Bulbs For North Facing Full Shade

I have a wrap around garden and the front has been paved over at some point in the distant past. I’d like to put some spring bulbs in pots (already done in the garden), just to add some colour to a dreary part of my garden. Are there any that will put up with minimal sunshine? Not a problem I’ve ever had before.

 

Buzyizzy21. Sorry I can't help you but I am sure someone will come along soon who can advise.

 

Hello and welcome to GC forums
Here's a list of bulbs for shade area

1. Snowdrops. ...
2. Anemones. ...
3. Fritillaria. ...
4. Crocus. ...
5. Narcissus. ...
6. Muscari. ...
7. Scilla. ...
8. Convallaria.

 

Good morning and welcome to Gardeners Corner ...

My garden faces west but even so during the winter most of it gets no sunshine, because the sun is low in the sky and is blocked by fences shrubs etc
However Snowdrops and Crocuses grow and multiply in these sunless spots every year, before the sun can reach them. and on the north side of a fence which is shady even in the summer time, bluebells thrive.

 

Welcome, @Buzyizzy21

A lot depends on if you are after permanent planting or just a spring delight. Anything will be fine for the first spring as bulbs are programmed to flower well based on the previous years' conditions. There's still time to make a large lasagne pot with anything you wish, daffs, tulips, anemones etc. Wilko's might have some "reduced to clear" bulbs for pennies. Taller plants are likely to become a bit leggy and lean towards any light, but for the short show they will earn their keep.

For a permanent planter, smaller, woodland type bulbs should do well, especially if you can move the planter into a sunnier spot after flowering. Snowdrops and bluebells fit nicely into the same pot. Anemones are very attractive in a pot, they form a nice mound in a couple of years and the foliage is pretty too.

A permanent planter would benefit from a longer period of interest. My favourite in these situations is evergreen Vinca Minor variegata, it grows well in shade, trails nicely and has flowers in early summer and then on and off around the year. Bulbs will grow through it when it's their time.

 

Some of you may recall, I have over 400 Thousand bulbs in my shaded garden. If your looking for color with things such as tulips, focus on the tulip that blooms BEFORE leaves appear on the trees, some of the shorter varieties usually do that. Otherwise those listed above are good. and there are also lots of daffs that handle shade, make sure you read when they bloom, plant some that bloom in various weeks, so you will have a fresh bloom appearing. The latest bloom I found was called moon (something) . Have fun.

 

@Buzyizze21 All the above mentioned bulbs are well prepared to flower & grow in a shaded area so if you get some of those above they will do very well for a couple of months or three!