Help with plants

Hi

I am a total beginner my Garden is quite small and up until we started re doing it this summer was just completely slabbed with no plants. We are putting in borders and just having a slabbed patio in the middle(too small for grass).

My question is we have a huge tree in a garden to the rear of the house which blocks out the sunlight from 1pm everyday(shame because its a south facing garden) which means some parts of the garden get no sunlight at all and others just till 1pm. What plants and shrubs are best to plant in these conditions.have none at all atm so need quite a few ideas. Also would like something that doesnt need much looking after.

Also the front of my house gets no sun as its north facing I want to put a couple of pots out there so what will thrive in a pot in the shade?

Thanks

 

Hi Debjk Although you don't say what type of soil you have (does make a difference!)Any of the following are fine for shade, in any reasonable soil, & most will cope with dry conditions (but mulch every spring) They are taken from a planting plan I did for a shady area in a client's garden, so work well together. The cultivar/variety names refer to the particular ones used in the plan, but you could have a look at other varieties to find ones you like. Eleagnus pungens 'Maculata', Lonicera 'Graham Thomas' (honeysuckle), Choisya ternata, Hedera colchica dentata 'Variegata' (Ivy), Philadelphus coronarius 'Aureus'(golden mock orange), Mahonia 'Lionel Fortescue', Clematis montana 'Alba', Skimmia japonica 'Rubella', Skimmia japonica 'Foremanii', Hebe 'White Gem', Digitalis purpurea 'Alba'(white foxglove), Anemone 'Honorine Jobert', Bergenia 'Sissinghurst White' (elephants ears), Lamium maculatum 'Aureum' (golden dead nettle), Geranium 'Ann Folkard' , Campanula lactiflora 'Alba'(bellflower), Pulmonaria saccharata (lungwort), Dicentra formosa

Underplant with bulbs such as Narcissus (daffodils), Cyclamen and Anemone nemorosa (wood anemone).
The Skimmia would work in a container, &/or you could plant containers with seasonal bulbs. Or try Ophiopogon planiscapus "nigrescens" (Black lily turf) with cyclamen & variegated ivy, or Ivy trained over a topiary form work frame.
Hope this helps