The north side of a building is not. It is the most challenging of all gardens since colour cannot be the primary design feature. Foliage, texture and shape are the primary attractions along with subtle and sporadic flowering. Shade plants traditionally have large leaves to capture as much sunlight as possible. Variations in leaf shape, size and colour are critical features when selecting an attractive combination of plants.
Flowers are often white to reflect light and capture the maximum amount of the sun's energy.
Shade plants also tend to creep along the surface in search of sunlight, and intermingle with other plants. These types of plant associations are essential in shade gardens. It is difficult for one plant to stand out on its own, at least for very long. There are different types of shade ranging from dappled sunlight offered by the filtered shade from trees or shrubs to dense shade from the shadows cast by buildings or fences. Filtered shade offers the greatest selection of suitable plants including spring flowering bulbs which need the sun in early spring prior to the trees leafing out.