Shady Border & No idea!! Please help

Hi there
I was hoping somebody could give me some direction!!! I am having a patio laid next week at the back of my house which hardly gets any sun. I am putting a border along the fenceline and was wondering what flowers I could plant and whether it is still worth planting them this year? I quite like the colourful wild country garden look, and something which doesn't require too much maintenance!! Could anybody suggest what I could put in the border please.....?!!

Thanks

 

Hi there
I was hoping somebody could give me some direction!!! I am having a patio laid next week at the back of my house which hardly gets any sun. I am putting a border along the fenceline and was wondering what flowers I could plant and whether it is still worth planting them this year? I quite like the colourful wild country garden look, and something which doesn't require too much maintenance!! Could anybody suggest what I could put in the border please.....?!!

Thanks

 

Geraniums are always a good one Claralina... they'll grow almost anywhere. Mix a few white geraniums ( phaeum & macrorhizum ) with some astilbes and you'll get a nice effect. You could add a couple of ferns for the contrasting foliage.

 

new to gardening myself but I am getting a real liking for heucheras in my shady areas, I like the year round colour from them too. they seem to flower at slightly different times, one of mine is just about to flower but the other 2 are no where near a the moment

 

Flowers for Shade or Part Shade: Easy to Grow Shade Loving Annual and Perennial Flowers | Suite101.com.
Depending on the width of the border its worth checking out what size some of these will grow to.
Aquilegias self seed very easily and can become a pain (unless you love them).

 

Heucheras for definite, i love mine, it's pale green with lovely bright coral flowers and is in full flower at the moment, but these last a long time normally. I want more of these. I would also suggest the low growing groundcover ajuga. It's dark leaf colour with lovely purple flower spikes, it is quite impressive when you have a nice clump. It seems to prefer shade and looks best in shade, it is very easy to grow. Enjoy!

 

I've been looking in to the same problem. my 'plants for shady places' book suggests welsh poppy (meconopsis), flowers june to september. flowers in blue, violet and yellow. They like humus rich soil in a sheltered positon. But I don't have any myself yet.

Any more suggestions please

 

Pulmonaries and Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla Mollis) are good for shade. I have them in a shady area along with geraniums, a hellebore and vinca major (also good). What about hostas? I'd love some of those too but mine always get eaten by slugs and snails :(

 

A niced maple leaf hydranga would add lovely fall color with its leaves. I also love the yellow wax bell, gets about waist hight and full. There are other hydranga which bloom at different intervals. The whole idea behind a shade garden is to appreciate the plant without the flowers first. Poppy--no would not work. I actually have a nice mock orange shrub that does well. Feel free to look at all my gardens most of which are in the shade.

 

You asked this question twice. I answered it on your other thread.

 

You asked this question twice. I answered it on the other thread.

 

Heucheras of all colours would look good.