So many people have dry shade or damp shady gardens and feel overwhelmed by them. They can be turned to great advantage and used as a retreat from hot summer weather if planted imaginatively. So many of the bold and exotic plants thrive in the shade, as well as white and blue flowers which glow beautifully in the dusk. Often gold foliage is better with some shade than in the blazing sun which tends to burn them and this can create light in the darker areas. Variegated plants can also be used to lift the gloom.