The many shades of shade

There are many different types of shade for horticultural enthusiasts to deal with, according to an expert.

Gardening guru Helen Yemm makes her comments in the online pages of the Daily Telegraph, suggesting that the different varieties of shade can have different effects on plants.

"There is shade that is a result of overhanging deciduous trees, there is shade – generally for only part of the day – generated by nearby tall walls or … hedges and there is deep inhospitable shade found under the canopy of wide-spreading evergreens such as yew," she explains.

As such, Ms Yemm identifies a range of different herbaceous flora that can be used in darker areas, including snowdrops, shade-tolerant geraniums and hellebores.

Concluding, she notes that many perennial plants will put up a decent show if the quality of soil is improved with mulch and compost.

In recent days, Ms Yemm suggested that people should be selective in the materials they use in composts to ensure that they do not sprout.