Are you looking for the best plants for a shady spot in your garden? Do you even know how much sunlight the position receives, or what the difference between “part shade” and “moderate shade” is? Trying to choose a plant for a shady position can feel overwhelming, but don’t worry! This article was designed to help you make an informed decision.
We’ll begin by understanding shade levels, and then we’ll explore some of the most suitable plants, all while optimising for the specific conditions of New Zealand gardens.
Not all garden beds are blessed with sun. Emerald Arch™ Dianella can tolerate variable sunlight, perfect for understory and near structures where it receives full sun in summer and heavy shade in winter.
Understanding Shade Levels
Decoding Garden Shade
Successfully growing shade-loving plants begins with understanding the different levels of shade and how they affect plant growth. Here’s a quick guide:
- Full Sun: Requires 6+ hours of direct sunlight.
- Part Sun: Needs about 4-6 hours of direct sunlight.
- Moderate Shade: Suitable for plants that thrive with 2-4 hours of sunlight, typically during cooler parts of the day.
- Heavy Shade: Best for plants that do well with minimal direct sunlight, less than 2 hours daily. Synonymous with “full shade.”
- Deep Shade: These plants love the darkness, preferring no direct sunlight at all. Some of them make great indoor plants.
- Dappled Light: Characterised by intermittent sunlight filtering through trees, mimicking forest conditions.
- Morning Sun: Less intense than afternoon sun. Sometimes, “part shade” can be another way of saying “morning sun.”
- Afternoon Sun: More intense than morning sun. Can often scold shade-loving plants if they experience too much.
Understanding which parts of your garden how much light will help you choose plants based off their sunlight tolerance categories shown on plant labels.
Flirt™ Nandina is suitable for moderate shade to full sun.
Choosing the Right Shade-Loving Plants
Selecting the Perfect Plants
When selecting plants for shady spots in NZ gardens, consider these tips:
- Light Assessment: Spend time observing your garden throughout the day (and throughout the year) to understand light patterns. Remember that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west; it’s always further to the north, and furthest north in winter, moving closer to the middle of the sky in summer.
- Soil and Moisture: Choose plants that match your garden’s soil type and moisture levels. Or, provide additional irrigation and/or drainage.
- Climate Suitability: Opt for plants that are well-adapted to New Zealand’s climate and your position’s unique micro climate. Consider weather patterns, wind, frost, reflective heat, drought, periodic flooding, coastal salt spray, etc.
Shade-Tolerant Plants
Here are some shade-tolerant options perfect for New Zealand gardens:
- Hostas
- Ferns
- Astilbes
- Alsophila
- Piper
- Heuchera
- Trillium
- Brunnera
- Helleborus
- Pulmonaria
- Bergenia
- Ajuga
- Epimedium
- Lamium
- Pachysandra
- Tiarella
- Ligularia
- Alchemilla
- Dicentra
- Arisaema
- Galium
- Polygonatum
High Quality Breeding: Superior Cultivars for Shady Positions
At Ozbreed, we focus on breeding plants that are no fuss, functional and reliable. We’ve doing it for over two decades and have built our whole brand on plants that are resilient enough to thrive in the neglect of the harsh Australian climate, where we get everything mother nature can throw at us, from flooding to drought, and frost to stinking bloody hot and humid.
Below is a list of some of the best plants for shady positions that are available in New Zealand. As a bonus, they’re all tolerant of full sun, so they’re ideal for along fencelines and walls where you get full sun in summer but shade in winter.
Great White™ Lomandra is suitable for moderate shade.
Heavy Shade
Emerald Arch™ Dianella tasmanica ‘DT23’. https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/emerald-arch-dianella/
Tasred™ Dianella tasmanica ‘TR20’ PVR. https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/tasred-dianella/
Blaze™ Dianella tasmanica ‘NPW2’. https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/blaze-dianella/
Wyeena™ Dianella tasmanica ‘TAS300’ PVR. https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/wyeena-dianella/
Amethyst™ Liriope muscari. https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/amethyst-liriope-muscari/
Just Right™ Liriope muscari. https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/just-right-liriope/
Moderate Shade
Lomandra longifolia ‘KATRINUS DELUXE’ PVR. https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/katrinus-deluxe-lomandra/
Shara™ Lomandra longifolia subsp. exilis ‘ABU7’ PVR. https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/shara-lomandra/
Great White™ Lomandra longifolia ‘MURU’. https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/great-white-lomandra/
Blush™ Nandina domestica ‘AKA’ PVR. https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/shrubs-and-ground-covers/blush-nandina/
Obsession™ Nandina domestica ‘SEIKA’ PVR. https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/shrubs-and-ground-covers/obsession-nandina/
Morning Sun
Encore Azaleas. https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/encore-azaleas/
Conclusion
Transforming shady spots in your New Zealand garden into vibrant areas is entirely achievable with the right plant choices and an understanding of your garden’s light conditions. Embrace the unique characteristics of shade gardening, and you’ll create a peaceful, thriving oasis that enhances your outdoor space year-round. By following this guide, you’ll optimise your garden for shade-loving plants, ensuring a beautiful and resilient landscape.