Have a shady yard? Don't despair. There are some foolproof plants that will make your garden stand out and be the envy of the neighborhood.
1. Step one: Consider your goal. Do you want curb appeal? Do you want to be able to have birdbaths and bird feeders and enjoy nature? Do you want privacy? Start from your goal and work from there.  If you enjoy puttering around in the garden, you may not want a low-maintenance garden. If you'd prefer to sit back and read and enjoy your garden, you might prefer to keep maintenance to a minimum by using easy to grow plants that aren't fussy. So imagine how you want to use your garden. If you're busy, low maintenance is probably your best bet.
                                                        
                                             

2. Don't rule out an all-white garden or a MOSTLY white garden, punctuatated by soft touches of color. Why? Because white gardens "pop" at dusk, standing out against the dark.  The plants seem to be visible for a longer period of time at night and, with the proper lighting, can glow ALL night long. Touches of white or light colors lighten the darkest shade gardens and help to highlight the foliages and textures of the rest of the garden. This year, I planted nothing but white impatiens and begonias (for my annuals) and was surprised by all the positive comments I received!. Rather than being monotonous, the white plants set off the green foliage of my hostas and ferns beautifully and a few garden artifacts added interest and extra texture.

3. Combine annuals and perennials but always have some perennials as the "backbone" of your garden. In my garden, I mix perennials like Bleeding Heart, Lamium , Hostas, Trillium , Toad Lillies and ferns with annuals like Impatiens and begonias. Astilbe is also a favorite of many but only some varieties of this perennial will tolerate deep shade. Perennials and Annual plants
                                            

4. Don't turn up your nose at the "common" Hosta. There are new varieties being added every year and they are dependable and help keep down the weeds. If you really can't stand them, though, don't give in and put them in just because you think they "ought" to be in a shade garden. Your garden is for YOUR enjoyment. Stick with what you like. Trust your instincts and be willing to experiment a bit. Some of your best results may happen by accident. Hosta

5. Start from the ground up. Know your soil and enrich it if you have to. Test it and go from there. Don't try to force plants that don't like your soil type to adapt. Soil testing

6. Mulch. Trust me on this. You'll save time and energy. If you can use an edger to separate your garden from your lawn, youll be that much ahead as well. Both save time and work in the long run..

7. Add a few garden accents. An old planter. A piece of stone archtecture. A birdbath. Vary the heights of your plants and accents, aiming for an effect that leads the eye from one area to another  - naturally. Don't make it too formal (unless you are aiming to have a formal garden). garden sculpture  Be creative and think outside the box. Since this was made of stone, I used it to good effect, even though it could just as easily have been used inside and it adds whimsy and variety:
                    

8. Feed your annuals regularly. I use Miracle Grow and am happy with that but try various combinations of products until you find one that works for you. Plant food


9. Recognize that not all shade is alike. Figure out if you have deep shade or partial shade. Use the right plants for your type of shade.

10. Enjoy the results of your hard work!