Shade gardens with afternoon sun experience the challenge of intense light for a small period of time which is insufficient for most sun plants but can burn many traditional shade plants.
Designing a Garden for Shade With Afternoon Sun
Landscapes that are set in shade for the majority of the day but are blessed with a window of light can be wonderful for entertaining and challenging for gardening.
When starting from scratch, first determine where the best location for a sitting or entertaining area might be, and then fill the garden with plants using that spot as a central focus. Thoughtfully locating your seating areas helps reduce the likelihood that you or your guests are staring into the sun at the end of the day, and even if that puts plants in a vulnerable or hot position, with careful selection you can still have a beautiful and successful garden.
Many shade plants that can stand up to afternoon sun share the common characteristic of having durable, thick leaves like Hellebores, Wild Ginger, or Bergenia. Some finely-cut leaves are also well-adapted to brief periods of intense sun as the light can easily filter through them and even if burnt, they can be pruned to reduce the appearance of damage.
Clever use of taller plants can help block or buffer more sensitive plants from the hot sun. Vines on a freestanding trellis or obelisk can also be an interesting way to play with light angles and height. Incorporating all layers and levels of the landscape is easier in a shade garden that receives brief, intense sun than it is in almost all other types of shade! Similarly, shade gardens with sunny windows can include more flowering plants than other types of shade gardens.
Tips for Gardening in Shade With Afternoon Sun
- Mulch your garden each season with compost to help improve water retention during the hottest part of the day.
- Avoid overhead watering in general, but especially during the heat, as water on the surface of a leaf can lead to burning.
- Water plants early morning to reduce the likelihood of water loss and waste during heat events.
Discover more detailed information about shade gardening here!
Plants for Shade With Afternoon Sun
Shrubs & Trees
- Acer circinatum (Vine Maple): Deciduous, Native
- Aucuba japonica (Japanese Aucuba or Gold Dust Plant): Evergreen
- Elaegnus varieties (Russian Olive): Evergreen
- Fatsia japonica (Japanese Aralia): Evergreen
- Hydrangea paniculata (PeeGee Hydrangea): Deciduous
- Osmanthus varieties (Osmanthus): Evergreen
- Prunus laurocerasus (English Laurel): Evergreen
- Tsuga (Hemlock): Evergreen, Native
Perennials
- Actaea (Cimicifuga, Bugbane): Herbaceous
- Alchemilla (Lady’s Mantle): Herbaceous
- Anemone (Japanese Anemone): Herbaceous
- Asarum (Wild Ginger): Evergreen
- Bergenia (Elephant Ear): Evergreen
- Epimedium (Barrenwort): Semi-Evergreen to Evergreen
- Ferns: Herbaceous, Semi-Evergreen, Evergreen
- Fuchsia magellanica (Hardy Fuchsia): Deciduous/Herbaceous
- Helleborus (Lenten Rose): Evergreen
- Persicaria (Knotweed): Herbaceous
- Pulmonaria (Lungwort): Herbacous
Bulbs
- Crocus (Crocus): Spring blooming, Summer dormant
- Fritillaria imperialis (Crown Imperial): Spring blooming, Summer dormant
- Galanthus nivalis (Snowdrop): Spring blooming, Summer dormant
- Narcissus (Daffodil): Spring blooming, Summer dormant, Fragrant
Groundcovers
- Galium odoratum (Sweet Woodruff): Semi-Evergreen to Evergreen
- Gaultheria procumbens (Winterberry): Evergreen, Edible
- Pachysandra terminalis (Japanese Spurge): Evergreen
- Sarcoccoca (Sweet Box): Evergreen
Our experts at Dennis’ 7 Dees Garden Centers can help you find the perfect shade plants for your particular outdoor space. Visit our stores to find a wide selection of varieties of each of the excellent, garden-worthy plants in the lists above, available year-round. By mixing textures and hues of green, and inserting silvery or chartreuse foliage, you can create a shade garden that is dynamic, beautiful, and best of all, successful!