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 awkward gap occurs, which plants can help carry a shaded border through it, and why flowers may not always be the answer. Foliage, shrubs, grasses, paths and other permanent features can all hold the garden together while its earlier plants take a step back. But is this really a gap that needs fixing—or have we become too accustomed to expecting continuous colour? Perhaps the shade garden hasn’t stopped at all. It may simply be pausing between two very different performances.