need, leaving their less aggressive companions to survive as best they can. To ensure sufficient moisture for all your plants, consider installing several hose bibs, soaker hoses or other form of inexpensive irrigation that is water-wise and eco-friendly.

If you’re like me and you garden in the city, working with shade produced by nearby buildings can alter existing conditions. By carefully analyzing the exposure and hours of light, shade and moisture, you can choose plants that are best suited to these challenging criteria. In some cases, reflected light from nearby buildings can be highly beneficial; it may produce higher light levels than was anticipated and actually help plants to grow.

Careful planning and plant selection in the design phase to achieve year-round color and interest is as important in the shady garden as it is in the sunny garden. Spring is the season of rebirth and renewal as the early bulbs and spring blooming perennials poke through the ground and burst into bloom. The fresh new foliage on the trees and shrubs are beginning to unfurl. Summer signifies abundance with a plethora of perennials and shrubs in full bloom anchored by lush foliage. The shorter days of autumn usher in the rainbow of fall colors as the foliage turns and berries ripen. Winter bares the soul of the garden exposing for all to see. With the advent of the new season, the witch hazels and hellebores come into bloom and the shade garden comes alive with the promise of what is to come.

Richard A. Liberto is a landscape designer and horticulturist. He can be reached at Libertodesign@comcast.net