favorite shade or part shade plants?

14 years ago

A lot of my yard- esp the front yard- seems to be quite shady most of the day, and I wondered what plants any of the members would recommend for this... I like flowers and all types of things.

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Comments (5)

hostaholic2 z 4, MN
14 years ago
We'll start out with a few that pop into my mind. I'm sure there will be many more forthcoming.
Hostas of course there is such a wide variety of sizes and colors to choose from. Love the bleeding hearts for spring color. Thalictrum rochebrunianum (sp)summer blooming and tall and stately. No blooms but ferns add great texture, especially love the Japanese painted ferns. Fritillaria is another fun spring bloomer. In sunnier areas at least half day, balloon flowers will do fairly well too, as well as some daylilies. You didn't say if you have high, open shade, filtered sun, sun for half of the day etc. as that will make a difference on the plants you can grow. Sun for half a day will give you more choices. If you are quite shady, annuals such as impatiens, begonias, or coleus can provide long term color.
thisismelissa
14 years ago
Heuchera (Coral Bells)
Tiarella (Foam Flower)
the cross: Heucherella (Foamy Bells)
Most of the time, these are grown for fabulous foliage colors.
Cimicifuga
Astilbe
Annabelle Hydrangea
Goatsbeard
Lily of the Valley

Annual Bulb: Caladium

Virginia Bluebells

I HIGHLY recommend books by Engebretson & Williamson.
Tree & Shrub Gardening in Minnesota and Wisconsin
and
Perennials for Minnesota and Wisconsin
I consider these absolute MUST HAVES for Minnesota gardeners
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I'll answer Prairiemoon's original question, though like George, I have a tough time choosing favorites for my part shade (or any other ) plants. I have evergreen Rhodies Roseum Elegans, PJM, PJM Checkmate (short), and Olga Mezzit (sp?), Nova Zembla, and a white chinoides(?). I have several deciduous rhodies that turn pretty colors in the fall as well as having late spring to summer flowers: R. Golden showers, Luce's Double, and Narcissiflora. I have Annabelle and "Endless Summer" hydrangeas and Fothergilla "Mt. Airy." I have a vernal witchhazel and several viburnums: Blue Muffin I haven't made my mind up on, viburnum nudum (cassinoides) and dentatum grow wild and are large but lovely shrubs. Cornus alternifolia is a small tree or large shrub and is a wonderful 4 season plant with flowers, berries, fall color and great branch structure. Highbush blueberry grows wild along the edge of my woods in half-day sun with nice spring flowers and fall color. I have a spirea that blooms fine in bright more-than-half-day shade, though I don't remember the variety (about 3.5 feet high with pink flowers.) My Ruby Spice clethra has done well in full shade to full sun and from normal to very wet conditions in regular soil to damp sandy soil. Another one that likes it wet and doesn't mind some shade is deciduous Rododendron viscosum, swamp rhododendron.
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Mine (at my old house) was in full sun all day and thrived. I took cuttings to bring here and have put them in mostly sun and close to the garage to keep them from freezing. It worked but then a week ago or so, caterpillars got to them OVERNIGHT! but their on their way back after being sprayed.
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more tall perennial suggestions: crocosmia Lucifer Japanese anemone meadowrue, Thalictrim find a native flowering/fruiting shrub or tree in your area to attract birds add a bubbling fountain or bird bath Remember on the other side of a fence can be a cold pocket especially on the north. Do not feed them after August. Mulch well to overwinter them. Hosta & Astilbe will do fine. Lamium might not, but usually bounces back from roots. Several plants with snow on mtn common name, so not sure which one. I hope you didn't plant Aegopodium podagraria 'Variegatum' because it is a spreading thug only suitable for a place by itself. I've removed it from a garden when I realized the spring planting was a bad idea. I do have it in another area and have to keep an eye out for blooms to prevent reseeding and shovel prune the edges to keep it in bounds. Another way to give height is to mound the bed or add graduated size boxes made from fence wood. The center would be tallest and can be offset. If your bed is 5-6 feet wide you won't be able to mound it much, but some helps. I try to middle mound all my beds for that berm effect that I prefer.
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In my experience, Impatiens walleriana (the impatiens commonly found in garden centers) will grow better for you in pots and your conditions than Impatiens balsamina (aka garden balsam) will. ETA: and the former (impatiens) will have a much longer bloom period!!! Balsam takes a while to bloom, then it sets cool seed pods (fun for kids to pop!) and it dies, whereas impatiens will bloom from the start until killed by frost!
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doucanoe
14 years ago
I have mostly shade. All kinds of it! LOL

Here are some that I have had success growing in the shade.

Ligularia
Cimicifuga
Lady's Mantle
Pulmonaria
Astilbe
Bleeding Heart
Columbine
Goatsbeard
Chelone
Jack in the Pulpit
Eupatorium
Virginia Bluebell
Corydalis
Tiarella
Heuchera
Calla Lily
Jacob's Ladder
Hydrangea
Spiderwort
Foxgloves
Sedum

I'll try anything and have had luck with some sun-loving perennials as well.

Linda
kaptainkr
14 years ago
I second the Japanese painted ferns. The more the better.
mandolls
14 years ago
I have a 40 ft raised bed in the back under maple trees (morning sun, but mostly shady and root bound). May 1st and already blooming are Helabores, Virginia Bluebells, Bleeding heart, Sweet Woodruff, Forget Me Not, Trilium and Violets! (don't you love this early spring?) Also planted are Primrose Japonica, Ligulara, Ferns and Hostas of all types, Columbine, Hillside Black Beauties, Caladiums and variegated Lamium

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favorite shade or part shade plants?

Comments (5)

hostaholic2 z 4, MN

thisismelissa

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doucanoe

kaptainkr

mandolls

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