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As much as you love your garden, sometimes, there’s no avoiding a dreaded shady corner. Perhaps you find your eyes gliding over it, moving to the more beautiful, preened bushes and flowers, and hoping it’ll just go away on its own.If this is you, then you’re not alone. Plenty of gardeners have, and struggle with, dark shady corners at the edge of their plots. So, how can you use these corners to your advantage, and make your garden even better?
Here are some ideas.
1. A shed
If there’s just no avoiding that corner, then put something useful in it! A nicely decorated shed can be a great way to fill space and give you somewhere to store your gardening supplies. This is definitely the most popular option for dark garden corners, and for good reason!
If you don’t need a shed, or already have too many, read on to find some other options.
2. Seating
Sometimes, all you want to do is spend a day relaxing in your garden and admiring your hard work. So, give yourself somewhere to take a break by placing a small seating area in the shade. You can even add a table for your favourite book!
This way, you can turn a shady spot into something practical while keeping plenty of space available in the rest of your garden for plants and shrubs.
3. A fireplace
This option is for the more adventurous gardeners. It’s no simple job to construct a fireplace, but if you want somewhere to relax in the evenings and perhaps toast a few crumpets, consider installing one in your shady garden corner.
It’s important to note that fireplaces can be expensive but don’t cut corners. for safety reasons, it’s important to install one properly.
4. A tree
If all other options fail, a tree is always a great addition to any garden. Although, you need to make sure to choose a speicies of tree that survives without much sun. Rowan, Hawthorn, Cornus and Field Maple are great trees for north-facing walls, and they can have a good spring blossom too.
If you don’t want to go down the tree route, you can also consider some shade-loving shrubs, perennials, and grasses.
5. A sculpture
While sculptures are typically focal points for gardens, they can also work in shady spots when designed right. If you’re installing a sculpture, make sure to consider your lines of sight, and if viewing it from just two angles will be enough.
6. Paint the boundaries of your garden a bright colour
And finally, perhaps one of the best tips of all for a shady garden, is to paint the boundaries a light shade. This could mean painting a wall, or side of your house white, which will help reflect light back into your garden, creating the illusion of brightness.
If you don’t have a garden fence, seriously consider getting one. As well as helping to light up your garden, they protect your plants from the wind and prevent plants leaking outside boundaries.
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