Shade is treated as a problem in Australian gardens when it is usually an advantage. The shaded side of a house, the ground under an established tree, a courtyard between buildings - these are the areas that stay cool through a 40°C day, need the least water, and grow the lushest foliage you will have. The trick is reading the kind of shade you actually have, because "shade" covers several quite different conditions.
The four kinds of shade
| Type | What it means | Where you find it |
|---|---|---|
| Dappled shade | Broken light through a canopy | Under open-canopied trees |
| Part shade | 3-6 hours of direct sun, usually morning | East-facing beds, edges of canopy |
| Full shade | Bright but almost no direct sun | South-facing walls, courtyards |
| Dry shade | Shade plus root competition | Under established trees, beside walls |
Dry shade is the hard one. It is not the lack of light that kills plants under a large tree, it is that the tree takes the water first. Plants that thrive in a damp shaded courtyard often fail there.
Which way does it face?
In the southern hemisphere the rules are the reverse of what northern hemisphere gardening books say.
- South-facing - the shadiest aspect in Australia. Bright indirect light, almost no direct sun. Excellent for ferns and foliage plants.
- East-facing - gentle morning sun then shade. The most forgiving position in the garden.
- West-facing - shaded in the morning, then brutal afternoon sun. Not a shade position at all in practice.
- North-facing - the sunniest aspect, only shaded if something blocks it.
Plants for full and part shade
Structure and foliage
- Philodendron xanadu - a tidy metre-high mound, one of the best mass-planting shade fillers in warm Australia.
- Palm lily - Australian native cordyline that handles genuinely deep shade.
- Lady palm - clumping palm for shaded courtyards, slow and tidy.
- Monstera - bold perforated leaves for a sheltered subtropical courtyard.
Ferns
- Bird's nest fern - the most forgiving fern, glossy and architectural year-round.
- Rough tree fern - Australian native, gives a shaded garden instant maturity.
- Elkhorn - native epiphyte for mounting on a shaded wall or tree, using no ground space.
Flowering in shade
- Clivia - one of very few plants that flowers reliably in deep shade, and it handles dry shade well.
- Gardenia - scented white flowers with morning sun and afternoon shade.
- Native ginger - Australian rainforest ginger with blue berries.
Groundcovers
- Native violet - spreads into a soft flowering mat in damp shade.
- Dwarf mondo - crisp dark green edging between pavers.
- Dichondra repens - native, and the closest thing to a shaded lawn substitute.
The hardest case: dry shade
Under a mature tree, the tree wins every competition for water. The plants that cope are those with tough foliage and low water needs.
- Clivia - genuinely excellent in dry shade, and flowers there.
- Lomandra - one of very few plants happy in both full sun and dry shade.
- Dianella - native flax lily, tolerant of root competition.
- Bird's nest fern - more drought tolerant than most ferns once established.
Improve your odds by mulching heavily, watering deeply and less often, and planting small stock that establishes among existing roots rather than trying to dig large holes and damaging the tree.
Making a shaded garden look good
Shade gardens live or die on foliage rather than flowers, so contrast is what does the work.
- Contrast leaf shape. Broad glossy leaves against fine ferny foliage against strappy leaves reads far better than three plants with similar leaves.
- Use pale foliage to lift dark corners. Variegated plants, lime-green foliage and silver tones all read as light.
- Layer by height - tree ferns or palms above, xanadu and clivia at mid level, groundcover in front.
- Repeat plants rather than collecting one of everything. Repetition reads as design.
- Group plantings so they create their own humidity.
- Add a water feature if you can. Sound and reflected light do a lot in a shaded courtyard.
Watering shaded gardens
Shaded beds usually need less water than sunny ones, and overwatering is a genuine risk because soil dries slowly and airflow is poorer. The exception is dry shade under trees and the strip beside a wall, where rainfall may never reach the soil at all - check those areas by hand rather than assuming.
Frequently asked questions
Which direction is the shadiest in Australia?
South-facing. In the southern hemisphere the sun tracks through the northern sky, so south-facing walls and beds get bright indirect light and almost no direct sun - the reverse of northern hemisphere gardening advice.
What grows in deep shade in Australia?
Clivia, bird's nest fern, palm lily, lady palm, native violet and mondo grass all handle genuinely dark positions. Clivia is particularly useful because it flowers there, which very few shade plants do.
What is dry shade and why is it hard?
Shade combined with root competition, typically under an established tree or beside a wall. The problem is water rather than light - the tree takes it first. Clivia, lomandra, dianella and bird's nest fern are the reliable choices.
Can I grow flowers in shade?
Yes, though fewer. Clivia flowers in deep shade, gardenias flower with morning sun, native violet flowers most of the year, and hydrangeas do well in part shade. Shade gardens generally rely on foliage contrast rather than flowers.
Do shaded gardens need less water?
Usually, and overwatering is a real risk because the soil dries slowly. The exception is dry shade under trees or beside walls, where rainfall may not reach the soil at all. Check by hand rather than assuming.
Why do my shade plants have brown leaf edges?
Usually a stray hour or two of direct afternoon sun, or hot dry wind. Australian afternoon sun is strong enough to scorch shade plants very quickly, so watch the position through a full day before blaming watering.
Ready to plant?
Browse our plants for partial shade, plants for full shade, or ferns for shady areas.
Related reading: growing ferns in Australia and the best groundcovers for shade.
