Thinking of a veggie border

I have a border, currently planted up with annuals (there are a few perennials in there, but they can either be moved or ditched, as some of them aren't much cop) that I am thinking might be ideal to be made to 'work' for us.

Its a border that is alongside the back lawn, but on the side where it really can't be seen unless you walk up to it - so if you were sitting on the patio or at the French doors, you wouldn't really see what was growing in it - - and with a bit of companion planting, I think it would look just fine.

It is 18ft long by 3ft wide (could be widened a wee bit, but I wouldn't want to go too far), but has two disadvantages - it has a buddliea davidii tree right in the middle of its length, and its on the shadier side of the garden (reasonable amount of light, but never full sun)

I am thinking of stuff like parsnips, cauliflowers and sprouts maybe, but I am open to suggestions - so, are there any veggies that would be happy growing in these conditions?

 

Hmmmmmm, I take it that this isn't the best of ideas then?

 

Ah, so my idea of sprouts and parsnips are a non starter for there then. Back to the drawing board.......

 

I've got mint growing in a big pot on that side of the garden already, although its not really come to much this year. We're not fans of rhubarb at all in this house, so it would never get eaten - rosemary is a good one though, that would get used.

At the moment, the border has pansies, coleus, hollyhocks (only a couple of old ropey ones) and petunias and everything seems to have done reasonably well, albeit a little slower than the ones in the full sun.

I did wonder about some of the more decorative cabbages, but wasn't sure how they would fare in the shady conditions.

 

Not if the slugs get em first

 

There is no way that Mrs C would tolerate me putting veg on the sunny side of the garden - bless her, she has been tolerant enough to the idea of me having growbags and tomatoes on the sunny side of the patio.

Although an old photograph, here is a rough idea of what I would like:



The area on the left marked with the white arrow is the bed that I am referring to, a closer picture of which is here (again, this is a photo from earlier in the year):



This shows quite well the line of shade that is caused by the fence, and to be honest even once the tree is trimmed, I reckon the best that this area will get is a couple of hours very early morning.

I was having a poke about on Google this morning and came across a site (forgot to bookmark) which suggested that parsnips, beets and salad stuff would do OK in shade, but I'd rather go by the advice from you all on here; if there is nothing edible that will perform here, then it will have to remain floral I think.

 

We don't eat a lot of them - but then, we don't grow 'em at the moment.