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Points to remember: 

Shade can be heavy or light (dappled) and for full or part of the day.

Some plants that normally love sun will grow fairly well in dappled or part shade. Shade lovers can scorch in even a short amount of strong sun.

Early flowering plants are often from situations where they are shaded by other plants in the heat of summer but open to the sun in the winter and spring (and possibly late autumn) e.g. Woodland plants.  These may not thrive in permanently shaded situations. Woodland plants may also expect humus-rich soil with lots of leaf mould.

Shade can be dry or moist. Different plants thrive in each situation. Buildings, fences and walls tend to create very dry shade near to them (rain shadow) but it may be moist only 18" out from the wall.

Near walls the soil is often not only dry but poor and may be more limey (alkaline) due to outwash from the bricks and mortar.

Some types of plant love shade in their natural form but variegated or coloured leaf varieties need more sun due to the lack of chlorophyll in the leaves (e.g. Actaea, Heuchera).

Below is a selection of plants from our range that have performed well for us in shady situations. Where dry or moist not specified then plants will grow well in normal soils (i.e. not bone dry nor very wet).

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