Appeltern proposes 50/50 Shade Standard for Dutch gardens |
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Rule of thumb aims to give natural shade a permanent place alongside water retention, biodiversity and reduced paving
Bloemenpark Appeltern is proposing a new rule of thumb for private gardens: on a hot summer afternoon, around half of the garden should be in natural shade. With this 50/50 Shade Standard, initiator Ben van Ooijen wants to draw more attention to the role of trees and other vegetation in reducing heat.
| Shade gardens - Image: Bloemenpark Appeltern & Vakblad de Hovenier |
According to Van Ooijen, climate-resilient gardens tend to focus strongly on water retention, healthy soil, biodiversity and reducing paved surfaces. He believes natural shade deserves a similar place. Especially on hot summer days, shade makes a major difference for plants, soil and people, according to Appeltern.
More attention to natural shade
'A garden is meant to be lived in,' says Van Ooijen. 'During hot summer days, we see every day at Appeltern just how great the difference is between gardens with sufficient natural shade and gardens that are almost entirely exposed to the sun.'
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A garden is meant to be lived in
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Half of the garden in shade
The proposed standard is based on around 50 percent natural shade during the hottest hours of the day. Ideally, this shade should come from trees, multi-stemmed shrubs or generously planted pergolas. Because the sun moves throughout the day, the initiators point out that this does not mean the same half of the garden needs to remain shaded at all times.
According to Van Ooijen, it also does not mean that half of a garden needs to be filled with trees. The aim is to include sufficient shade in the design, alongside features such as borders, lawns, vegetable gardens and sunny terraces.
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The 50/50 Shade Standard is primarily intended as a practical rule of thumb
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From private gardens to a broader discussion
The proposal initially focuses on private gardens, but also touches on a broader discussion about heat and shade in the built environment. Municipalities are also looking for ways to provide sufficient shade when designing streets, squares, playgrounds and other public spaces.
Appeltern and the affiliated Appeltern Tuinexperts therefore want to develop the standard further and are asking landscapers, designers, growers, researchers and garden owners to share their experiences and feedback. Among other things, this should provide greater clarity on how the rule of thumb can be applied to different types of gardens.
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Natural shade should become just as standard as attention to water and biodiversity
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Practical examples at Appeltern
According to the organisation, Bloemenpark Appeltern now has dozens of demonstration gardens in which natural shade is an important part of the design. These gardens are intended to show how shade can be combined with other functions and different types of planting.
The ultimate aim is to encourage people to consider the amount of shade available during hot summer days at an earlier stage when creating or redesigning gardens. For now, the 50/50 Shade Standard is a proposal and not an official or scientifically established standard.
 | | Ben van Ooijen - Image: Bloemenpark Appeltern & Vakblad de Hovenier |
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This article was previously published on 11 August 2026 on the website of Stad + Groen.
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