Oh my! Welcome back Yvette! It's been ages! I've been wondering what/how you have been doing.

Congrats on your new home. I don't have any ideas for your shade garden at the moment, but I just wanted to say "Hello!" Nice to see an "old" friend back on the forum!

PV

Good to see you back Yvette, Stella's do well by Winter Sowing, I tried a few others but nothing germinated. Check out the day lily forum for better ideas and also the link to the DL auction page.

Alberta

An idea for a plant that is easy to germinate by WSing and looks great in the shade: Persicaria "Painters Palette". Variagated foliage (green, cream, some red)

I bought one small plant a few years ago and have collected seed and WS ever since - plus it provides many volunteers in the bed. About 2' - 3' high in my beds and I really love the splash of bright in dark areas!

Good luck to you - it must have been very hard to leave your gardens. I have told my husband we are NEVER moving (smile)

NAncy

Woah, shade you will always have...

Its time to invest in a chain saw =)...

Its alot of work, but worth it to get some of that sun back into the yard.

Hi Yvette,

We haven't met, I just joined these forums earlier this year. Just wanted to pass along I have some anise hyssop growing in my shady side yard. This is an area located between two 2-story urban brick homes and only gets a few hours of sun a day. I received the anise hyssop in my 1st free seeds from Trudi and they germinated easily for me. Also my 1st year I had luck with Nicotiana. These were planted by the Anise Hyssop and did well yet they are only an annual for me. This year I planted some Joe Pye Weed 'Little Red' instead. Again these germinated rather easily and seem to be doing well in the shady side yard.

I also had luck getting my Happy Returns daylily seeds to germinate. I WS 5 seeds and all germinated. If I remember correctly they were kind of slow in showing up.

Hope this helps,

-StLGirl

Eh!!!! Comment ça va????? I was looking for you during seed trading time last year. Your PeeGee Hydrangea reminded me you might have some seeds I might like. It's growing nice and strong. Lots of people can't believe I winter sowed it!

Astilbes are easier than Hostas to grow via winter sowing. I have drifts of them flowering right now in the gardens from wsing 07/08. Can't post photos right now, but as soon as I can, you'll see them. :O)

Oops, I forgot. Have to go feed the neighbour's cat. I'll be back later with more suggestions for the shade garden.

Welcome back!!

OK, neighbour's cat is fed and medicated.

Just walked through some of the gardens which were pummeled by the rain and winds last night - oooh-la-la, what a sight. :O( Here are some things you might consider.

In the gardens which get deep shade.
- Cimicifuga. I planted a dark leaf one last year and it is doing very well. May be difficult to winter sow as germination of seeds is tricky.
- Thalictrum. Leaves look like Columbine which also grows in these gardens, but the Thalictrum can take a lot more shade. Needs staking in good winds.
- Astilbes and hostas of course. BTW, what I meant by "Astilbes are easier than Hostas to grow via winter sowing." is that Astilbes will mature/grow faster than the Hostas, especially in our Canadian climate.
- Fern-leaf Bleeding Heart (Dicentra Formosa) is a nice low growing perennial. Flowers most of the season and slugs seem to avoid it. Doesn't go dormant in heat.
- Ligularia. I have Rocket which is really nice and more resistant to slugs than Othello.
- Perennial Poppies (Orientales) also grow in these conditions. They bloom early in the summer and may go dormant during mid-summer, and then leaf out again in the fall so you have to plan for that. Mine do not go dormant due to our cool summers.
- Aconitum, the fall flowering one. I think it's Carmich...(something). I have some started from divisions in good shade and they are doing well.

I do grow the following in minimal sun and mostly shade - Dicentra Spectabilis, Digitalis Lutea, Eupatorium, Rodgersia, Brunnera, Phlox Paniculata, Chelone, Columbines,
Jacob's Ladder. perennial Geraniums, Aruncus Doicus (Goatsbeard), Gooseneck Loosestrife.

I've also discovered that Day lilies will grow well in shade but may not produce as many flowers as in sun. Despite that, I have some 'Ditch' day lilies which were thrown in the perimeter of the property which is occupied by the forest and they are blooming quite heavily in shade right now! :O)

What a nice welcome back! And plenty of good ideas as well. I'll be bringing a copy of this thread with me to the nursery next week. I have always thought that the nicest people hang out at this forum.

Most of my beds have a bit of sun, but not much. I have one bed that is actually total shade all the time. And hostas seem to be the only thing that do well there. I planted a little fern there, and it is still alive, but everytime I walk by there, it gives me a dirty look. I also tried planting astibles in the spring, and they haven't flowered and look like a pennies worth of God-help-us.

I am starting to look longingly at my chainsaw, great idea that, and I am not shy about work...sadly, the shade is coming from the protected woodlands behind our property, and in Quebec, they are serious when they say "protected". sigh. I will have to garden in shade, or garden in jail! YIKES!

Looking forward to chatting all you guys up in the future, and thanks so much for the great suggestions and ideas.

Hello Yvette,

I'm glad to see you back again!

T

How about some coral bells? I'm hoping to score some of these seeds this year to ws next year. I've heard/read they winter sow well. Also, I know penstemon is pretty easy to winter sow and it seems to do rather well for me in the shade.

I also have several daylillies that are growing in full shade and they seem to be rather happy. Even blooming (right now). You could always try them, if they are not "happy" I don't think they would die, rather, they simply would not bloom. (Just a hunch here ;) )

I cannot fathom having to leave my gardens, but on the bright side, you have a whole empty pallet to start over with. So that, too, is exciting!

Bonjour, Yvette. Welcome back and congrats on your new home and a new garden.
A clean slate to try something new.

Tiffy gave wonderful suggestions.
I would like to add these to the list:

- Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle', my favorite Hydrangea, most reliable, easy to grow, can take sun or shade
- Solomon's Seal & Variegated Solomon's Seal
- Lamium maculatum of all types. I like the one with more white. I have Pink Nancy, I think. Most luminous in the shade. The yellow one is very pretty too.
- Mertensia virginica  I love, love this perennial that takes full shade! ItÂs the sweetest sight in early spring next to a pink Bleeding Heart
- Phlox paniculata
- Heuchera of all sorts
- Heucherella
- Tiarella wherryi
- Primula!
- Trilium
- Jack-in-the Pulpit
- Bloodroot
- Perennial Forget-Me-Not
- Alchemilla mollis - I love this plant especially with dew drops or rain drops on the leaves
- Japanese maples
- Hydrangea quercifolia!! Most definitely!
- Anemone hupehensis
- Asarum europaeum and canadensis
- Ferns
- Phlox divaricata
- Galium odoratum
- Bergenia cordifoli
- Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'
- Chrysogonum virginianum
- Convallaria majalis - Lily-of-the Valley
- Pulmonaria saccharata
- Digitalis grandiflora
- Helleborus orentalis
- Helleborus niger
- Tricyrtis hirta
- Uvularia grandiflora
- Kirengeshoma palmate  Yellow Wax Bells
- Rheum palmatum  Ornamental Rhubarb
- Azalea & Rhododendron & Kalmia
- Daffodils and other early spring bulbs. I love Fritillaria meleagris.

The following can take partial shade:
- Trollis x cullorum
- Centaurea Montana
- Centranthus rubber
- Feverfew
- Johnny-Jump-Up
- Clematis
- Phlox divaricata
- Coreopsis verticillata
- Euphorbia epithymoides
- Filipendula rubra
- Gentiana septemfida
- Geum x borisii
- Ajuga reptans
- Iberis sempervirens
- Incarvillea delavayi
- Siberian Iris
- Liriope muscari
- Lobelia cardinalis
- Lychnis chalcedonica
- Tradescantia  Spiderworts
- Phlomis russeliana
- Pulsatilla vulgaris
- Celandine Poppy
The choices are endless.

But please, please do not plant Gooseneck Loosestife, unless you have room for it spread to China.
And please, please, please do not cut the trees. It would a crying shame if you do or even consider it.

I just visited lindalana's garden.
It's practically completely shaded with big trees.
But it's the most beautiful shade garden I have ever, ever seen!!

Thanks again for the kind attention.
I just visited your garden, Pitimpinia. What a wonderful garden you have. It seems you know what you are talking about.
Thanks for making that great list for me...I will by spending the next week or so looking up these plants and trying to locate some of them.
Best to you, and to all....
love Yvette

Hi Yvette! I am new since you left but wanted to say hi!

I wish I had some more shade so I could have those shade loving plants :)

See you soon!
Karen