A spot in your yard that gets at least a few hours of sun a day is the perfect place for this easy-care, summer shade garden plan. It's full of low-maintenance flowering shrubs and perennials that appreciate a little protection from the strongest rays but need some bright light to produce their best blooms. A spot with morning sun and afternoon shade would be ideal.
Plants for Creating the Easy-Care Summer Shade Garden Plan
Several types of hydrangeas, sweetly scented lilacs, and tough shrub roses form the backbone of this design, while dainty perennial geraniums, elegant irises, and feathery astilbes fill the spaces in between. Together, they'll create a colorful floral display that lasts from summer into fall.
- 6 Hydrangea (Light-O-Day): Zones 5-9
- 8 Hydrangea (Endless Summer Blushing Bride): Zones 5-9
- 4 Shrub rose (Rosa Little Mischief): Zones 4-9
- 2 Dwarf mock orange (Philadelphus 'Miniature Snowflake'): Zones 4-8
- 9 Perennial geranium (Rozanne): Zones 4-8
- 6 Siberian iris (Iris sibirica 'Sky Wings'): Zones 3-9
- 4 Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum 'Prairie Sky'): Zones 4-9
- 2 Lilac (Syringa Tinkerbelle): Zones 3-7
- 1 Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snowflake'): Zones 5-9
- 5 Hydrangea (Endless Summer): Zones 4-9
- 3 Astilbe ('Snowdrift'): Zones 3-9
If you aren't able to find the exact varieties of plants listed above, look for other varieties that have similar colors, shapes, and sizes to use instead.
Because some plants can become overly aggressive and spread out of control in certain climates, always check which species are considered invasive in your area before planting.
Get the Free Easy-Care Summer Shade Garden Plan
This garden design includes an illustrated version of the planted garden, a detailed layout diagram, a list of plants for the garden as shown, and complete instructions for installing the garden.