The New Shade Garden: Creating a Lush Oasis in the Age of Climate Change

by Ken Druse

In The New Shade Garden , award-winning author Ken Druse presents a comprehensive guide to creating a shade garden with an emphasis on the adjustments necessary for our changing climate.

There is a new generation of gardeners who are planting gardens not only for their visual beauty but also for their ability to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Druse offers advice on a wide variety of common problems facing today’s gardeners, Druse writes in his introduction, “The garden of the future will be a shade garden. There are many fiscal, historical, environmental—and for the sake of our health and the planet’s.”

Discover what Druse has learned in his many years of Creating your own lush oasis is the best defense against our changing world. Filled with guidance, horticultural facts, and useful plant recommendations, this book is sure to become a resource you will refer to again and again.

Perfect for new and seasoned gardeners alike, this wide-ranging encyclopedic manual provides all the information you need to start or improve upon your own shade garden.

“Reading Druse is like talking to a generous old friend who knows exactly when you’re about to give up and comes to the rescue.” ― New York Times Book Review

“Druse argues that shade gardens will be the most comfortable, satisfying and sustainable option.” — Chicago Tribune

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Environment, Climate Change, Horticulture

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 14, 2015

Reviews

[Teri-K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't think of anything else I might have wanted from this lovely book. It has beautiful photos and some background of the author and various shade gardens he's known. It covers the challenges and advantages of shade, and has many lists of various types of plants.

But what makes this book really stand out for me is that the author clearly understands there are different types of shade. For instance, I have one plot on the west side of the house, so it gets afternoon sun, but only for a couple of hours before the house next to us shades it again. In spring the front of the bed gets gets much more sun, less during the summer. How do you cope with that? Then there's our back corner, with a large dogwood, an evergreen tree and freestanding garage. The shade there is quite different from the first plot and also from the shade in the right front where the neighbors tall evergreen provides year-round high shade. Druse is an expert gardener and he discusses five different kinds of shade, plus dry, normal or wet. His plant listing gives the types of shade the plants are best suited to so you can make safer choices or push the envelope if you want. Who knew there were peonies you could grow in medium shade? Not me.

OK, so there is one thing I wish he had included and that's a specific list of plants with flowers suitable for cutting that grow in the shade. But most people probably aren't as obsessed with bring nature indoors as I am, and I was able to use all his information to compile my own, pleasingly long, list to play around with.

If you like reading gardening books, but especially if you like trees and have some shade, I recommend this book quite highly. I'm already reading through it for the second time, and I just got it yesterday.

[Joanne Leddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent shade garden book! Ken addresses the different types of shade and how that environment changes over the seasons. He breaks down the layers of a shade garden and addresses each individually - even bulbs! I appreciate that he has filled the book with gorgeous photographs and included tips for everything from composting, erosion, deer and more. What I like the most about this book is … while plant lists are provided, this book is NOT just a list of shade loving plants.

[Bonnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this book from Amazon's UK site while looking for a book to help me redesign my garden to cope with the rising temperatures, lower rainfall and periodic polar snaps my region is experiencing. I was hoping for recommendations of drought-resistant, heat-tolerant native plants and perhaps some design suggestions for creating a shady garden in the relatively small outdoor space behind my home.

This book is completely useless for all of that.

1) It's American and only mentions plants native to the USA, so it has no recommendations for me of native British plants.

2) While there are occasional references to plants that can access deep water, or help the soil store more, or require less energy to maintain, there is very little content on how or why my garden should change in response to climate change. The author seems to grasp that mishaps like gales and flooding will occur, but not things like hosepipe bans in the face of water shortages.

3) The book is not merely about shade gardening, but about *woodland* gardening. Most of the content anticipates a much larger garden space than the British suburban back yard.

All that said, the book is really beautiful, full of colour plates of gorgeous plantings. It's just not really about gardening for climate change and not useful in the UK. Americans, however, should go to town on it.

[Steven McKay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of good content, but its organization leaves something to be desired. Far too frequently it veers off topic and resorts to listing plants for particular uses. Plant lists are fine, but I was surprised at their prevalence in this book that purports to address gardening "in the age of climate change."

Another reviewer noted an absence of hardiness information which is one of my pet peeves. A large proportion of the recommended plants are not hardy in my cold-winter midwestern climate, but many readers wouldn't know this.

I need to go back to Mr Druse's previous shade garden book. I read it years ago, and I can't help but wonder what this new book contains that was lacking in the first.

The photos are spectacular and inspiring.

[Kali · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this a long time ago when I was planning some shade plantings and finally finishing it. There are some good garden design tips and ideas for how to use shady spots to your advantage. I appreciated the focus on environmentally friendly practices and the use of native plants. However, coming from a traditional landscaping background, the author does not seem very knowledgeable about potentially invasive (and very popular in the landscaping industry) plants. Some of the example plants, like liriope and ivy, are horribly invasive in my region and tough to eradicate. Definitely do your own research on what’s best for your area before planting any of the species listed in the book!

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful landscape Photos and Native Plant friendly

As a longtime gardener but a new convert to choosing plants native to our Virginia Piedmont, I learned much from this lovely book. The photos gave us ideas of how to arrange beds and provided lists of species and their particularities.
Living on heavily wooded property, I found Ken Druse’s practical ways to determine the level of light and shade most useful. We will rely on this book for years to come.

[K.V. Johansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of interesting information and ideas in this, but a major drawback is the lack of hardiness zone information.

[Tara Blais Davison · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 This was, by far, the most comprehensive book about shade gardening I have ever read. The depth of knowledge was phenomenal; covering the basics of purpose and design, how to plant a tree, to photosynthesis, and the benefit of shade gardening. The author discussed the difference between light shade to medium and deep shade explaining that most plant tags do not give a clear indication of the required type of shade; using an open circle to define a plant requiring a sunny position, an half blackened circle to define the need for part shade and a fully blacked circle requiring shade. This book suggests the need for interpretation and experimentation on the individual gardeners part, whether you are a beginner or professional. It offers plant suggestions for each scenario based on hours of required sunlight; size of tree, hedge, and ground cover; gives suggestions on how to create dappled shade through canopy planting, future-proofing, planting in tiers, and cautioning the reader against possible purchasing mistakes by defining botanical terms. My only criticism was the lack of images and diagrams. Most of the photos included where of a good standard however gardening is an area of interest where visuals can and should be highlighted in order to appeal to a wider market. Some gardeners are motivated by the exercise it affords them, others by the sense of accomplishment, still some by the produce but most all are motivated by the resultant beauty and creative outlet.

[David A. Floering · Rating 5 out of 5]

Useful reference

Hopefully this’ll be my go to reference for beginning my shade garden. The numerous comprehensive tables of shade tolerant plants are very useful as I plot a strategy to identify plantings for my evolving garden. The book is easy to read and contains numerous nuggets of wisdom that I highlighted for Readwise. I believe that I will use this book for many years.

[Misti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a lot of shade so I was curious to see what Druse would advise. He gave me a lot of ideas, thought many plants suggested would likely not work for my region. Someone want to write a "Southern Shade Garden" book??? ;)

[angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using this book to design my own shade garden and it made me appreciate all the cool things you can do, even though the lack of sunlight is often seen as a limitation. Climate change is making the world hotter anyway so I'm thankful for my shady garden!!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your yard has any shade, this reference book is the perfect guide! Ken explains the hows and whys of the appropriate plants accompanied by beautiful photos. A winner!

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Photos are beautiful and inspiring but text is just ok.

[Sharron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book to own and to keep close at hand. A definite keeper.

[superawesomekt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of practical ideas and inspirational photos. Most of my backyard is shaded, so this will help replace the ivy we are trying to rip out.

[Loree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another pretty picture book with too much info for this possible budding gardener. A few bits of relevant info received and...pretty pictures. 🌸

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t read every single page, but a good one to come back to for shade ideas, tips on growing moss and other coverings instead of grass, and more.

[Joe Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book that is useful and practical

So much great information in this book. A lot of times I flip through garden books. I read this one cover to cover.

[Sarah Ellen]

Good &funny book on shade gardening. He talks about some plants being “invasive thugs”. Enjoyed.

[Daryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

You are never finished with this compendium of wisdom accumulated by a student of nature and the plant kingdom specifically. I will return to it whenever I have questions about shade gardens.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ken Druse has given us a visually beautiful and information-packed book that takes shade gardening to another level. Most home gardeners are on a desultory search for halfway-attractive plants that can survive with their hostas among the tree roots of their aging landscapes. Druse has lifted the shade garden to a landscape choice that not only delights the eye but conserves precious natural resources, and our personal gardening energy as well. A gifted photographer, he packs the book with gorgeous illustrations of his own NJ landscape, tells stories from his own journey, and provides well-researched lists of plant choices and care notes. “The garden of the future will be a shade garden," he says. "There are many reasons: fiscal, historical, environmental—and for the sake of our health and the planet’s.” And he inspires us to get on board.

[Teacup195 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ken Druse talks such common sense it makes you wonder why his points haven't occurred to you before. He has marvelous suggestions for creating shade and planting in the shade, where it's much more comfortable to garden than in the hot sun. I'm planning a new garden of my own and will certainly be putting some of his suggestions into practice.

[Tina Panik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful for plant selection. Good descriptions accompany the photos.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great reference. Took several notes. Know better what to look for and what environment shade plants need. Author gardens in NJ my hometown state

[Jessica Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I owned this and didn’t have to return it to the library. I want to use it as a reference and look at the pictures again and again.