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Alabama Gardening

perennials that take 1/2 year sun-1/2 year shade

19 years ago

I have a bed in the front of the house that ends up getting 1/2 a year shade from Dec. until June and 1/2 a year sun from June until Dec. Needless to say, I have had a difficult time finding plants that will survive in this bed. I had hostas planted there and they did fine until they started getting the full sun during the summer months -- it fried them. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm open to shrubs or perennials of any kind. Thanks!!

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Comments (3)

tedevore
19 years ago
Its hard for me to imagine a place getting "full shade" followed by "full sun" in those time frames. Anyhow, there are lots of plants that do fine
between light shade and several hours of sun that might do fine. I find meadow rue, celandine poppies, salvias, and rudbeckias to be pretty flexible plants in terms of sun conditions. Some cute rudbeckias (little black-eyed susans of some sort) that I dug a few years ago from the turkey creek landfill dig bloom for a long time in high shade, and I'd like to find more. Azaleas should be fine, but I'm sure
I'm sure you can find a less "overused" shrub if you want.
debbido
19 years ago
When I think about sun requirements, I think about what the bed is like during the summer. The summer sun is what will do the damage to a shade lover. Plant things that start to bloom in the summer. Daylilies would probably be a winner or anything that is dormant in the winter such as elephant ears.

Deb
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Nice to see the results of your hard work. The rock wall does a good job of setting the garden off from the wooded area. There are lots of plants to add for midsummer and autumn color and I expect you will be adding them now that you have established your favorites. Nice to see the Tuttie Frutti in bloom. I have three ws last year and hope to see them bloom this spring.
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Well, I will add a new mystery to the post. One of the few perennial plants that survived the 'lean years' before I bought this place was a huge clump of white summer phlox. Don't know the variety, but these plants got over six feet tall and bloomed solid white. This spring, because of all the construction, I moved them from a southern exposure that was relatively damp and that received shade from mid-afternoon on, to a spot with full southern exposure and that was hotter and drier. This year they were three to four feet tall and bloomed.....PINK. I can understand the lower height, since they received more sun, but the color change???? I was going to post this separately earlier in the summer, but didn't because everyone would think I was crazy. Which I am, but there's no need to belabor the point. narcnh
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Maybe caladium or heuchera. I have better luck with red foliage plants in areas with more shade.
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WannaBGardener
19 years ago
How about African Iris? They form nice large clumps that stay green all year, don't mind shade but also love and bloom well in the sun.

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