dark dry flower bed

i have a flower bed with a neigbours tree next to it. the bed is very dry and shadowy. my plants keep dying. wot would anyone suggest i plant? :confused:

 

I have some Japanese Anenomes in a similar situation, and even Dicentra Formosa Alba that seem to get by ok.
Try mulching as much as possible with home made compost or leafmould to help conserve moisture.
Good luck

 

Dry shade is the most difficult to find plants for. These should do well:

Anemone, cyclamen, endymion, hypericum, lamium, oxalis, polypodium, ruscus, vinca.

 

but they all still need well watered regularly for the first year at least until they establish

 

..... but sparingly, so they can be encouraged to put down their roots to seek water for themselves. I'm not in favour of helping plants too much, as it's not good in the long run. Personally, I would only water them in well, and keep an eye on them, only helping out if it looks necessary.

There was a thread a while back about the pros and cons of watering, but I haven't been able to find it. Does anyone know where it is? I think DAG started it.

GOT IT!!

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=001454#000000

 

there are some ferns like dry shade - I am sure someone will come up with a name.

I have loads of cyclamen on north side of apple tree, they grow like weeds, just depends on how big your bed is and how much room you have to fill.

aquilegia.......Good luck

 

Too add to the names already provided,

Comfrey, Echinopps, lily of the valley, winter aconite, geranium (cranes bill and not pelergonium).

These are all growing happily in the shade of a big copper beach and fence.

 

Have a similar problem with the added 'bonus' of the sun when it goes round draws the plants to it hence everything grows at 45 degrees to the perpendicular.
Acanthus and other tap-rooters are good as are the 'cranesbills'. I do try to water now and again but being on sand the water goes straight down - just planted some Aconitum and Miscanthus to see what happens to them.....
Last resort is to slab/deck the area and use pots to produce colour.