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Step 1
Create a plan for the shady areas. Whether you have a landscape professional plan your yard or you do it yourself, having a plan allows you to choose plants with the right height, texture and color. Map out where the shade plants will go so that you can figure out how many you'll need. Some of the landscape software available allows you to try out different looks with various plants and arrangements.
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Step 2
Use a plant guide to identify potential plants. You'll need to find plants that are not only shade plants, but that will also thrive in your climate zone. You can find plant guides online, in bookstores or in many gardening centers (see Resources below).
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Step 3
Pay attention to the plant information at the nursery. As you shop for plants, the tags can provide additional information and help you identify shade plants. You may also want to ask nursery staff to help you choose plants that will work best in your yard.
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Step 4
Group shade plants together. Before you buy your plants, put them together to see how the textures and colors look. Most garden centers have out of the way places that you quickly set up a small arrangement and see how it looks. You may find that the particular greens don't look the way you want and this gives you a chance to change before you purchase the plants.
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Step 5
Buy a ready made shade garden set. You can order shade gardens from a number of sources. Although the particulars will differ, these sets often have a number of different plants that work well together. If you're apprehensive about choosing your own plants, this can be a good option to start with.
