Making the Most of Shade: How to Plan, Plant, and Grow a Fabulous Garden that Lightens up the Shadows

by Larry Hodgson

A gorgeous celebration of the shade garden--featuring nearly 300 perennials, annuals, bulbs, ferns, ornamental grasses, and climbing plants that will thrive without direct sunlight
A shaded garden can be a soothing sanctuary that even the most dedicated sun worshipper can welcome on a hot summer day. But how do you get plants to grow in a spot where trees and shrubs hide the sun? In this stunning volume, garden expert Larry Hodgson shows how to create a lush and lovely garden filled with plants that will flourish in the shade.

The first part covers the basics of shade gardening, including planning, planting, and problem-solving. Here readers will find out how to use shade-tolerant grasses and groundcovers for the root-filled areas under trees; discover solutions for dry shade and heavy needle and leaf drop; and learn what to do if a tree should fall and a shade garden is suddenly thrust back in the sun. The second part is devoted to an encyclopedia of shade-loving plants.

Complete with expert designs for five different kinds of shaded gardens, Making the Most of Shade is a splendid new gardening title by the popular author of Perennials for Every Purpose, which Susan McClure, author of Easy-Care Perennial Gardens, called "a treasure . . . the next best thing to having a friendly expert whispering in your ear as you plan, plant, and perfect your perennial garden."

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Reference, Plants, Horticulture

416 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2005

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super helpful--I'm excited to try to buy some plants and not kill them.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thus book will make you wish your whole garden was partial to full shade! Very inspiring for those who struggle with a shady yard, but also long for a lush garden.

[Annie Oosterwyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid shade gardening book. A couple of dodgy invasives recommended. I beg you not to plant goutweed or porcelain berry in your garden.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve benefitted from the wisdom of the Laidback Gardener for years, and this full-length book did not disappoint. A treasure trove of information about gardening in shady spots, sections are well-organized, and the volume is easy to use as a reference to look up specific plants. Learned a lot from reading this and have added a few things to my garden wishlist!

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

genius; a must-read for anyone interested in the art of gardening.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a worthwhile book to read, especially for those who have shade gardens and want ideas on what to plant, I have a list of plants I am going to use for ideas for next year's garden

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful example of shade plants from the tiny annual to the towering tree to create all of the lovely shade and a couple of ways to set it all up. Being in a Zone 9/10 i found the book a little lacking as it was geared towards the inland zones that make up the majority of the states with notes about freezing and such. Being in the SF Bay Area we don't get much of that, but also do not get the heat that some plants crave.

Lots in inspiration that helped me figure out where to start in the nursery.

[K.V. Johansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very useful and practical. Even though it's American, it talks about plenty of plants for zone 5 and colder, and includes a number of native species. It has some good ideas on how to get new plantings under trees to thrive despite competition from tree roots. I particularly like its practicality; it's not a garden book on creating magazine spreads, but on making a real garden with your own hands for living in, with lots that can be done with sweat and no or very little money.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing and very practical book. The book is beautiful to look at and easy to read. The information is extremely well-organized and practical.

I was able to make a list of perennial plants for a container garden, and know exactly what the plants' advantages and disadvantages are from water, propagation, to pests!

GREAT BOOK!

[Suphatra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a shade garden in serious need of repair. I got this book because it was specific to shade, but I found that it is actually a pretty good general gardening book. I find myself referring to it for landscaping advice too. This will be one that I will regularly consult. A great book for any gardener!

[Kristal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book for a specific project that I am volunteering on, creating a shade garden with several obstacles and it it a great reference book. Well laid out, easy to read and find exactly what you are looking for.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book actually lives up to its name.

Worth buying.

[Carrie Jo Cherney · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far, a very good resource!

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this just for the petunia test alone. What a great idea! Also have used the trick for keeping tree roots out of newly installed plants in shade. Excellent book, one I would like to own.

[Mrs. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beautiful photos, nice ideas, but not very comprehensive.

[Marcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic resource for shade gardening in the midwest. Will be useful for years to come.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good stuff!