Shade Gardening In Gretna

by Ryan Fretz

[Originally published in the Summer 2026 issue of Mount Gretna Magazine. View the complete issue to experience this story in its original design, along with additional photographs and content.]

Photo by Ryan Fretz

I’ve worked in the landscape here in Mount Gretna for the past 16 years, and the topic of shade gardening arises again and again. I'd like to share my approach, some observations, and advice to make gardening under the shade more accessible.

Philosophy of shade gardening

Before we focus on the landscape, I tell people to begin with themselves. We are cultivating a mindset just as much as we are cultivating a garden. Embracing the forest aesthetic allows us to work with nature rather than against it. By making simple additions, subtractions, and embellishments to the natural world, we can achieve beautiful results.

There is an innate human desire to control our surroundings. In the constructed world, we see managed landscapes with simple designs and clean lines. By letting go, we make room for serendipity and invite nature and time to become our collaborators.

Observations and advice made in the shade

A good place to start when thinking about what to plant is taking a walk and looking at what grows well in landscapes similar to your own. Pay attention to the degree of shade. Some locations receive morning or afternoon sun; others get dappled sunspots through the day. Still others are blanketed in deep shade, which can really limit options. Take note of ground conditions. Are you in a boggy hollow or on a dry slope?

Garden art, outdoor living spaces, and elements of whimsy are ubiquitous in Gretna’s gardens. These elements offer an opportunity for self-expression, and you don’t have to worry about underwatering your garden gnome.

Potted arrangements of mixed annuals and perennials are highly effective in creating beautiful focal points in the landscape. They work well framing entryways and are a good solution for dry spots where mature trees compete for moisture.

Buying plants for shade limits your palette. Annuals in full sun offer a cascade of blooms, but many of those best suited for shade have showy foliage, pastel hues that pop in the dark, and shimmery sheens.

Some of my favorite foliage plants are coleus, caladium, Persian shield (Strobilanthes dyeriana), and Rex begonias (Begonia rex-cultorum). Favorite flowering options are impatiens, bedding begonias, Streptocarpella, and Velvet Elvis (Plectranthus). There are also plants labeled for sun, such as cannas and Elephant Ears (Alocasia and Colocasia), that will do just fine in the shade, but on a diminished scale, growing to just a fraction of their potential.

An important consideration in plant selection is whether a plant is native, non-native but well-behaved, or non-native and aggressively invasive. Our native plants are the foundation of the ecosystem, converting the sun’s energy into food for everything else.

Most insects rely on specific host plants to reproduce — the relationship between the monarch butterfly and milkweed being the most famous. Non-native plants exist outside of these relationships and therefore do not contribute to our ecosystem.

Many non-natives from similar global climates are welcome additions to our landscape, such as hostas, but it’s the use of non-natives that aggressively spread that is a real problem. Privet, barberry, and burning bush are sweeping across the forest. Wisteria, English ivy, and trumpet vine are pulling down trees and our homes, and there is a host of groundcovers, each vying for its own monoculture. These invasive plants outcompete and replace natives, decreasing insect populations, which, in turn, reduces bird populations, and so on.

Pachysandra and other invasive ground covers are well established in Gretna. They can be effective and attractive, but it’s best to be aware of their aggressive tendencies and keep them in check. Consider native options such as golden ragwort (Packera aurea), wild geranium (Geranium maculatum), or our native pachysandra for use as ground cover in the landscape.

Dealing with deer

Another challenge facing Gretna’s gardeners is the overpopulation of white-tailed deer. Not only are they halting the natural regeneration of the forest, but they are also coming for your flowers. Be prepared to use a deterrent spray, such as Repels-All, to protect your plantings, or focus on using plants deer do not eat. The menu is ever-expanding, but ferns are a safe bet.

One effective strategy for planters is to place them in elevated locations just out of reach of hungry herbivores. Cottages in the middle of the neighborhoods are more protected, but anyone living on the forest edge knows the deer well. Some choose to maintain their beautiful garden oasis by installing deer exclusion fencing.

Part of the magical feeling of being in Gretna is the sense of separation from what constitutes everyday life in the outside world. Our collective attentiveness — the care and love put into our shade-filled forest gardens — helps cast that spell.

Ryan Fretz is a Mount Gretna native with a degree in fine art and a career in landscaping. His current work seeks a synthesis of that education and his preferred medium: the gardens of his hometown.