Large-leaved perennials grown in the woodland at Attadale Gardens, Attadale, Scotland

On our recent trip to Scotland, we saw some beautiful shady woodland gardens, which were a joy to wander in. One of their distinctive features was perennials with enormous leaves - such as Gunnera manicata (giant ornamental rhubarb), Rodgersia aesculifolia and Telekia speciosa, a strange daisy-like plant known as the heart-leaved oxeye. Large leaves are an adaptation by plants to grow in shade, as a way to maximise the area available to capture what sunlight there is, like an enormous solar panel. These plants are for cool climates, as are so many of the shade-loving plants that I used to read about in my English gardening books.

Rodgersia aesculifolia at Inverewe Garden, Poolewe, Scotland

Rodgersia aesculifolia at Inverewe Garden, Poolewe, Scotland

I always regarded shade as a liability in my garden and struggled to make anything much of my shaded areas, but some years ago, I came to see that it is an asset, especially in hot summers. I much prefer to sit in a shaded garden spot for a cup of tea, and it is much more comfortable gardening in shade. Our homes can also benefit from shade from fierce sunlight.

Veltheimia bracteata is a bulb that thrives in shade in Sydney

Veltheimia bracteata is a bulb that thrives in shade in Sydney

Creating an attractive shady garden thus became something of a passion for me, and I sought out plants that flourish in shade in Sydney - a very different climate from British gardens, so it needed a lot of trial and error, along with observations of many other Sydney gardens, and research into gardening books by Sydney authors to come up with a palette of attractive plants for shade. These plants range from trees, shrubs, climbers and perennials, to groundcovers, annuals, bulbs and even some edibles for shade!

Aechmea weilbachii is one of the many bromeliads that flourish in shaded Sydney gardens

Aechmea weilbachii is one of the many bromeliads that flourish in shaded Sydney gardens

As mentioned in last week's blog, I have compiled the results of all this into a book called Embracing shade in Sydney gardens and I am pleased to announce that the book is now available, to be downloaded as an e-book (which of course can be printed out at home). Each of the plants mentioned that features on my garden website has a link to its description there, which includes photographs, cultivational information, suggested planting companions and other details. Hence there are not a lot of illustrations in the book itself, to keep it a manageable length.

The book also discusses the nature of shade and its different dimensions and sources, how to manipulate it to create a little less shade when it is truly oppressive, or add more shade, for those who want to do this for the benefit of themselves, their plants and their homes. I also discuss how to tackle some of the problematic aspects of shade that we can actually do something about. I explain the different ways that plants have adapted to shade over the aeons, such as the giant leaves mentioned above!

I welcome feedback of any type about your own experiences of gardening in shade. In the meantime I do hope you enjoy reading my new book.More info here »