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chitownladyd

Newbie shade garden

chitownladyd
16 years ago

I'm at a lost for what to w/s for shade. Any suggestions?

I did purchase a few seeds but there seems to be the same old tired plants for my backyard that only gets about 6 or 7 hours of sun at best. I'm looking for new and different here people!

Would reeaaallly appreciate your kind help. And suggestions?

If you have extra seeds, well I might be able to help you to clear the clutter. Hee hee!

Comments (17)

  • bakemom_gw
    16 years ago

    Gave away all my seeds of this plant, but I suggest wood betony.

  • silverkelt
    16 years ago

    Can be wintersown...

    Bergenias(slow to germinate... only got a few), Astibles(will reseed from a host plant as well), Hostas, Dicentra (oldfashioned pink and white and also fern leafed((old fashioned ones reseed allover the place for me... I let them grown then give them away)), Corydalis lutea, Pulmonaria (can be prolic reeseeders), Several primroses, lamium... I grow alot of these things... but way out of season for me to collect seed form =(...

    however, you are saying this area is getting 6-7 hours of sun, sounds plenty fine to get sun plants in to me... do you get filtered sun , direct sun? There a whole list of sun plants that due well with reduced sun... like bee balm, showy evening primrose, alot of daises and rudbeckias, Asters,Phlox paniculata(the old fashioned kind, not the hybrids... they dont spread as much)... alot of these I grow in part shade, If I grew them in full sun they would TAKE over... Also I grow dayliles in 6 hours or so of direct sun and filtered shade, I get plenty of bud count with that amount.

  • kqcrna
    16 years ago

    I agree. Six to 7 of of sun is enough for almost anything.
    It's probably too much sun for a lot of shade plants.

    Karen

  • lblack61
    16 years ago

    That IS a long period of sun for a shade garden!Is it dappled sun?
    I'm thinking along with Karen that you could do just about anything there, which means, the skies the limit!
    I didn't know what many flowers were until I started WSing...so open up a seed catalog, look for the pictures that look prettiest to you, and post those on the exchange page and/or your personal page to see if anyone has them.

    What do you already have that you're tired of seeing?

    Linda

  • chitownladyd
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks everyone for your help. I have tried to post a reply twice and each time computer kicked me off. (aarrgh!)

    What I realized while making a list of everything:

    I really have a lot of variety. However, in true newbie style only 1 or 2 of everything, planted in straight rows on edges of two long beds and it seems boring.

    Also, that it is dappled sun due to neighbor's trees (north & south sides) and garage placement (west side).

    I'm hoping that with w/s I can plant drifts of plants I may have already by collecting seeds at the end of this season.

    For now I will rely on a few annuals: some w/s and some nursery bought. I have a pretty good idea of which to use (lots of impatiens he he).

    This is a list of what I already have:

    various hostas
    azealeas
    astilbes
    heucheras
    ligularia
    various columbines
    jacob's ladder
    lamium (spreading like crazy)
    creeping jenny (should I be afraid?)
    hydrangea (2 yrs. hasn't bloomed yet nikko I think)
    joe pye weed (very bold)
    castor bean (love the leaves for casting)
    daylillies (volunteers all over the place)
    kerria shrubs
    hardy geranium
    viburnum (doesn't seem likely to flower-bad placement)
    hibiscus and echinacea (towards front-more sun)
    clemantis (autumn joy?)
    " jackmannii (all I know is its purple)
    iris (not sure which ones)
    bea balm (didn't flower last season)
    euphorbium
    and various ferns

    Also, just seeded a lawn last season with shady variety and it came up, but may just rip it out to put more plants :o)

    Sorry for the long post. Just really excited about being able to talk garden talk with folks who appreciate my enthusiasm and won't think I'm cuckoo LOL.

    La Donna

  • tiffy_z5_6_can
    16 years ago

    Wow! That's a nice bunch of plants for your garden. Are those the seeds you presently have or actual plants you have in that spot? I'm assuming they are actual plants. Could you possibly divide them in the spring to create drifts? Are they big enough?

    I would also like to suggest winter sowing Columbines/Aquilegia. They will bloom in their second year and grow to a good size. They look great in a dappled shade garden!

  • chitownladyd
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Tiffy

    The plants I mentioned are all existing 2 or 3 yrs. old so yes, they are big enough to divide. So I will research on how to's.

    Will w/s Magpie and Mckana's Giant Mixed columbines this weekend. Also would like to try Nasturtium Dbl Gleam Mix and Nicotiana x sanderae for the less shady spots.

    Tell me what ya' think.

    L

  • tansy_moon
    16 years ago

    I would never be afraid of Creeping Jenny. I love the stuff and it's easily removed.

    There's also a plant called wild ginger that you'll probably like, and another one that I absolutely love is called cyclamen. It's hardy, has leaves that could come from a fairy tale, and unusual flowers once a year. Mine is thriving in dense shade and is poking up green leaves through the snow today! Amazing. They sort of look like furry lily pads, usually with white markings.

    The wild ginger I've never grown, but I have heard about it.

    The creeping jenny is a great color, really helps brighten dark corners.

    Also, you could try some unusual ivies. Some of the more decorative ones do not spread very fast and you can get some fun shapes and variagated colors in those. I have a couple of bi-colored ivy plants that are hardy and are not strong enough to take over a garden.

    I'm glad you started this thread as I am also figuring out how to plant a very shady area of a city garden.

  • chitownladyd
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    O Hi Tansy

    I have read a few of your posts. I confess I have been a lurker here for a while, only joined b/c of w/s. This is my first year w/s and I'm very hopeful. Have read almost everything, have some seeds potted up sitting happily on my deck. No green yet :(

    I really love the creeping jenny and want more more more. Guess the only way to do that is to divide them, huh?

    Thanks for the suggestions about the ivies. Gotta luv 'em. I think I have some Boston Ivy on order from a vendor. Will experiment when they get here.

    La Donna

  • kqcrna
    16 years ago

    Tiffy's suggestion of columbine sounds good. Mine do well, some in part sun and some in mostly shade. And they have the added advantage of self sowing.

    Another suggestion is digitalis (foxglove). Very pretty and it reseeds.

    Karen

  • tiffy_z5_6_can
    16 years ago

    OMG, I knew there was something I was forgetting. Thanks for picking up on the Digitalis Karen. Definitely a favourite for me.

    You know, the Nasties might do well. I was thinking they needed sun, but then remembered one I sowed and planted in a container on our deck. It had sun from only 3 pm onward and was one of my best performers. Do try it!

  • kqcrna
    16 years ago

    Yes, Tiffy, my nasturtium also do better if they get a little shade than in full sun. And, again, they often reseed.

    Karen

  • stage_rat
    16 years ago

    I agree, you should be happy with the nasturtium, as my garden is all dappled sunlight or shade and they grew nicely. I love my foxgloves for doing so well in dappled sun, and hollyhocks should do well in sunnier spots. Try dianthus and peonies, too. (Although peonies are expensive to try, unless someone gives you a division)

    In a shadier spot, I have Chocolate Joe Pye and Tovara (Painter's Palette) which look great together. Obedient plant can try to take over, but far less when it's in the shade--and it will bloom there. The pink seems better behaved than the white, and I've heard the variegated is very well-behaved. I have seeds for some of these, if you want to contact me about a sasbe.

    For annuals, zinnias may do well for you. Opium poppies too. My soil conditions may be a factor here, but snapdragons and alyssum in my yard look really sad.

    I hope these ideas work out for you!

  • silverwind
    16 years ago

    I have peonies!! I've got a gorgeous fluffy double type, and some beautiful fuschia-ish single. :D

    They need dividing, a bit, although I can't guarantee you'll get them sans-ants - they've been bad this past couple of years, so I don't know how it'll go.

    I'd be happy to send some out if someone can tell me how... ;)

  • chitownladyd
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    stage_rat you've got mail.

    La Donna

  • spartangardener
    16 years ago

    Things from seed taht aren't on your list that have done well for me even in dappled/full shade with only 2-3 h of full sun (early morning)

    Annuals:

    lobelia - really takes off in the fall with cooler weather and more light when the leaves start to drop
    alyssum

    Perennials:
    Siberian iris
    celandine poppy
    thalictrum
    bellamcanda
    dame's rocket
    sweet william
    delphinium
    physostegia
    feverfew
    oxeye daisies
    aruncus
    campanula
    echinacea
    rudbeckia "goldsturm"
    sweet woodruff
    violets (you'll have them forever - be sure you love them)
    primroses (the spring blooming variety)
    bergenia
    lilies
    some wild asters
    foxglove

  • chitownladyd
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Happened to find a site that has a way to search for shade/partial shade.

    A site that might be useful:

    Here is a link that might be useful: Grow native plants

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