I had a small area with a small flowering tree and decided under that tree I could make a pretty little shade garden. It is fading this time of year, but will get a redo in spring!
Steps:
This page contains the following solutions.
If part of your yard is subject to shade, instead of trying to modify it, why not raise an attractive, diverse garden of shade loving plants? Shade gardens offer gardeners a lot of unique opportunities.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I have an area in front of my house that could use some planting. It's under the eaves and shaded by trees, one being a pine. So I need something that would tolerate dry, acidic, shade. I live in zone 4b. Any suggestions?
Have you checked with your local Agriculture extension office? They usually have great ideas.
Try shade hostas. There are about 350 different kinds. You have a wide variety to choose from. Hostas will grow just about anywhere.
Try ferns they thrive in the shade.
I don't know how the hostas would be under the pine in acidic soil. Check that out with your local plant nursery. They do like moist conditions, so unless you watered them they will grow but just grow very slowly.
Have you tried bergenia? It has a thick stem and large leaves with pink flowers stalk in the spring. Bergenia will grow in shade and sun, anywhere. It will fill the area quite nicely and if you need to get rid of it for some reason it is easy to pull out and doesn't have any little runners like goutweed or ferns do.
Goutweed will also be an option for you but I don't like it because it is so invasive.
Ferns usually like moist areas, but my grandma did have them growing under an overhang on the north side of her house. They will also fill an area in quite nicely.
Good luck!
Pachysandra is a nice ground cover for shade.
What type of plants that flower can I put in a mostly shady area that look nice?
Hardiness Zone: 6a
By Andrea from Sarnia, Ontario Canada
Hello,
For an annual, I always plant impatiens. I just love them
Impatiens always work. I, too, love them! If you have dappled shade in some areas, cone flowers actually work, although their flowers are more white than pink. Day lilies will also bloom in light shade, and if it's too dark, they'll at least put out foliage.
Thanks for all the feed back. I cant wait to get started next year.
What grows best in the shade? We have a raised box 15 x 4 next to the house. It is almost completely shaded by our carport. We are looking for things that will grow there. I don't think this area gets more than a couple hours of sun, if that, so it can't even be considered partial shade. Will anything: plants, flowers, vegetables, etc. grow here? Thanks for any help!
Hardiness Zone: 5b
By Angela from Wickliffe, OH
You can't go wrong with hosta, but look beyond the basic green ones. There are varigated ones that add such a nice look, and can brighten up a shady spot. Also try huchera and ferns. Things may take longer to grow, but when cared for well, they will grow. Heres more:
There are many ground covers that probably would do well in the shade, pachysandra comes to mind right off.
This page offers several useful tips for adding light to a shady garden space, including the choice of plants, addition of mirrors, lights, and more. Try one or more in a shady area of your garden to create a lighter feel.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
What types of flowers grow well in shady areas?
We have a 12'x55' space between two mobile homes. There is an apricot tree and a cherry tree, and they create full shade.
