What to plant in a shady area of the garden?

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Garden plots can remain empty due to a lack of sufficient light. Typically, this refers to a shady area of unused land. This can be due to dense trees or an unfavorable location of a house, which casts a direct shadow on the garden for almost the entire day. These characteristics will be discussed below.

Shade degrees

The degree of shading is as follows:

Non-critical shadow.

If this is a "lace" shadow from a tree that appears on the site once a day, then the site can be considered suitable for planting light-loving and shade-tolerant plants.

Average.

This shade can be permanent and "lacy," or intermittent but dense (from a fence or a house). Either shade-tolerant or shade-loving plants will thrive in such a location.

Critical shadow.

This shadow is constant, cast by the house, the fence, or the overhang of branches. It can completely block out the light.

Note!

You can create a relaxation area here or create a flower garden with a small pond. In any case, there's no point in wasting the space, especially if the garden is already small.

Crops for planting in the shade

Green

It's worth noting that the soil in permanent shade is always moist, which promotes the good growth of plants that require abundant watering. These include some varieties of lettuce, mustard, sorrel, and spinach.

Note!

Sorrel requires no care if grown in moist soil. This seemingly inconspicuous bush contains a huge supply of vitamins PP. It can be eaten as a snack or baked into delicious and healthy pies.

Vegetables

There aren't many vegetables that grow in the shade. Don't expect a good harvest, but some varieties of onions, such as chives and slizun, thrive under a tree canopy. Among legumes, you can find a couple that are also easy to grow.

Farmers recommend planting them next to apple trees, and using the tops as rooting compost. Another vegetable that can be grown is beets. The resulting fruit won't be large, but the soil moisture will give it a juicy texture. Beet tops can also be used in salads or soups.

Shrubs

Experience shows that the tastiest and healthiest thing to plant in the shade is raspberries. If the sun shines in this area at least once a day, you have a chance to grow your own raspberry patch. These berries will be larger, but have a slightly tart flavor.

Note!

You can also plant a chokeberry bush or currant here. Elderberries or rose hips, while unlikely to produce berries, will delight with their decorative appearance.

Conifers can be grown in the shade. Besides their beautiful appearance, they will impart a wonderful aroma to the area.

Flowers

There are many flowers that thrive in shade. Biennials include forget-me-nots and pansies. Perennials include lilies of the valley, irises, wild rosemary, columbine, and hosta.

Among annuals, calendula is a good choice; its flowers are quite vibrant and easy to grow. Moreover, if dried, they make a medicinal tea that lasts all winter.

Note!

As for very shady areas, the garden can be designed so that no space is wasted. Garden swings and ceramic decorative figurines would be appropriate here.

If you put some effort into the design, you can create a summer pond with water lilies and diving beetles. You can stretch a net along the wall of your house. Additionally, if you plant ivy, it will soon cover the otherwise inconspicuous wall and become a beautiful flowering decoration.