A really informative book about how to grow plants in shade. It made me think about my shady areas in more detail. I found the breakdown of different plant types with information about how to grow individual plants with their needs really useful and educational. This book has opened my eyes to the possibilities available to actually grow things in the shade. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to know more about shade tolerant plants and the wide range that are available and possible to grow in the UK.

This is a fabulous book. I have a dark, dry shady area in my garden desperately in need of regeneration, and this book is going to help me plan something amazing!

Lots of lovely photos for inspiration, but also broken down into digestible chunks. I especially like the section which describes each plant detailing clear advice on what sort of ground they like. I'll be planting under leylandii which means the area is dark and dry - this books offers plenty of suggestions which should thrive in this terrain.

The four sections help you understand your area and plan properly. I'm fairly new to gardening and this is just the sort of book I need. Practical advice delivering in manageable parts.

This is a beautiful and well presented book, with lots of information and photos to demonstrate various points about shade.
I live in an area with hot arid summers and cold winters, and of course I love to be able to grow the many shade loving plants I admire.
Having read this book I realise that all is not lost, there are area that I can work with to grow some of these shade loving plants. Time for me to explore and create shady spaces.
This is a lovely book to read and get a better understanding of plants and shade ( and drool over)

Although this book has lovely pictures and some good ideas, gardeners in the US will find this British book less than useful. it's completely missing any North American zone information. Those living in areas that don't have climates like England's will find themselves needing to go to other books as suplements.

Thankyou to Quarto Publishing Group and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the informative guidebook. A guide on how to transform the shaded areas of your garden into plant paradise.
It discusses a wide range of topics such as types of soil, containers, window boxes, sun paths and much more. Susanna Grant goes into great detail on the best plants to put into your garden to make the most of the space you have and also the limited light you have. She also talks about how to care and look after your plants, so they thrive and grow
The photography throughout is stunning, showing projects Grant has done herself and also detailed photos to go along with the text to help explain what to do in your own garden.
No matter the size of your garden or the limited light you have it shouldn't limit the endless possibilities of what you can produce or create. We should be encouraged to do more gardening and grow as much as we can and Grant certainly helps us do this.
This is definitely a reference book, that you dip in and out of so you don't get overwhelmed with information and also concentrate on one section at a time.

This is an interesting and well done book by a British gardener. It is filled with photos of shade gardens and good plants to put in them, along with lots of advice. Since it is a British book, it does not list zones for the plants and that kept it from being particularly helpful for me as a zone 4 Minnesota gardener. I also just wasn't drawn to the photos or the gardens. They have a dark, somber, sophisticated feel to them. I am more of a haphazard, quirky, colorful cottage garden kind of gardener. Peek inside and see if it's a good fit for you. It's an excellent resource if it matches your style and aspirations.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

Shade is an excellent guidebook to transforming the shady areas we all have into gardens. The book offers advice on a wide range of topics, such as how to determine the sun’s path, how to analyze your soil, the choice of plants, the use of containers and window boxes, and how to care for your plants. While the book seems to be designed more for the UK, it’s still applicable for the US. An informative read that is never boringly technical.

My thanks to Quarto Publishing Group and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the informative guidebook.