7 simple ways to make a north-facing garden feel brighter – these tricks will maximise light, colour and year-round interest

Love your house but have a north-facing garden that's tricky to deal with? North-facing gardens aren't a reason not to buy a house, but they do come with their issues – we're here to help you solve them with our experts' help.

Of course, there are some advantages too – no direct sunlight, which means you can fill the space with plants that love a little shade.

'A north-facing garden doesn’t have to feel dark or uninspiring,' agrees Julian Palphramand, head of plants at British Garden Centres. 'In fact, with a few smart tweaks, it can become one of the most atmospheric and usable spaces in your home.'

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1. Lighten up your surfaces

'Start by using light-coloured surfaces, think pale paving, and use white or pastel-toned containers to bounce the limited sunlight around and make the garden feel more open,' suggests Julian.

Gravel is also good for this; choose white for a completely bright look. B&Q sell white 10- 20 mm chippings for a large bag that will cover 0.3m2 for £10.

Richard Barker, horticultural expert and commercial director of LBS Horticulture, agrees, 'Change dark coloured decking or muddy lawns for paving in lighter shades to naturally brighten the space. Any darker coloured areas will absorb the little light that your garden receives.'

For paler paving, check out B&Q's Bradstone fossil buff sandstone paving slabs, £7 each for 30 x 60cm. They are warm in colour and will lighten up your dark patio.

2. Add shade loving plants

If you've always wanted a variety like foxgloves but haven't been able to in the past, then now is the time.

'Plants such as ferns, hostas and hellebores can thrive in low-light conditions, making them ideal for including in a north-facing garden,' says Richard. 'They can be strategically placed in areas that receive little to no sunlight, brightening the garden more naturally.'

'These shade-loving plants are your best friends and will thrive in these conditions, giving you lush foliage and reliable colour without needing full sun,' adds Julian.

Foxgloves are such a striking plant to grow. Go bold with your colour choices like this Firecracker variety in a bright orange, £15.99 for a 2-litre pot, Gardening Express. For a resilient option, consider hellebores, this Double Ellen Pink Spotted is a lovely variety with double petaled flowers, currently £9.74 for a 9cm pot, Crocus.

3. Cover your walls and fences

There are two options when it comes to walls and fences: you can either paint them or train climbers up them – or do both, of course – both are great ways to brighten up these areas.

There are so many great paint colours that will brighten up a shady garden. We love Cuprinol's Country Cream, which is a definite win when it comes to lightening up your garden, £4.75 for a tester pot from B&Q.

'A great way of introducing colour and texture is to select some climbers which thrive in shady spots. These will also provide shelter for wild birds or insects, as well as pollen or berries for food,' advises Lucie Bradley, gardening and greenhouse expert, Easy Garden Irrigation.

Lucie recommends climbing hydrangeas: 'They have lush, bright green, heart-shaped leaves in the spring, large, fragrant white flower heads throughout the summer, followed by the foliage turning bright yellow in autumn, and once these fall, it leaves reddish-brown stems throughout winter.' 


You can buy 'hydrangea petiolaris', a reliable self-clinging climber, for a reduced rate presently of £17.21 for a 2-litre pot from Crocus.

4. Check out low maintenance perennials

'Perennials are a great addition to any garden as they provide you with a cost-effective, reliable and low-maintenance backbone to your garden,' advises Lucie. 'With herbaceous perennials such as hardy geraniums, astilbe and lily of the valley dying back in winter and then reemerging the following year, bringing with them fresh lush foliage and colourful blooms – they are definitely worth considering.'

Crocus have a lovely hardy geranium variety called 'geranium sanguineum var. striatum or striped bloody cranesbill, currently on offer for £7.49 for a 9cm pot. It has lovely pale pink flowers and loves partial shade.

Lucie also suggests evergreen perennials, which will add structure all year round. 'A good option is heuchera 'Midnight Rose' with its glossy dark maroon foliage with bold pink speckles.' You can buy a 1-litre potted plant of this variety from Dobies for £19.99. It's an excellent filler for containers, too.

5. Add splashes of colour with annuals

Annuals are a really good option, but you need to plan your seasons, Lucie explains, 'You can use annuals to add a splash of colour to a north-facing garden through the year as long as you are careful with which plants you select as they need to be able to cope with shade, cooler temperatures and damper environments.'

For example, in spring, pansies and violas will add light and colour. Then in the summer, you will have lots of choices. 'Begonias which will still provide nonstop blooms of bright colours when in permanent shadow and cool soil, impatiens, fuchsias and even lobelia which can cope in partial shade,' advises Lucie.

'When the autumn months arrive, you could then introduce chrysanthemums, which will provide bright bursts of colour in low light as well as hardy cyclamen, which are perfect for shaded areas or underplanted by trees or shrubs.'

At this time of year, you can buy begonias; they like bright indirect light and are great for beds, borders and hanging baskets. We like the 'begonia x tuberhybrida' variety, which is shades of apricot, from £8.99, Dobies.

Early summer is a good time to buy established chrysanthemum plants as they can be planted straight into your borders. Check out B&Q's Garden Bloom chrysanthemum plug plants, 12 for £17.09.

6. Choose brighter greenery

'In areas where you do not get natural light, include plants that have bright or variegated foliage,' suggests Richard. 'This can add colour and interest in shaded areas instead of hiding dark plants in the already dark areas of your garden.'

You can pick plants and shrubs that have brighter green foliage, like low-maintenance ferns, for example. The shuttlecock/ostrich fern variety is the most common and will work beautifully, £9.95 for a 2-litre pot from Gardening Express.

Or opt for varieties that have colourful leaves like Coprosma 'Eclipse', £11.99 from B&Q, which has striking, almost neon pink and black foliage and loves partial shade.

7. Pop in some reflective surfaces

'To lift the mood, add a few reflective touches: a mirror on a wall or fence, or a small water feature, can catch and throw light deeper into the garden,' says Julian.

We love Dobies Serenity Laurel Green large mirror, it's currently £129.99 and will definitely help to bounce the light around your north-facing garden.

Water features bring a calmness to a garden as well as lift it up visually. Take a look at Amazon's Primrose 60cm stainless steel waterfall blade cascade, £87.98. It's easy to install and will enhance your garden instantly.

North-facing garden essential buys

Having a north-facing garden isn't the end of the world. In fact, some fabulous plants and accessories will instantly lift the space. It's about layering your planting and thinking ahead so you can have texture and colour all year round.