Made in the Shade: How to Create a Cool and Colourful Backyard Retreat

Some of the most beautiful spaces in the landscape aren't found in full sun.

On a hot summer afternoon, a shady corner of the garden can feel like a welcome escape from the heat. Whether created naturally by mature trees or intentionally through thoughtful landscape design, shade gardens offer beauty, comfort and environmental benefits that can be enjoyed throughout the growing season.

With the right combination of plants, trees and outdoor living spaces, you can transform a shady area into one of the most relaxing and inviting parts of your property.

As we celebrate Canada Day, we're especially proud to be a Canadian-owned and operated family business. For more than six decades, we've worked alongside Canadian growers, gardeners and communities to help create beautiful outdoor spaces. Whether you're planting a shade tree, building a backyard retreat or simply enjoying time with family outdoors, we wish you a safe and happy Canada Day.

 

Start with Great Shade Plants

One of the biggest misconceptions about shade gardening is that it lacks colour and variety.

In reality, some of the most beautiful foliage and flowers in the landscape thrive in lower light conditions.

 

Hosta: The King of the Shade Garden

Hostas are the foundation of many shade gardens because they provide bold foliage, texture and structure from spring through fall.

• 'Guacamole': Large apple-green leaves with darker green margins and fragrant flowers make this variety a customer favourite.
• 'Sum and Substance': One of the largest hostas available, producing chartreuse-gold foliage that seems to glow beneath a tree canopy.
• 'Big Daddy': Large blue-grey leaves and heavily textured foliage create a dramatic focal point.
• 'Avocado': Rich green margins and golden centres create beautiful contrast in shady gardens.

Garden Tip: Mix hostas of different colours, textures and sizes together to create depth and visual interest.

 

Astilbe: Bringing Colour to the Shade Garden

If hostas provide structure, astilbes provide colour.

Their feathery flower plumes add softness and movement to shady landscapes.

• Astilbe 'Sprite': Soft shell-pink blooms and a compact habit make this variety ideal for borders, woodland gardens and containers.
• Astilbe × arendsii 'Bressingham Beauty': One of the finest large pink astilbes available. Its bright salmon-rose flower plumes rise above glossy dark green foliage and create a beautiful backdrop for lower-growing shade plants.
• Astilbe japonica 'Montgomery': If you're looking for bold colour, 'Montgomery' delivers. Its deep crimson-red plumes stand out beautifully against hostas, brunnera and woodland plantings.

Garden Tip: Astilbes thrive in moisture-retentive soil and appreciate regular watering during hot summer weather.

 

Coral Bells (Heuchera)

Few perennials offer as much foliage colour as coral bells.

• 'Palace Purple': A classic variety featuring rich burgundy-purple leaves that provide season-long colour.
• 'Big Top Caramel Apple': Warm caramel-coloured foliage brightens darker spaces and pairs beautifully with silver and green foliage plants.

 

'Jack Frost' Heartleaf Brunnera (Siberian Bugloss)

If there is one plant that can brighten a shady garden without flowers, it's 'Jack Frost'.

Its silver foliage appears to glow beneath trees and along woodland pathways. In spring, delicate blue flowers resembling forget-me-nots float above the leaves.

Even after flowering, the foliage remains attractive throughout the season.

 

Shade-Loving Annuals that Deliver Colour

Beacon Impatiens

Beacon Impatiens continue to be one of the most dependable annuals for shaded gardens, producing blooms from spring until frost.

Coleus

Grown primarily for its colourful foliage, coleus offers combinations of burgundy, lime green, gold and pink that can rival flowers for visual impact.

Begonias

Reliable and long-blooming, begonias provide consistent colour and texture throughout summer.

Torenia (Wishbone Flower)

An underused shade garden gem producing continuous blooms in shades of blue, purple, pink and white.

Garden Tip: Combine Beacon Impatiens, Coleus and Begonias in containers for a shade-loving combination that performs all season long.

 

Other Shade Garden Favourites Worth Exploring

Looking to expand your shade garden?

Consider adding:

• Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra)
• Ferns
• Solomon's Seal
• Lungwort (Pulmonaria)
• Japanese Painted Fern
• Foamflower (Tiarella)
• Goat's Beard (Aruncus)
• Hellebores
  

These plants provide additional texture, colour and seasonal interest.

 

Creating Shade: Why Trees Matter

Shade-loving plants fill the garden, but shade trees create the environment that makes these gardens possible.

A mature tree can lower surrounding temperatures while creating a more comfortable outdoor living space.

Habitat for Wildlife

Trees provide food, shelter and nesting sites for birds, pollinators and beneficial insects.

Natural Cooling

Trees cool the air through shade and transpiration, helping reduce heat around homes and patios.

Lower Energy Costs

Strategically planted trees can reduce summer cooling costs by shading walls, windows and roofs.

Garden Tip: Always consider a tree's mature size before planting. Trees placed too close to homes, driveways or foundations can create issues as roots and branches expand over time.

 

Great Shade Trees for Ontario Landscapes

Acer rubrum (Canadian Red Maple)

A beautiful native maple providing excellent shade and spectacular fall colour.

Pin Oak

Strong branching structure, dependable growth and excellent seasonal colour.

Red Oak

A long-lived native tree that develops into a magnificent specimen over time.

Honey Locust

One of the best trees for gardeners. Its fine leaves create filtered or "dappled shade" that allows many plants to thrive beneath the canopy.

 

Perfect Patios Always Have a Shady Spot

Not every landscape has room for a large shade tree.

A patio umbrella is one of the easiest ways to create instant comfort.

When shopping for an umbrella, consider:

Coverage Area

Choose a canopy large enough to shade your seating or dining area.

Fabric Quality

Look for UV-resistant materials designed to withstand years of sun exposure.

Stability

A properly weighted base helps ensure safety and durability.

Adjustability

Tilt and crank features help you follow the sun throughout the day

 

Canada Day Shade Garden Inspiration

Looking for a festive container to celebrate Canada Day?

Create a red-and-white shade planter using:

• White Beacon Impatiens
• Red Beacon Impatiens
• Burgundy Coleus

It's an easy way to celebrate while adding season-long colour to your porch, patio or backyard retreat.

 

Garden Tip: Create a Backyard Escape

The best shade gardens aren't simply collections of plants.

They're places where people gather, relax and escape the heat.

By combining beautiful foliage, colourful flowers, thoughtfully placed trees and comfortable outdoor living spaces, you can create a landscape that feels cooler, looks beautiful and invites you to spend more time outdoors.

After all, on the hottest days of summer, the coolest place to be is often made in the shade.

 

Happy Canada Day!

Proudly Canadian Owned & Operated Since 1976.

For more than five decades, Bradford Greenhouses has been honoured to serve Canadian gardeners while supporting local growers, Canadian families and our communities.

From our family to yours, we wish you a safe, happy and beautiful Canada Day.

Happy Gardening,

The Bradford Greenhouses Team