COLUMNIST: KATIE REYNOLDS
First up: designing for a shady area.
Every garden has some element of shade, and the first thing to establish is which type you have, as it varies and not all shade is alike, which will affect what you can plant in the space.
Partial shade is when the garden has shade cast over it for part of the day - perhaps due to a tall building or a group of trees, and as the sun moves around the garden through the day, the shadow will lift and the area will receive some direct light.
Dappled shade is when when some light filters through, most typically found under the canopy of a tree. The level of dappled shade can change through the year, so in winter and spring when a deciduous tree has no leaves there will be more light, but in the height of summer it will be more shaded.
Full or heavy shade is when the area is in shade for most of the day, generally receiving less than two hours of direct sunlight. This could be under a hedge or an evergreen tree, or close to a wall in a north facing garden.
Once you identify the type of shade you have, you can assess how much light the space gets and the best way to design for it. Here are some design tips on how to make the most of the shady area.
Create a focal point which draws the eye through the shade. This could be something that physically invites you in such as walking down a path towards a feature, so that the shaded space becomes part of the garden journey. Or it could literally be drawing the eye from where you are standing to a focal point that is positioned in the heart of the shaded area.
The result is that you are creating an enticing and interesting element into this part of the garden, making the most of the space rather than just leaving it neglected. The focal point might be a water feature or a statue, or it could be a bench that you reach at the end of a path. The use of lighting can also enhance this within the space. Remember with outdoor lighting, less is always more, so just one or two carefully positioned lights will create the greatest effect.
In a dark area, pale tones are much more striking. This not only applies to the colour of flowers but also the hard landscaping. Opt for a lighter tone of paving or gravel, and then carry this through to the furniture and the focal points as well, perhaps choosing a pale wood for your table and chairs, and then a light coloured stone bird bath so that there is cohesion. The use of these light-toned colours will visually lift the space and make the area feel welcoming.
In contrast to this, items you want to hide such as the garden shed or a fence, can be painted in a dark colour so that they disappear. The overall effect is that you are drawing the eye to the things you want to, and concealing the areas that you do not want to see.
When it comes to the planting, it is all about the texture and form in a shaded area, so focus on this more than the colour of the flowers. Think about the shape of the leaf: using ferns or hostas for example, creates a feeling of lush planting.
The texture of ornamental bark on a tree can add real interest to the area, especially in the winter months. Betula albosinensis, Chinese birch, has a beautiful copper sheen to its bark and can grow in dappled shade, and Acer griseum is another good, medium-sized tree with show stopping bark. The tree can then be underplanted with bulbs and plants that tolerate partial to deep shade such as alchemilla, astrantia and geranium.
Be generous in your planting, using repeat planting so that there is a fullness to the scheme. By making the planting sumptuous and inviting, the space will really come to life.
My final piece of design advice is to embrace the conditions and see it as an opportunity rather a battle. Do not struggle with a large lawn in a shaded space, which is likely to be patchy and not the best quality given that grass needs good light levels, instead reuse the space in a better way.
A good alternative is to make it a children’s play area which will be out of direct sunlight. Or if it is a scrubby piece of the garden, perhaps that is the place to keep hens who love to rootle around under a hedge. Or simply a seating area which is in the shade - our climate is becoming more extreme so as temperatures rise, an area of shade to relax in is increasingly needed, even in Scotland!
If the garden is in heavy shade then another idea is to create a seating area with a fire pit to extend the hours of warmth.
Hopefully that has given you some inspiration for the shaded areas in your garden. In the next issue, I will be looking at how to design a garden on a slope.
Katie Reynolds Design offers garden and interior design services across Aberdeenshire and the North East of Scotland. She is qualified in both sectors, having trained at KLC School of Design in London, and the National Design Academy.
Gardens and interiors are often treated as separate entities in the design world but Katie is passionate about integrating the two disciplines, believing that together they define your home.
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