The Shade Gardening Podcast
The Shade Gardening Podcast is a practical guide to gardening in low-light conditions, hosted by professional gardener Marcus Bergin. It explores the plants, design ideas and real-world challenges that shape gardens beneath trees, beside walls and in overlooked corners. Episodes cover dry shade, difficult soil, wildlife, changing weather and the way gardens make us feel. Whether you are planting a first shady border or rethinking an established garden, the show offers honest conversation, useful advice and reassurance.
Episodes
Welcome to The Shade Gardening Podcast: Your Guide, Marcus, Shares His Story
In this first episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, Marcus, your host and a professional gardener with over 20 years of experience, introduces himself and shares his passion for shade gardening. Learn about the podcast’s focus on helping you transform those tricky, low-light areas of your garden into lush, thriving spaces. Marcus also teases future episodes that will cover plant profiles, design
Ep. 02 What is Shade? The Basics of Shade Gardening
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we explore the fundamentals of shade gardening. What exactly is shade, and how does it differ from traditional gardening? Marcus breaks down the different types of shade—full, partial, dappled, and deep—and explains why understanding these is key to your garden's success. We also discuss the unique challenges and rewards of gardening in low light.
T
EP: 03. Choosing the Right Shade Plants: Featuring Heuchera and Design Tips
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we explore plant selection for shade gardens, with a special focus on the versatile and colorful Heuchera, also known as Coral Bells. Marcus explains how to choose the right plants for different types of shade, from full to dappled, and how to use foliage, texture, and even flowers to create a vibrant and dynamic garden in low light.
Discover the be
Creating a Wildlife-Friendly Shade Garden: Attracting Pollinators and More
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we explore how to turn your shade garden into a haven for wildlife. Learn how to attract beneficial creatures like bees, butterflies, birds, and more with the right plants and design strategies. Marcus covers the best shade-loving plants, including Pulmonaria, that provide nectar and shelter, and explains how to create habitats using layered planting
Tackling Common Shade Gardening Challenges: Soil, Pests, and Plant Growth
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we’re addressing some of the most common challenges faced by shade gardeners, from dealing with compacted soil to managing pesky pests like slugs and snails. Marcus shares practical tips on improving soil health, balancing moisture, and boosting plant growth in low-light conditions. We also dive into natural solutions for pest control and explore way
Creating Colour in Shade: Best Blooms for Low Light Spaces
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, host Marcus delves into one of the most exciting aspects of shade gardening—bringing vibrant, colourful blooms into those shaded areas of your garden. While shade gardens are often known for their lush green foliage, they can also be full of colour, texture, and life! This episode will guide you through some of the best shade-loving plants that offer
Architectural Shade Plants – Adding Structure and Height to Your Garden
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we explore how to add structure and height to your garden using architectural shade plants. These plants bring bold form and drama to low-light spaces, helping transform flat gardens into dynamic, multi-layered spaces. We’ll discuss some of the best architectural plants, including:
Fatsia japonica: With its large, tropical leaves, Fatsia grows up to
Shade-Loving Groundcovers – The Perfect Plants for Low-Maintenance Gardens
Welcome to The Shade Gardening Podcast! In this episode, we’ll explore how shade-loving groundcovers can transform your garden into a low-maintenance, vibrant space. Groundcovers are ideal for filling empty spots, suppressing weeds, and adding texture to your garden, all while requiring minimal care.
We’ll cover some of the best shade-loving groundcovers, including:
Pachysandra terminalis (Japan
Moisture-Loving Plants for Damp, Shaded Areas
Welcome back to The Shade Gardening Podcast! In this episode, we’re tackling one of the trickiest gardening challenges—damp, shaded areas that tend to stay wet after rainfall or remain boggy throughout the season. These areas can be tough to manage, but with the right plant selection, you can turn them into lush, thriving spaces full of texture, colour, and life.
We’ll start by discussing the uni
Getting Your Shade Garden Ready for Winter: Mulching, Pruning, and More
Episode Title: Winter Prep for Shade Gardens: Essential Tips to Protect Your Plants
As the temperatures drop and the days grow shorter, it’s time to prepare your shade garden for the winter months ahead. In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we dive into essential tips and techniques to ensure your shade-loving plants survive the cold season and come back even stronger in the spring. Wh
A Fresh Start: Rediscovering the Magic of Shade Gardening
The Shade Gardening Podcast is back—with a fresh start!
In this episode, Marcus reintroduces the podcast with a new focus: practical advice, inspiring plant choices, and design tips to transform even the trickiest shady spots into thriving garden spaces. Whether you’re working with a north-facing border, a woodland retreat, or a damp, forgotten corner, there’s a world of possibility waiting in th
Unlocking the Secrets of Shade: Understanding Light and Choosing the Right Plants
Episode 2: Unlocking the Secrets of Shade – Understanding Light and Choosing the Right Plants
Not all shade is the same! In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we dive into the different types of shade—dappled, partial, full, and the all-important difference between dry and moist shade. Understanding your garden’s light conditions is the key to choosing the right plants and creating a th
Essential Early Spring Tasks
Spring Awakening – Essential Tasks to Revive Your Shade Garden
Spring is stirring, and it’s time to wake up your shade garden! In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we’re diving into the essential early spring tasks that will set your garden up for a season of lush growth and colour.
🌿 In this episode, we cover:
✔ Clearing winter debris and refreshing mulch for healthy soil
✔ Pruning
Invasive or Misunderstood?
Is that plant truly invasive, or is it just a vigorous grower in the right conditions? In this special episode, we’re tackling the most common questions from The Shade Gardening Facebook Group about so-called ‘invasive’ plants. We’ll break down what the term really means, why some plants get an unfair reputation, and how gardeners can take a more balanced approach. Are we avoiding plants out of fe
Tough Soil? How to Garden Under Pine Trees Successfully
Struggling to garden under pine trees? You’re not alone!
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we tackle a common challenge faced by gardeners—improving poor soil under mature trees without disturbing their roots.
Inspired by a fantastic question from Delores Deering-Taylor in the Shade Gardening Facebook Group, we dive into:
✔️ Why soil under pine trees is so difficult—compacted clay
Deer-Resistant Shade Gardening – What Actually Works?
Deer-Resistant Shade Gardening – What Actually Works?
Description:
If you’ve ever planted something in your shade garden only to find it nibbled to the ground the next morning, you’re not alone! In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we tackle one of the biggest frustrations for gardeners—keeping deer from turning your shade garden into their personal buffet.
We’ll cover:
✅ Why deer-r
Grasses in the Shade Garden? Yes, Please.
When you think of ornamental grasses, you probably picture them basking in full sun—rippling across prairie borders or swaying in golden meadows. But what about in the shade?
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we shine a light on a surprisingly overlooked topic: using grasses and sedges in shady gardens. Inspired by a question from our Facebook group, we explore why grasses matter in
Hydrangeas in the Shade – Spring Care and Growing Gorgeous Blooms
Hydrangeas in shade? Absolutely. In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we're focusing on how to care for these beloved flowering shrubs in those cooler, lower-light areas of your garden.
Spring is the perfect time to give your hydrangeas a little attention. We’ll walk through how to choose the right type for shade, what early spring jobs will set them up for success, and how to encourag
Can Anything Flower in Deep Shade? – Finding Colour Where You Least Expect It
Got a dark, awkward patch in your garden that feels like nothing will grow? Don’t write it off just yet. In this episode, we’re embracing the quiet magic of deep shade and sharing how even the gloomiest corners can become lush, layered, and full of charm.
From choosing resilient plants like Pulmonaria and Epimedium to creating a living tapestry of texture and subtle colour, we explore how shade g
Look Up! Climbers, Walls, and the Hidden Vertical Garden
Look Up! Climbers, Walls, and the Hidden Vertical Garden
Description:
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we’re shifting our gaze from ground level to the often-forgotten vertical spaces in our gardens. Inspired by planting a star jasmine near his own fence, Marcus explores the untapped beauty of climbers—plants that can transform fences, walls, garages, and shaded corners into lush,
Hunting for Shade Plants – Garden Centres, Gaps, and Glorious Finds
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we step away from the garden beds and head into the world of garden centres, nurseries, and plant fairs. Marcus shares the real-life challenges of hunting for shade-loving plants in a market often dominated by sun lovers—and offers practical advice for finding hidden gems.
We’ll cover:
Why shade plants are often so hard to find
The pitfalls of sho
Shady Slope? What to Plant and Why It Works
Got a sloping patch of shade that’s more problem than planting space? You’re not alone. In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, Marcus explores one of the trickiest garden challenges: shady slopes. Whether you’re battling dry soil under trees, a bank where water runs off too quickly, or a slope that’s just sat bare for years—this episode will give you practical advice and a fresh perspecti
Designing with Softness: How to Create Flow in Shady Borders
What gives a garden that gentle, flowing feel—the kind that draws you in and makes you want to stay awhile?
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we explore the art of designing with softness in shaded spaces. From choosing plants that sway and mingle to shaping borders that guide the eye with subtle curves and layers, we’ll talk through the elements that create movement, balance, and c
The Trouble with Weed Fabric—and the Wisdom Beneath Our Feet
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we’re pulling back the mulch literally and taking a closer look at weed fabric. It promises a weed-free garden, but more often delivers frustration, failing plants, and lifeless soil.
We’ll explore why weed fabric rarely works long-term, how it impacts the hidden ecosystem beneath our feet, and what really happens to the soil when we seal it off fro
Is It Failing or Just Resting? Understanding Plant Life in the Shade
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, we’re rethinking what it means for a plant to “perform.”
If you’ve ever looked at a shady border and wondered why something isn’t flowering—or if a once-thriving plant has simply disappeared—you’re not alone. Shade gardens follow a different rhythm, and many of our favourite plants grow, bloom, rest, and return on their own quiet schedule.
We’ll ex
A Week in the Shade: Clay, Questions, and Quiet Discoveries
This week in the shade garden, we’re taking a gentle stroll through the conversations that lit up the Facebook group—from clay soil challenges and shifting light after tree loss, to hosta care, Fatsia fascination, and just how many shade plants might grow in your zone.
We’ll dig into the quiet beauty of Spigelia, the mystery of Arisaema, and the real-life questions that so many gardeners are faci
Quiet Water, Wild Life: Building Ponds in Shady Gardens
Quiet Water, Wild Life: Building Ponds in Shady Gardens
Can you really have a pond in full shade? Absolutely—and it might be one of the best things you ever do for your garden.
In this episode, we slow things right down and take a gentle wander into the world of shady ponds and bog gardens. From forgotten corners and damp patches to old sinks and washing-up bowls, you’ll hear just how easy it is
Welcome Back to the Shade
After a little time away, The Shade Gardening Podcast is back.
In this first episode of Season 2, Marcus shares why he decided to return to the microphone and why shade gardening continues to inspire gardeners around the world. From the calming beauty of woodland-style planting to the joy of discovering plants that thrive where others struggle, this episode is a gentle reminder that shade isn't a
Why Every Garden Has Shade
Many gardeners believe that nothing grows in shade, but is that really true?
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, Marcus explores one of the biggest misconceptions in gardening and explains why shade isn't a problem to overcome, but an opportunity to create something truly beautiful.
From understanding the different types of shade found in every garden to discovering plants that thriv
Gardening with Deer: Is Anything Truly Deer Resistant?
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?
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, Marcus explores the reality of gardening in areas where deer are regular visitors. Rather than chasing the myth of a completely deer-proof garden, he shares a more practical approach: understanding deer behav
Dry Shade: Gardening's Toughest Challenge
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.
But they don't have to.
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, Marcus explains why dry shade can be so challenging and, more importantly, how you can work with t
The Right Plant in the Wrong Place
Have you ever planted something that you later wished you hadn't?
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, Marcus explores a question that sparked more than 150 responses from the Shade Gardening community: "Which plant do you regret planting?"
The answers ranged from vigorous groundcovers like vinca and pachysandra to ambitious climbers such as wisteria, along with mint, English ivy, lil
What This Summer Has Taught Us About Planting in Shade
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.
In this episode of The Shade Gardening Podcast, Marcus looks at what prolonged heat and almost no meaningful rain have done to the plants we normally regar
The Awkward Gap in the Shade Garden
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
Why Does the Same Shade Plant Thrive in One Garden and Fail in Another?
Why can one gardener grow magnificent heucheras, hostas or brunneras while another repeatedly watches the same plants struggle and disappear?
In Season 3, Episode 3 of The Shade Gardening Podcast, Marcus explores why the phrase “grows in shade” tells us only a small part of what a plant needs. Soil, moisture, root competition, wildlife, seasonal temperatures, planting time and even the condition
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