Shady corners don’t have to be dull or bare. Debi Holland shares five fabulous, shade-loving plants that will bring bursts of colour, texture, and new life to the darker spots in your garden.
Five fab plants for shade
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Have you got a shady spot in your garden where you struggle to know what to plant? I’ve got five fab plants for shade that will transform it into a lush oasis.
- Hostas
These low-maintenance, shade-loving perennials like moist, fertile soil that doesn’t get waterlogged. Give them a dressing of well-rotted manure, compost or leaf mould and you’ll have months of beautiful foliage before they die back in autumn.
Slugs and snails love hostas, so they may need protection. Depending on the variety, you can grow them in dappled or full shade. They’re versatile enough for planting under a tree, in a border or in a pot.
- Heucheras, or coral bells
These perennials come in a kaleidoscope of foliage colours, from lime green and caramel to deep purple. In summer, they send up dainty sprays of nectar-rich red, pink or white flowers that attract pollinators. In pots or in a border, heucheras can provide interest all year round.
- Pulmonaria, or lungwort
This easy-to-grow perennial is ideal for shady woodland gardens. It’s compact and makes great ground cover or edging. Its pretty green leaves are mottled with silver, and the small flowers come in shades of pink, blue, violet, purple, red and white. Pollinators love them.
The rough, hairy leaves are less appealing to slugs and snails, so the foliage is more likely to stay looking good.
- Epimediums
These are among my favourite plants for dappled or partial shade. They’re brilliant in dry shade, so they can work well under trees. They make excellent ground cover and tend to spread faster in rich, moist soil that doesn’t get waterlogged. Put some well-rotted manure or compost around them.
These low-growing perennials have heart-shaped leaves in varying colours and dainty, star-like flowers on tiny, thin stems. The flowers seem to float like fairies above the leaves.
- Ferns
My garden would never be without ferns for shady spots. Try the striking, multicoloured fronds of a Japanese painted fern, the glossy green leaves of a hart’s-tongue fern or the soft shield fern. They lift shady spaces and add colour and texture.
And that’s my five fab plants for shade.
