Gardening In A Shady Situation

Gallium is a great plant to use as a ground cover where there is poor soil and little to no sunlight. The downside is that the plant likes to wander as it did up the stone wall in the background and into another garden. ANDREW MESSINGER

Tiarella, or the foam flower, (center) is a great understory planting for shady areas that remain somewhat moist. The species has white flowers but there are several introductions with pink to red flowers and magnificently colored foliage that thrives in shade. ANDREW MESSINGER

This is an example of "high" shade. Maple trees to the right (west) provide shade as does the 100-foot maple above. Only dappled sunlight hits the perennial border mid-day but provides enough light for hostas, lilies, peonies, astilbe and about a dozen other perennial varieties. ANDREW MESSINGER

This older maple has been pruned to endure that the canopy won’t catch so much wind to crack the twin trunks. It’s the high shade from the foliage 100 feet above that enable all the perennials and lilacs below to thrive. ANDREW MESSINGER

Another shot of "high" shade, but note the lush lawn in the shade. With some white clover mixed in, the seed mix is just right for the lawn area as long as the soil doesn’t totally dry out. The small maple tree just left of center (see the two stakes) is the replacement for when the very tall tree meets its demise. ANDREW MESSINGER

This is the north-facing end of a house that only gets sunlight for a portion of the year and only for a part of the afternoon. However, after some experimenting a pair of hydrangeas (budded and in the back) fill in the background while two Spirea in front are just coming into bloom. The Spireas are in the "Double Play" group and will reflower again later in the summer. ANDREW MESSINGER

Most hostas are shade tolerant with most burning up in direct sunlight. Here the lilacs have been allowed to grow to 20 feet tall and provide all-day shade to the hostas in the border. Again, there is bright light, but the sun never reaches the hosta foliage. ANDREW MESSINGER