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Plant suggestions- wet and full shade!

Julia1983Julia1983 Posts: 139
in Problem solving
Hi all,

I was after a few plant suggestions for a difficult corner.... It is north facing bed overlooked by a ten foot (ish)brick retaining  wall. It gets next to no sun and the soil is wet mud really. Improving drainage I don't think will be an option (I'm guessing the foundations for the wall are causing the poor drainage). I've got bog plants/marginals growing on the west side which is also pretty wet, but sunny. I can't seem to identify any pond/bog plants that would be ok in such a shaded position. I've popped a bit of ivy in on the off chance.... Any other suggestions really appreciated!   p.s. We've got a huge slug population so all my hostas are now in pots so ruled them out unfortunately. The soil is shallow too, only 1-2 feet at most. 
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  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    Matteuccia struthiopteris, Osmunda regalis if you have acid soil.


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    Depending on how wide the bed is,  you could try Darmera peltata. I've got it growing in wet soil in fairly deep shade and it has just romped away. I'm having to dig some of it out to make room for other things. It has large rhizomes but they don't go very deep. It would be on a scale to match the height of the wall and make a bit of a statement, but if it's too much there is a dwarf  version available too. Or you could do a Chelsea chop on some of it, it comes back readily enough.
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    Comfrey should manage there too, I have delphiniums growing in a similar situation, I'm sure they would prefer more sun.. but tough.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Rodgersia?
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 577
    slugs love delphiniums
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Acteas will grow there. The ones with dark foliage are the nicest. They make  quite a big stand of folaige,and the flowers are tall spires of white,  or pinky white, small flowers in late summer/early autumn. 
    Hydrangeas if there's room. 
    If you can give us more info - size of area etc - that will help with other suggestions.

    Is there a reason you can't improve the drainage a bit? Grit and gravel dug in will help, or raising the area a little, if it's not too big a space. 

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    I was going to ask how wet , you say bog, but is it bog all year and will await your answer to Fairygirls query on improving drainage.
    My immediate thoughts are ferns there are so many types  you could find a selection and have a fernery. And Kirengeshoma palmata a lovely perennial with big thick yellow petals for later in the year. Ours has just finished flowering.
    Also check out Trycirtis (check spelling) a woodland plant but it might be okay with you .
    I lost ours because I think our shade is a bit too dry for it.

  • Julia1983Julia1983 Posts: 139
    Thanks all, it's the corner of two beds so about a metre and a half wide I would say and about two long, it could possibly be dug out further though depending what I can get growing.... There's a log pile in the corner at the moment (trying to be wildlife friendly) but space for planting in front. I could dig in more compost and some gravel to improve things a bit, but it gets the run off from three other gardens in that corner (house is mid way up a hill) and has a later of hardcore under clay soil so I think it'll always be wet (not waterlogged though). It is wet all year too, even in this summers conditions It was moist.  I was hoping to work with the conditions a bit really (also have a recent rotator cuff injury and might be headed for divorce if my lovely husband has to do too much more digging ;) I have a kirengeshoma palmata about a metre down from this corner, it is a beautiful plant. I have two mahonias and an osmunda regalis nearby which seem to be doing ok, they get a bit of sun though and this corner gets none. I do love ferns, so might bite the bullet and give it a go.. I wanted something with a bit of height and structure underplanted with something smaller ideally. I don't ask for much.....
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    How exposed is it Julia? I'm thinking that a Fatsia would work well. I have a shady border that is always damp, due to our regular rainfall. At the shadiest end I have a Fatsia, and the aforementioned Acteas. I also have Dicentra in there, and Jap.anemones and ferns, primulas etc.
    The other thing you could do is to plant something which will help compete for moisture. I've got hedging in mine [Blackthorn and Buddleia] and a Pyracantha [which copes perfectly well with the shade. as it can poke through and over the fence to the sunny side] I alos have Lonicera nitida, some white Spireas and a laurel further along the bed.They all help to keep a balance with  the moisture content.
      
    I also have a bu**ered rotator cuff muscle after a fight with an icy hill in February. Good fun isn't it!  :D
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Julia1983Julia1983 Posts: 139
    I'm dream gardening while it heals  :D  somethings got to like shady mud!  I would say it is sheltered, gets a bit of breeze coming down the side of the house but  there are two brick walls with fences on top that make up the corner. Will definitely look into those suggestions, I wondered about a blackthorn for the sloe gin potential but wasn't sure about the shade...
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