Topic: Deep shade

[Mrs Ava]

Half of our garden is shady due to big trees and big evergreen shrubs, which is great for the kids to play in, but I have a few areas where I am struggling to get plants growing.  My 'woodland' patch is great in the spring and early summer, but then is very empty.  Any advice on deep deep shade loving plants.  I know I could fill it with ferns, but as ever with us, very little spare cash to spend on plants, so prefer to grow things from seeds or cuttings.  :-\

[Hugh_Jones]

Presumably the big trees are deciduous, in which case the overhead shade will not be deep in the winter and early spring, but only when the leaves are on the trees.  This provides ideal conditions for English bluebells, and indeed, all members of the Hyacinthoides family.  Other plants which will revel in  these conditions are Sweet Woodruff (Galium Odoratum) and Wood Sorrel (Oxalis Acetosella), both of which only grow 2 or 3 inches high but spread quickly to provide a carpet of white flowers in April/May, to be followed by Wood Anemones (Anemone nemorosa). We also have the autumn flowering hardy cyclamen growing and flowering happily under fairly heavy shade cover.

[William O]

Hello Emma Jane,

There are some plants that could cope with the deep shade. Ivy is the most obvious one, but also rhododendron could fill this space. Foxgloves  some irises. Hydrangea aspera.

[Spurdie]

Hi, EJ
Agree with William - foxgloves will definitely thrive. Honesties don't mind VERY dry shade and this year my nicotiana sylvestris (grown from seed) have grown HUGE under the trees.

[Mrs Ava]

Yes Hugh, the big trees are a weeping willow, medlar and a robinia, then there are about dozen evergreen shrubs and a couple of deciduous shrubs.  Spring time isn't a problem, in fact, I have a wonderful show of foxgloves, nigella, bluebells, hyancinths, azaleas, poppies, geraniums, aquilegias and crocus.  The thing is, as the leaf cover becomes more dense, and the ground becomes more dry, and these plants naturally finish, I am left with foliage and clear ground.  I do have a selection of grasses which don't seem to mind the shade and do look splendid at the moment, and I do have a dozen or so small ferns, but they are still small and are going to take a couple of years to look stunning.  

I shall definately get some autumn flowering cyclamen and wood anemones.  Thanks for the advice, I sense the cheque book might have to take a battering to help colour up this gap.