Have you turned your back on those shady areas in your yard because you can’t grow your favorite flowers there? Well, those spots may just be the perfect places for eye-catching plants and beautifully designed gardens! We’d like to inspire you with four landscaping design plans that will revitalize your yard and transform those gloomy shady spaces into something special.

Line it up
For shady areas bordering your yard, consider planting a layered garden. Begin by purchasing several shade-tolerant plants of various heights suitable to your geography. Place your tallest plant, such as a Japanese maple tree or rhododendron shrub in the back row, followed by hostas and foxgloves in the middle. Then plant spotted dead nettles, vinca minor vines and other low-growing, shade-loving plants in the front row. Golden meadow rue, big-leaf umbrella plants, and purple-leaf coral bells and other various-shaded leafy plants will provide additional character and depth.

Invite the birds
Similarly, a stunning birdbath garden will quickly brighten up that shady backyard spot. Build up the area with a mixture of topsoil and fertilizer, place the birdbath in the center and surround it with shade-loving plants. Begin with ornamental grasses placed directly around the birdbath and then put appropriately sized plants such as bleeding heart, lily-of-the-valley, astilbe and pink manners obedient plants and ferns around the grasses and enjoy the show!

Time to relax
Another garden idea for that lonely, shady place in your yard is to turn it into a refreshing summer oasis. With a quaint bench or pair of chairs and some appealing plants, you can easily create your very own custom retreat. Select attractive, low-maintenance perennials that will blend in with your shady background such as huge Empress Wu hostas, green, yellow and purple ornamental grasses and ostrich ferns. Then have fun sprinkling in some color with pretty geraniums, bright daffodils and coreopsis, cheerful anemones and irises, and other shade-tolerant shrubs and plants. You can even accent the area with pavers and potted plants for a rustic feel that has your personal touch.

Get it tune with nature
If you have a damp and dark area in your yard, take advantage of it by creating an appealing and magic-like garden where moisture-loving plants and flowers will flourish. Bergenias, astilbes, marsh marigolds, royal fern and lenten rose plants are excellent choices. Then, add groundcovers like epimedium, sempervivum (hens and chicks) or English ivy. As a special feature, consider giving your garden more of what it wants””a tiny stream of water via an inexpensive water fountain and re-circulating pump. Place flat rocks of various sizes rocks here and there where your trickling stream can meander.

A few plants will surprisingly give new purpose and life to your shady spot. Make it happen with your signature touch and loving care.