Many gardeners struggle with their property’s shaded areas. True, turfgrass won’t grow in heavy shade (anywhere with less than 6 hours of direct, full sun), but there are many plants which prefer either partial or even full shade. All it takes is a shift in your landscape vision for shaded areas to go from thin, unthrifty turf to the healthy restful gems of your landscape. Benefits & Challenges of Shade First, soil moisture doesn’t evaporate as quickly from shaded areas, which reduces the need for watering during most of the year. Shaded areas are also cooler, making it easier for plants to tolerate hot summer days. And, once established, a shade garden is fairly low maintenance.