If you have a yard that is too shaded, has poor soil, or that you don’t want to have to use a lot of water to maintain, then forgoing grass may be a smart move. Regardless of the reason why you don’t have grass, your yard can still look great. All you need is the right landscaping ideas and a bit of creativity.
Tips for Landscaping a Shaded Yard
For grass to stay healthy, it requires a lot of sunshine. If your yard remains shaded most of the time, choose plants that like the shade to get the best results. Try to find plants that have nice-looking foliage rather than flowers. Some ideas to consider include:
Native Plants: Try to find forest-dwelling plants that are sold at the local nursery. These will be properly adapted to growing in shady areas and usually don’t require any fertilizer or other types of maintenance.
Groundcover: These are considered low-lying plants and will never get more than 12 to 18 inches tall. It is possible to grow them alone or plant them between taller plants to cover bare areas on the ground.
Taller Plants: European ginger, astilbe, and Japanese painted fern can help break up the flat plane created by shorter ground cover in a shaded yard.
Sitting Areas and Paths: A shady yard is the ideal location to relax so you can create an outdoor haven with brick pathways, furniture, hammocks, benches, and stone pavers. You can also add garden art, trellises, and bird fountains to increase the vertical interest in your yard.
Tips for Landscaping a Yard with Subpar Soil
If you are dealing with heavy clay soil, can’t get anything to grow, or have nutrient-poor soil, it may be a matter of planting the wrong things. While this can be frustrating, there are some things you can try that will grow well, even in poor soil. These include:
Black Jack Sedum: This is easy to grow and maintain and produces light pink blossoms with dark purple foliage. These will grow to be three feet tall and thrive in full sun.
Bleeding Hearts: These feature heart-shaped blossoms that can add a cottage-like feel to the landscape. Bleeding hearts prefer to be partly in the shade.
Periwinkle: This is a type of creeping groundcover that grows star-shaped blossoms and can grow to be a foot tall. It is a plant that prefers to be partially in the shade, and wherever it is planted, it will prevent the growth of weeds.
Lenten Roses: This is a tough plant that can grow even in drought, humidity, heat, and poor soil. They will grow to be up to two feet tall and want full shade or part sun.
As you can see, you have several options to landscape your yard, even if grass isn’t an option. Keep the information here in mind to see what type of things you can grow in your yard. Once you plant the right things, you will love spending time in your yard and enjoying the peaceful oasis you create.