Show Notes
There comes a point in late summer when some shade gardens seem to lose their way. The spring bulbs have disappeared, the hellebores finished months ago, the foxgloves are fading and even the hostas and ferns may be looking tired. Autumn hasn’t quite arrived either, leaving the garden caught somewhere between two seasons.
In this episode of *The Shade Gardening Podcast*, Marcus explores why this awkward gap occurs, which plants can help carry a shaded border through it, and why flowers may not always be the answer. Foliage, shrubs, grasses, paths and other permanent features can all hold the garden together while its earlier plants take a step back.
But is this really a gap that needs fixing—or have we become too accustomed to expecting continuous colour? Perhaps the shade garden hasn’t stopped at all. It may simply be pausing between two very different performances.
More from The Shade Gardening Podcast
Why can one gardener grow magnificent heucheras, hostas or brunneras while another repeatedly watches the same plants struggle and disappear?
This extraordinary summer has left many established shade gardens looking almost unrecognisable. Hellebores have collapsed, astilbes have disappeared, hostas have fried around the edges, and even dependable ferns and hydrangeas have struggled.
Have you ever planted something that you later wished you hadn't?
Dry shade is often described as one of the toughest places to garden. Beneath mature trees, alongside hedges, or in those forgotten corners where sunlight is limited and the soil always seems dry, many gardeners simply give up.
Deer can turn a carefully planned garden into an all-you-can-eat buffet overnight. But is there really such a thing as a deer-resistant plant?