Your ideas for this shady area

16 years ago

I want to design this small area which is full shade to light shade to full sun (from left to right) The deepest shade is in the corner where the wheelbarrel is. Approximate size is 10'X12'

Plants I have:

(3)Heuchera 'Purple Palace'

(1)White Bleeding Heart

Several varieties of Columbine

(3)Small Japanese Painted Fern

(5) Brunera 'Jack Frost', along cement patio edge in 2nd picture

Moving to the right into the sunshine are

(6)Several coreopsis moonbeam

(7)3 Daisy 'Rebecca'

(1)Phlox 'David'

The view from the house is from the sun to shade. I can figure out the sunny areas, but would like your suggestions for the shade.

I'm looking for your input for plants and placement in the shady areas. The fully shaded back corner needs height and interest against the cedar hedge. The only idea I've come up with is more Bleeding Heart. Any other ideas?

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Comments (14)

florrie2
16 years ago
Hi Proudgma: No expert here, but I think you need something intermediate in height. You have the tall cedars then the short variety of plants. The area isn't really that dense shade, you could get by with "part shade" plants or shrubs there.

How about some yellow leaf shrub, like a golden spirea or fothergilla? It will light up the corner and provide foliage interest.

Then your smaller plants will be in the foreground.

Florrie
joepyeweed
16 years ago
Maybe add a couple hydrangea (hydrangea arborescens) for some mid-height?

I've also added some woodland sunflowers (helianthus divaricatus) for some middle height to my shady beds this year.
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I would challenge your description of the area as being "devoid of landscaping." What you have there is landscaping that consists of a large tree. Seen as a positive, the tree already gives the area, in my opinion, much of what you seek: elegance and tranquility. I'd bet it's a lovely shaded glade in summer, although the foliage is too high to address the excellent point made above regarding visibility from the neighbours. Address that somehow, make the entry arbours that you suggest, and add a chair and a small table for your book and beverage, and you could already put that in a landscaping magazine. Unfortunately the tree can also be seen as a negative. The tree requires most of the nutrients and moisture that the ground there has to offer. Depending on what kind of tree it is and whether it has shallow or deep roots, you may or may not be able to plant much else successfully. The amount of weed growth is indicative of how likely it is that you can grow other plants - note the bare ground on your hellstrip, out by the street, that announces that THAT tree does not share well. There is a bit of growth between the houses, so you may be luckier there. But also, the debris from the tree gives plants below a bit of a challenge, and they may suffer; at the least they won't tend to look nice - again, depending on what kind of tree it is. For example, hostas grown near a tree that sheds constantly look like heck their entire growing season. I guess I belong to a minority that believes children can be taught not to climb into a fountain, if a fountain is what you want, but tree debris cannot, and will indeed have to be considered in your design - ask me how I know! What might be more fun and easier to maintain is a birdbath. What will work? I think you need to think of dry shade conditions when you pick your plants, and of hardscaping that can be easily cleaned of tree debris, or that still shows through piles of it. I don't really get a sense yet of what you want this area to do, which is what would dictate how to start - with a pathway, a seating destination, or just something that looks nice. If the latter, with a formal style, then a vignette of evergreens, coniferous and broadleaf, enhanced with hellebores and ferns for instance, would be excellent - if plants will grow and thrive under that tree. That's the million dollar question. One plant that I'm pretty sure could be amazing there, at certain times, would be cyclamen. You can also go container in a situation like this - that's what I do in the areas under my willow, but a willow tree is in a class of its own for interference. KarinL
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Pachysandra procumbens or Japanese Spurge does not need much water once established and gives you an evergreen carpet. Bergenias are also evergreen and can survive off low rations of water. As mentioned Epimediums are fantastic, you just have to be careful where you shop so you don't destroy your budget. Did you try Ostrich fern or Matteuccia struthiopteris? I transplanted some established specimens into the shade underneath my houses overhang and they have required little water from the beginning. Both this species and bergenia should be easy to obtain from other gardeners. Ligularias love to have pond liner under them. I've done this in my yard and it's enabled me to plant them in almost full sun. If you don't have leftover pond liner from constructing your own water feature you could probably get away with using some kind of plastic. It's ok to have some leaks. A word of warning; I had ligularias in almost full shade and they barely bloomed. After I moved them into sun the change was dramatic. Actaea (Bugbanes or Cimicifuga) would enjoy having wet feet. Primulas actually do better then I thought they would in complete shade. They bloom decently and have the fastest rate of foliage increase in my full shade beds. I don't know if Tiarellas know how to stop blooming. They probably wouldn't want either wet or really dry roots. Asarum europeaum (European Ginger), Convallaria (Lily of the Valley), Lamiastrum, Vinca minor, and Phlox stolonifera have all been ok for me with almost complete shade and sparse watering. Only the Ginger has flowered much (you have to lift up the leaves to see them). Established plain green hostas have done well for me with no water and complete shade. A Blue leaved cultivar with cream edges has disappointed so far. Although it's tempting to use white variegated hostas remember that they reflect that much more sunlight than their non-variegated counterparts. Although I haven't tried them I've read that Cornus canadensis (Bunchberry), Viola canadensis (Canadian Violet), Arisaema (Jack-in-the-pulpit), Hepatica, Polygonatum (False Soloman's Seal), Sanguinaria (Blood root), and Lamium would all work in full shade with little water once established. Don't feel too despaired about plants not growing very quickly-that's just what happens with such little light this far north. The difference between the same species of plant grown in complete shade vs. shade with a few hours of direct sun has been quite dramatic in my yard.
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gracie01 zone5 SW of Chicago
16 years ago
Ligularia (the rocket) is supposed to get really big with yellow flowers in shade. I have just planted it this year, so time will tell.
patchesandpeaches
16 years ago
Astilbe is great! It likes moisture retentive soil, though, so if it gets dry in that area you will be watering a lot. Astilbe doesn't like to dry out. You can never have enough Astilbe.

Karen
arcy_gw
15 years ago
Fox glove, jacobs ladder, are nice also. I have all the above and more, but then I have two acres of SHADE.
proudgrma
Original Author
15 years ago
I appreciate all your ideas. I'm very excited that I finally found an Oak Leaf Hydrangea 'Snowflake' which is a double bloomer. It'll go in the corner area. I've had a hard time finding it in my area, northern Michigan. I also bought some Jacob's Ladder, a fern called 'Frilly Tatting' and will look further at the woodland sunflowers and ligularia. Suddenly I have many plants, I hope I have room for all of them! Thanks again for your help!
yhtak
15 years ago
What do you think of a bird bath type fountain for a focal point in the center? The sound of water is always relaxing. And maybe a small seating area since you have the walkway in place.
proudgrma
Original Author
15 years ago
The idea of a small fountain is something I'm looking at. Now..just to find the right fountain, nothing too cutsie. Do you know of any online pictures or sources for small fountains?
sayhellonow
15 years ago
They're only annuals in zone 5, but do plant some tuberous begonias. I put twelve of them in my window boxes and they're so gorgeous.
nightingale612
15 years ago
I am limited to deer-resistant plants, it looks like you don't have that problem based on the plants you alread have. I have liriope which is beautiful, brunnerra jack frost, many astilbe, bleeding hearts ( both dicentra and excima). I fell in love with the shrub leucothea at someone else's house but in my yard it's only doing so-so, I plan on watering it more often and mid-winter to see if that helps. My drawf mountain laurel is thriving, as well as my rhododendrons and azaleas but they need deer repellant spray often. Japanese painted fern and all the other ferns are beautiful, Christmas fern can take dry soil. Hostas are popular but I find them too common, nothing unique about them.
Good luck!
enjoy
15 years ago
Just me, but I would add a lovely clump of serviceberry. Takes full sun or shade and iron hardy. white tiny flowers in spring, red berries last into fall and winter and the fall colour is stunning! THAT would make a focal point!
flora2b
15 years ago
The possibilities are endless...but I have a similar situation and used a variegated dogwood.
{{gwi:1253810}}
It might be too big, but something in that color range really lightens the shady area.
Have fun,
flora
harold_sink
15 years ago
I know this may be a little late, but asparagus fern would look nice in the areas that don't get direct sun. You could try candy tuft and bachelors buttons in the sunniest locations for brilliant color.
greeness
15 years ago
I like the idea of foxglove; if the shady area is big enough, you could also add a dwarf Japanese maple for height. Hostas are also good for foliage color and provide a good backdrop for flowering plants; th lime green varieties can really "pop" in your shadiest areas. I love astilbe, but have a heck of a time getting it grow out here--too arid.If you have good humidity, it's a great plant for shade. You could also fill in with impatiens and was leaf begonias as annuals.

Your ideas for this shady area

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