You want to plant a beautiful, shady garden, but don’t know what kind of plants will grow in your shady spot? Here are a few recommendations. Ligularia, toad lilies, hellebores, and Hosta are great choices. Read on to learn more about these plants, and start planning your garden today. You’ll love your new plants in no time.
Hosta
A hosta can be a stunning addition to a shady area of your garden. These plants can grow to sprawling sizes, be ground covers, or be miniature slow-growers. There are many color varieties to choose from, including drought-tolerant varieties and those that are slug resistant. Here are some tips for selecting hostas for shaded areas. Read on for more information.
Hostas grow best in soil that is slightly acidic and well-drained. To help improve the soil’s quality, add compost or aged manure before planting. Avoid using granular fertilizer because it may cause leaf burn. A spring topdressing of compost is usually enough. Adding organic mulch is also recommended, as it will keep the soil moist. If you are concerned about slugs, bury a saucer of beer on the leaves of hostas to prevent their invasion.
Color and foliage are important characteristics for hostas. The foliage of hostas varies from green, lavender, and white, depending on the variety. Depending on its cultivar, hosta leaves can be solid or mottled, and some varieties have contrasting colored margins. Hostas are also known for their blooms, which may be white, lavender, or pink. Those with variegated varieties are often highly fragrant.
Ligularia
The largest and most colorful of all ferns, ligularia grows in full shade, though it needs constant watering to prevent wilting. It prefers moist, organic soil. It would benefit from a compost amendment to provide additional moisture. Even without blooms, ligularia will still make a bold statement. But, in full sun, ligularia can be a bit tame and will not be as dramatic as the foliage of ferns.
The genus Ligularia contains more than 150 species and is native to Europe and Asia. This perennial is prized for its dazzling yellow flowers and striking dark foliage. Its leaves are leathery, serrated, or toothed. Its flowers are a bright yellow color and rise above the leafy clump in mid to late summer. It’s a beautiful plant for shaded areas, and its leaves are a great foil for feathery Astilbes and silvery blue Hostas. You can plant a hedge of ligularia or plant a rain garden.
Leopard plant – Also known as leopard plant, this plant is deer-resistant and tolerates moist soil. A great plant for woodland gardens, leopard plant is deer-resistant and attracts butterflies. It’s also tolerant of partial shade. The rough, coarse texture of its foliage makes it an excellent accent for contrasting finer plants in a garden. They also make great edging plants for your yard.
Toad lilies
Toad lilies grow well in full to part shade and prefer consistent moisture. They require little maintenance and need no staking or deadheading. You should give them at least one inch of mulch per week, but make sure not to pile it against the stems. Toad lilies can tolerate moderately low humidity, but a little bit of excess water will rot the leaves.
Toad lilies are the perfect choice for shady areas. Their graceful arching stems and variegated foliage will make them stand out when other plants are fading. The flowers are also unique and remain bright until the fall. You can plant these perennials in areas of your garden that receive a lot of direct sunlight, but they will grow in a shady area as well.
The flowers of toad lilies are a little bit mysterious, but they are worth the trip. The orchid-like blooms of this perennial are a welcome sight when the fall garden is winding down. These plants need light shade and humus-rich soil to flourish and form large clumps. This is why they are the best plants for shady areas, and the good news is that they aren’t fussy about deadheading.
Toad lilies grow well in containers. If they’re growing outdoors, simply move them indoors to protect them from frost. Because they don’t have underground water sources, they need more frequent watering. Make sure the pot has drainage holes. For indoor use, you can scatter the seeds of toad lilies in late fall or early spring, when the weather is cold enough to stratify the seed.
Hellebores
When growing a perennial in a shady location, Hellebores are an excellent choice. Their distinctive mounded, cup-shaped leaves give them excellent structure and contrast with their dark-green leaves and blue-green stems. If you want to create even more drama and interest in your shady garden, consider underplanting Hellebores with spiky companions such as Solomon’s Seal, Actaea, and Tricyrtis.
The crown of Hellebores should be covered with soil to allow the plant to grow and flower. Planting them too deep prevents flower production. Hellebores benefit from a yearly application of compost and manure. They also tolerate a year’s worth of neglect without wilting. In late January or before buds appear, remove the foliage. A fungicidal treatment will help prevent leaf curl or seed drop.
Because Hellebores grow in deep soil, they need good drainage. They also need deep, well-drained soil with good organic matter. Use an organic fertilizer or a soil amendment that contains humus to provide the best conditions for hellebores. Remember to avoid mulching because mulching can cause the central crown of the plant to rot. You can also plant Hellebores in pots. Their robust root system and deep roots make them excellent candidates for containers.
If you have a shady area, consider planting Hellebores in groups. They are best planted in areas that have good drainage, so they are ideal for shady locations. Hellebores are also excellent companions for shade-loving perennials. They are relatively resistant to deer and rodent damage. And since they like moist soil, they are great for containers, too.
Hydrangeas
There are many varieties of hydrangeas, and they all love part-shade areas. Choose from one of the many types to suit your space. Choose from giant, rosy-red flowers in the mid to late summer, or soft, whitish, or white blooms in the fall. Climbing hydrangeas have no heavy wood and bloom reliably in part-shade conditions.
If you’re planting hydrangeas in a partially-shaded area, consider choosing Endless Summer, Let’s Dance, and Tuff Stuff. Each variety offers a range of flower colors and shapes to choose from. Choose the variety that best suits your space. If you’re unsure of which type to choose, check with your local garden center. Some hydrangeas are more tolerant of partial shade than others, but all three types will give you plenty of variety.
If you don’t have an acid soil in your garden, you can still grow a beautiful blue hydrangea in a pot. These plants are also great for decorating shady terraces. You can add additional hydrangeas to a large pot to decorate the space. And if you’d prefer to keep your hydrangeas blue, you can use special fertilizers or water treatments to maintain their beautiful blue color.
Oakleaf hydrangeas are also good plants for shady areas. They can reach a height of 12 to 15 feet and have soft, creamy-white flowers. They grow as a hedge or border. During the summer, they can reach five feet in height and five feet wide. They are also known for their long-lasting flowers. When a hydrangea blooms, it will be a beautiful sight to behold.
Japanese forest grass
If your yard or garden needs some color, Japanese forest grass is a great choice for a shaded spot. This hardy plant is native to moist mountain areas of central Japan. It can grow in full sun or deep shade, but needs consistent moisture. Plants in partial shade will look variegated, while those in full sun will turn green. Choosing the right cultivar will depend on your climate, but they are a good choice for shaded areas.
Although the Japanese forest grass is slow-growing, it can be divided to create more plants. You can either dig up a clump and divide it yourself, or you can buy a single plant and propagate it. Just be sure to wait until the original plant is mature. Propagation is more successful when the plant is mature, and if you’re having trouble doing so, consider purchasing a young plant from a garden center or ordering it online.
Although it prefers cool, moist conditions, Japanese forest grass can survive in warmer climates as long as it gets proper shade and water. Its roots need a moderate amount of water, but it will not wilt if planted in a semi-shady area. This grass will do well with a bit of mulch to keep the roots cool. Although it grows slowly, Japanese forest grass does well in containers on patios.
