Shade loving plants

Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 11:00 am Post subject: Shade loving plants

Has anybody got anything to offer or suggest in the way of shade growing plants?
We have a border that is in the shade for most of the day and I want something that might give it colour. At the moment it's all green shrubs apart from some ground cover and it get a bit boring. Crying or Very sad

Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 137 Location: Trowbridge

I don't have these plants at the moment although have seeds to sow of some of them: foxglove, aquilega, hosta, blue bells, grape hyacinths, ferns, woodland plants - will all grow well in shade.

Carrie Smile

Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 12 Location: melksham

Hi Marilyn, a brilliant shade lover is a bush called Euonymus, which has variagated leaves. There is a golden one that looks as if the sun is shining even on the dullest day! The other is green and a sort of creamy white that is also very pleasing. Hardy as hell and only need a slight trim if you want to keep it in shape, although if it is by a fence it can be trained to climb aswell. Very versatile. Karen.

Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 12 Location: melksham

Me again, should have said that Euonymus not only like shade but partial shade and full sun as well; in other words you can bung it anywhere you like!
Karen.

Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 9:59 pm Post subject:

Thank you for your fun replies, Karen. I do already have Euonymus; also Viburnum Tinus, Laurel, Photynia, Lilac, Buddleiah, some sort of Herbaceous Lobelia (tall stuff) and another couple of clumps that are a bit like Foxgloves. There's also something that spreads over the ground with purple/black leaves (can't remember it's name now) and another variety of ground spreading plants that also evades my memory at the moment. So I guess I've exhausted the shade lovers. I did have ferns but they gave me the creeps so I dug them out again!!
I think I'm just being greedy for colour really, but it won't be too long before I can bung some Busy Lizzies in between the other things. I hadn't thought of Aquilegia I must say, so will transplant some of that from one side to the other.
Thank you for taking the time to write to me and I hope we'll meet up some time.

Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 11:11 pm Post subject: