The following contribution is from another author.
While a bit of shade is nice on a hot day, a garden that is shrouded in shadows can feel a bit bleak. Fortunately, there are many effective ways to brighten up a gloomy garden. Below are a few ways to give your garden a much needed glow-up.
Paint fences white
White fences can make a garden look brighter and larger. This is because white paint reflects sunlight, while also providing a stark backdrop that can help to make your plants visually pop. Just be wary that white paint makes dirt show up easier, so you may need to clean your fences every so often to stop them looking grubby. This guide at Good Housekeeping provides more tips on choosing fence paints.
Use lattice and trellis fences
While looking into fence upgrades, consider whether changing the style of your fence could potentially help to make your garden brighter. Lattice and trellis fences have small gaps in them unlike regular panel fences. This allows some light to pour through – which could help to make your yard feel less gloomy. Such fences don’t offer as much privacy as panel fences, so bear this in mind before you install them.
Trim back large trees
Trees with large canopies can sometimes cast large shadows over gardens. By hiring a professional company like Green Tree Services to trim back this tree, you could allow more sunlight to enter your outdoor space. Late winter can be a good time to trim back deciduous trees as they are dormant at this stage. Felling a tree could allow even more sunlight into your garden, but you should consider the drawbacks of this (trees are often wildlife habitats and can provide privacy – things you may lose if you cut the tree down).
Embrace shade-loving plants
A big downside of a shady garden is that it can prevent plants from growing. All plants need some sunlight. Fortunately, not all plants need a huge amount of sun to thrive – by looking into shade-loving plant solutions, you can continue to enjoy a lush garden.
A few examples of shade-loving plants include:
- Ferns
- Hydrangea
- Snowdrops
- Foxgloves
- Astilbe
Sun-loving plants to avoid in a shady garden include:
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Hibiscus
- Passion flower
- Cosmos
If plants look withered and leggy, it could be a sign that they aren’t getting enough sun. If possible, relocate these areas to sunny parts of your garden. If no areas receive much sun, you may have to remove these plants and stick to shade-loving options.
Install artificial lighting
If you’re more concerned with lack of visibility than lack of sunlight, you could always consider brightening up your garden with some artificial lights. For patios that are forever in shadows, solutions like LED string lighting can provide a warm glow, turning a gloomy space into a cosy and magical area. Alternatively, you could consider in-ground lights to illuminate paths and perimeters from below or floss lighting to light up dark areas from above. You’ll need to either opt for plug-in lighting, wired-in lighting or lighting using disposable batteries – solar lighting is no use in areas that don’t receive much sun during the day.
