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Plants for deep shade

18 years ago

I have an area of my woodland garden that receives no direct light and very little dappled light. Does anyone have any suggestions what might grow there?

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Comments (4)

knottyceltic
18 years ago
Oh wow...there are literally hundreds of kinds of Hosta and Ferns that LOVE that condition. Hostas alone will have your head swimming with the different colours and variegations, sizes and shapes (of leaves). Ferns are awesome in deep shade...I just love sitting in my little woodland backyard and watching the ferns waft in the breeze. Even when it's scortching hot outside the ferns seem to make the woods seem even cooler than they already are. Dicentras (Bleeding hearts esp. Formosa) like the shade and look quite fern-like as well but the blooms are BEAUTIFUL. Pulmonaria is lovely and enjoys the deep shade. Cranesbill/wild Gernaium does well as do the Primula/Primroses. Other species I have in my woodland is:

Bunchberry
Doll's Eyes
Red Baneberry
Blue Cohosh
Trilliums (Red and white)
Jack-in-the-pulpit
DogTooth Violets
Wild Violets (purple and white)
Canadian Columbine
May Apple
Bloodroot
Pale Corydallis
Canadian Ginger
Solomon's Seal
False Solomon's Seal

Ferns that I have are:

Osterich
Royal
Cinnamon
Male
Lady
Maidenhair
Harts Tongue
Christmas
Sensitive
Japanese Painted (non-native)
Tatting (non-native)
Holly (non-native)
Autumn (non-native)

Hope that helps some.

Barb
southern Ontario, CANADA zone 6a
karinl
18 years ago
I've linked below to a thread in the Gardening with Shade forum that might be of interest. Since you say this area occurs in your woodland, however, it might be among tree roots and thus perhaps dry. That makes plant selection a little trickier. I'm not prepared to list all those plants for you as any shade gardening book or nursery can help you on that topic, but I would suggest that in such an area, it is a good idea to grow plants to a vigorous size in a more hospitable environment before planting them there. For years I kept putting hapless 4-inch pots of epimediums, hellebores, trilliums, hostas, and the like in my extremely dry shade area and despairing as I watched them die again and again. If a plant has a significant rootball it has some resources to draw on to continue to grow. Also, plant in fall to give the plants some time to establish in the tough area before the dry season hits.

The one thing I will say about hostas is that many are quite ticklish about moisture, and many even need some sun. The hosta forum would probably be quite happy to help you with selecting hostas that will actually thrive in this area if you give them some more information about its moisture level. One that comes to mind is H. ventricosa.

Here is a link that might be useful: Very Very Deep Shade thread
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knottyceltic
18 years ago
I actually find the opposite as Karin but then again I live in the quite dry province of Ontario while she lives in the 'generally' damper province of BC. I find growing plants from seed or very young seedling provides a hardier plant for my conditions. I often lose the plants with the larger roots while the things that grow from scratch tend to adapt better. My woods is hardwood maple on powder clay/sand over a gravel substrate so the soil is extremely dry and difficult to get things going as it is. Trial and error seems to account for the rest of my successes.

Barb in southern Ontario, CANADA
lizh
18 years ago
I just posted some pics on the DECORATING FORUM - Gallery of my shade garden designs and decor. The thread is called "Garden Design and Decor." Hopefully you can get some ideas for plant combinations.

I have a very wooded eastern exposure yard and the shade perennials love it there. I have many varieties of Hosta, ferns, bleeding heart, Astilbe, cranesbill geranium, coral bells, etc. Come on over to Decorating forum and take a peek.

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