When positioning an oak garden building on your property, it is important to think about the impact it will have on the surrounding areas in your garden. 

An oak garden building can look truly stunning, and enhance rather than detract from its environment. Blending into the natural setting, nestling amid your plants, an oak garden building won’t look like it was just plonked down there. It can integrate seamlessly into the space – almost looking as though it has grown there. 

But when positioning an oak garden building, careful thought should be given to how the building will influence the space around it. One of the key ways it will have an impact is through creating an area of shade. 

Shade is often considered to be negative by gardeners. But shade can also be beneficial. It can give some respite from the hot summer sun, and give you the opportunity to consider growing a range of shade-tolerant and shade-loving plants. 

Don’t Waste the Space Behind an Oak Garden Building

A new garden building is often placed close to the back of a garden. This can sometimes leave a somewhat awkward and shaded space behind it. But if you plan from the very beginning of the design process, you can turn what could have been a negative into a positive and make the most of this space. 

This shady area behind a new oak garden building might be turned into a quiet, shady nook to enjoy cooling off on warm summer days. It can be a space filled with beautiful shade planting – and might even be a space to branch out in your home growing and grow foods that can thrive in darker spots. 

Add a Bench or Other Seat to Relax in the Shade

Though many are sun-seekers, many also like to relax in the shade on a hot summer’s day. The solid and enduring structure of oak in your garden might be the perfect feature to screen a tranquil and shady seating area from view. 

So consider adding a bench or another seat in the shade behind an oak garden building that will provide a peaceful retreat during the warm summer months. And make it a beautiful little space where you want to spend some time by planting up the surrounding area. 

Embrace Shade-Tolerant and Shade-Loving Plants

There are plenty of plants that can thrive even in deep shade. When choosing plants to place behind an oak garden building, you should think carefully about the depth of shade and other elements of the environment.

For example, you should make sure you understand whether you really are dealing with deep shade, or whether the space gets some sun during some of the day or some of the year. You should also carefully observe the space the try to learn more about the environment. Is it dry shade, or damp shade? Is it a sheltered spot? What is already growing in the area and what is the soil like there?

Once you understand the environment, you can begin to match up the right plants to the right places and develop a scheme that really works for the space. 

You may even find plenty of edible species to grow there. Most fruits and vegetables grow best in the sun. But there is a range of edible plants which are more suited to a shady spot. 

Consider Cultivating Edible Fungi Too

In a shady spot, you might also be able to consider growing edible mushrooms too. Certain mushrooms can be grown in a wood chip mulch, mimicking the conditions on a forest floor. You can also place some mushroom logs, which can be inoculated to grow different mushroom varieties. 

Welcome Wildlife to the Area

As well as catering to your own needs, and those of other human inhabitants, a shady space behind an oak garden building might also become a haven for wildlife. With diverse planting, and features like bug hotels, log or brush piles, leaf piles, mulch, or stumps, you can attract a wide range of beneficial wildlife to the quiet, shady space. 

About Us

We here at Loosehanger Oak pride ourselves on our attention to detail, as well as our environmental credentials. We provide an end-to-end service – taking care of everything from initial idea to finished construction. We handle all the small hassles and let you relax and look forward to enjoying your new oak building or oak extension.

Contact Gary today to begin your journey, book a free site visit and consultation, and join our many contented customers as you embark on your own oak framed construction project.