Shade garden suggestions?

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Morticia

Morticia

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I need suggestion for blooming plants that do well in the shade. Not bushes, just flowers. I just bought something called 'Jacob's Ladder' but, like Solomon's Seal, it's a spring bloomer. (Which, for you Southerners, means it'll bloom any day now. ha ha)
Anything for summer color? Hostas are nice but I have a whole wall of those. I need something for that dark area at the front of the house (see Featured Inn pic). Right now the rhodos are in full bloom, bees included, but they'll be gone in another week.
This is not deep shade, not directly under trees, but well-shaded. I have a lot of pink, red, yellow, purple & orange in the garden so I can handle any color flower.
BTW, even tho the old lilacs were decimated over the winter, I have what appears to be a biennial bloomer in the front of the house. Both of those bushes have tons of blossoms coming out.
 
Coleus are an annual that come in a variety of colors and love the shade. I'm partial to the ones with the purple leaves with a hot pink center, they just pop against a background of darker green plants.
 
What about Impatiens. It sounds like a good place and the colors should blend right in...or just get white to pull out the other flower colors. Impatiens like mostly shade but they do like a little sun, morning sun is the best - mid day the worst. They like to keep their feet damp so watering is needed unless your area gets rain like we do. If your area gets more sun than you think the impatiens will tolerate, try the fairly new Guinea Impatiens.
If you do not like the issue of watering, think about begonias. They are a little more flexable regarding sun, like a good watering then they like to dry out before getting a soaking again. They like loose fertile soil that drains well. So many varieties -some with very dark green leaves and others with very light - celery colored leaves... flowers will blend in perfect with your current colors.
Happy planting!!!
 
springlady said:
Coleus are an annual that come in a variety of colors and love the shade. I'm partial to the ones with the purple leaves with a hot pink center, they just pop against a background of darker green plants.
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And Coleus are so hardy that even I could not kill them!!
 
Oops, sorry, perennials. I don't want to redo this every year. But, thanks for those ideas for the containers I'll put out.
 
Bree said:
Oops, sorry, perennials. I don't want to redo this every year. But, thanks for those ideas for the containers I'll put out..
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Oh sorry...down here even these come back each year on their own... I have heard that some people here plant toothpicks and the next year, they have a tree.
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Well this is not a flowering plant, but I have found this to be quite attractive in the shade...Asian Jasmine ground cover. This is a wounderful ground cover which could wrap around your other flowering plants. Here we place potted plants inside the gound cover, making it easy to change out the color for the seasons.
 
here's a link to some full shade perennials. I am sure you could find these locally. I have primrose, bleeding hearts, Japanese Ferns and astilbe in my shade areas. Though after husband trimmed last year..I don't have much shade left:-(
http://www.naturehills.com/catalog/perennials/full_shade_perennials.aspx
 
Another good website to look at is White Flower Farm. They have really good descriptions of their plants and I subscribe to their email to sometimes get some good ideas. Their plants are expensive, but you can get some ideas and then shop locally to find what you need.
 
I have pacasandra in the shaded area. It has green and white varigated leaves and is a higher ground cover in the shade. Not flowers but looks nice and isn't all green.
 
What about Lillies of the Valley? They are thick and fast growing, and can fill in an area in no time. Although they flower for only a short time in the spring, their dark green leaves are attractive right through until freezing. And do they smell good? Absolutely dreamy, even better than the bank of lilacs! And they take winters very well.
 
I need shade plants for the north side of the house that are alkaline soil and drought tolerant. At least you people with water can grow stuff in the shade!
 
Willowpondgj said:
I need shade plants for the north side of the house that are alkaline soil and drought tolerant. At least you people with water can grow stuff in the shade!.
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Poison ivy & weeds grow. Good stuff drowns!
 
I have the saddest little hydrangea planted there, in two years, it's not even a foot tall. In California, it would have been as tall as me by now! I honestly don't even think I could get mint to grow in that spot! And that's my go to weed.
 
Not to sound like a smart aleck, but what about a rock garden? Maybe a nice fountain in the middle? Bench with ivy growing on it? I'm seeing a nice little cool spot in the shade that could be quiet and green and peaceful.
 
gillumhouse said:
Willowpondgj said:
I need shade plants for the north side of the house that are alkaline soil and drought tolerant. At least you people with water can grow stuff in the shade!.
Click to expand...
Poison ivy & weeds grow. Good stuff drowns!
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Click to expand...
gillumhouse said:
Poison ivy & weeds grow. Good stuff drowns!
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I went out to pick some flowers to put in the entryway. The daisies, weeds for crying out loud! are translucent they are so water logged.
 
We finally just built a ground level deck in one area of our yard. Nothing would grow there because of the deep shade. And now nothing will grow period because of drought.
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