Maximising light in shady gardens
2026-06-29T11:27:52+10:00
As more light = faster growth, here are a few bright design tricks to harness the winter sun in your garden.
If your yard is anything like ours (limited light as it’s blocked by a neighbour’s tall evergreen trees and shed on the north border) you may find once-sunny, productive patches have become dark, damp spaces. Here’s a few tips for making the most of the winter sun in your garden.
- Grow vertically: Use a fence, trellis or arch for plants to climb and access higher levels of your garden where it is brighter and sunnier.
- Use reflective surfaces: Bounce light into dark areas with mirrors and position plants near white walls and light-coloured water tanks to capture the reflected light.
- Chase the sun: Grow in pots and grow bags. This way you can move them around to catch the shifting winter light.
- Add layers strategically: Organise your crops by height, plant shortest crops on the northern side and tallest on the southern side to prevent shading.
- Increase spacing: Give plants extra room so each plant receives more light and airflow. This also reduces the risk of fungal diseases like powdery mildew.
- And in cooler regions boost growth further by capturing heat: use bricks, stone or water features to store daytime warmth and release it overnight. Cloches or frost cloths also help retain heat and boost growth.
Subscribe to ABC Organic Gardener magazine for seasonal advice on edibles to plant throughout the year. Our Winter 2026 issue is out now with advice on how to grow more no matter the size of your garden! You’ll also find it in your local newsagent and select supermarkets.
