Cart is empty
Shade Tolerant Planting Plan
Shaded areas of the garden do not need to be a challenge as they offer the ideal growing conditions for a vast range of flowering plants, perennials & ground cover. Every garden will have areas that are shaded such as under an evergreen tree, by a north facing wall or behind sheds & garden structures. These areas don't need to be dull & lifeless as there are many ways to introduce colour & interest to these parts of the garden.
Note: Click image to open larger version in new tab/window
To get the most out of shaded areas you should do everything you can to improve the ground conditions & growing conditions for your plants. Ideally a soil that is rich in nutrients and has plenty of organic matter should be already prepared for planting. If you find that the soil is quite dry, then you can add well rotted farm yard manure or you can add soil renew to encourage the development of organic matter. With the right soil conditions, you can grow a wider range of plants in shaded areas.
Plants that are suited to shade generally don't have big or vibrant flowers but they do have a varied & contrasting array of foliage shapes, textures & colours. So, when you design a planting plan for a shaded area you should focus on the plant's leaves.
SUGGESTED LIST OF PLANTS
Larger Plants
- Salix Tortuosa - Contorted Hazel
- Viburnum Bodnantense 'Dawn'
Specimen Plants
- Acer Palmatum - Japanese Maple
- Buxus Sempervirens - Box Hedging
Flowering Shrubs
- Daphne Aurea
Infillers & Herbaceous Perennials
- Astrantia Major Claret
- Digitalis Purpurea - Foxgloves
- Ferns & Aspleniums
- Hostas
- Dicentra Spectabilis - Bleeding Hearts
- Heuchera Purple Palace
You could also include native species such as
- Geranium
- Wood Sorrel
- Wood Rush
- Bluebells
- Dog Violet
