How to Create Shade Gardens in the Pacific Northwest

Determine where you would like to locate your shade garden. Choose a flat, level spot out of the way of children's play areas or backyard grills. If you have a raised garden bed that you'll convert to a shade garden, you can skip this step.

Use your shovel to dig up the soil. If you're creating a new bed, consider what type of garden fencing or edging you might add. With a new garden bed, turn over one to two feet of ground. The soil is likely to be firm and compacted. Turning it over with a shovel aerates the soil. Remove any rocks, sticks or debris from the garden bed.

Mix potting soil or compost into the native soil. This helps provide your garden with rich material that supports plant growth. When your site is ready, you should purchase your plants.

Choose a variety of shade plants. Plan to place taller plants in the back of the garden, where they won't case more shade. Caladium and vinca are two plants that work well in shade gardens, providing a spot of color. Mix green plants with flowering plants for the most attractive garden. Backyard Gardener has a comprehensive list of shade plants divided by hardiness zone.

Wait for an overcast and rain-free day to plant your shade garden. Dig holes in the garden bed.

Remove your plants from their plastic containers and massage the root ball to break it up. Plant all your plants at the same depth as they were planted in their containers, and cover over the remainder of the hole with potting soil. When all your plants have been planted, water the garden.