Late spring/summer planting for poor shady soil

I have a small bed at the top of the garden steps that is in almost complete shade; dappled sun for maybe an hour or two at best. It's pretty poor soil, shallow and full of roots from the tree you can see in the right of the picture. I've built it up as much as I can with compost but there's still not much depth to it.

In early spring it looked ok planted over with windflowers, but they're long gone now and it's looking very sad and bare. Any ideas on what could cope with that sort of soil/light and provide a bit of summer filling?

 

Hi 2nd_bassoon, I have similar problem right in front of the house. The previous owner found the only plant which is guaranteed to thrive in a spoonful of compost over rock hard tangle of stones and mature shrub roots- the common garden mint!

Unfortunately I don't like mint so am on an expedition to find something nicer. Hopefully the knowledgeable forum folks will come up with ideas.

I have now dug out as much as I possibly could, placed a weed membrane and planted geraniums and begonias by the front step. In essence, it's a sunken hanging basket, but I'm prepared to water it daily. The other half of the bed beside the mature conifer is still a mintery.

Spring bulbs were a success, but with poor soil they might not flower well next year.

Have you considered alpines? They might do with the modest sunshine you get. Houseleeks look exotic but generally survive anywhere. (I can't have anything like them as the mint would just take over any improved soil and suffocate them... )

Hardy geraniums are also very delightful plants and need very little pampering. The Wargrave pink is more or less evergreen, flowers for a long time, and has nice autumn colour occasionally. I'm buying some from Amazon today as I lost my stolen stock when we moved house.

Or just go for the mint...

 

Its not the shade but the depth of soil, isn't it 2nd Bassoon?

Acorus Ogon? It seems to grow in wet soils and dry soils and happily spreads. Evergreen....or ever yellow.
I would also try campanula Birch Hybrid.....here it grows mainly in sun but very dry spots. I have a clump in a shady spot that seems to thrive. Doesn't need much soil and tends to root on the surface.
Can you dig any pockets out at all? If you can a fern or two, brunnera and more would grow there

 

Yes, mainly the soil - I've got lots of shady plant ideas (some from you I think!) for other beds in the garden, but this is the only spot with such poor soil. I'll have a look and see what can be excavated in the way of pockets, hadn't considered that option... I like the idea of geraniums, but thought they would need more sun? I've got a small Elke and (I think) Album that are both a bit in the way in their current homes, could try moving them and see what they think of it.

 

Hi,

Are you are thinking of the pot plant , Pelargonium which likes sun, though often called Geranium?

A proper geranium, aka Cranes Bill, is a lowish growing perennial usually flowering in spring with a second flush later in the year.

Think for that little spot I would plant a hardy Fuchsia Mrs. Popple, with grows very well in full shade, in a year or two it will fill that spot giving masses of flowers from July to the frosts.

Would look good under planted with bulbs and Cranes Bills.