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Suggestions for dry(ish) shade.

KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
in Problem solving
I have an area about 10 feet long and 5 feet wide which is pretty much North facing.  It is also in the shadow of Leylandii, not mine or they'd be gone.  Any suggestions for what I may be able to get to grow there.  I do want some height to hide the 3 foot high fence, plus lower growing and ground cover.  Some evergreen would be good too.  Not asking much I know but any suggestions would be welcome.  Soil is fairly neutral.

Posts

  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    For ground cover, try epimediums.
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    edited February 2019
    Snap I was going to say Epimediums. Some are winter green and have fantastic new leaf colour in spring and some also colour up, often red, in winter.
    And flowers too.
    We have perralderianum under leylandii here. Performs brilliantly with very little care.
    The flowers are  cheerful little yellow ones .
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/6491/Epimedium-perralderianum/Details
    Another easy one is E. rubrum with red and yellow flowers again nice early leaf colour and goes reddy brown in winter.
    There are many others but these two are nice ground cover and I am not an expert but think these two are easy plants to start with.
    This one is similar to perralderianum , just has good clear photos of the flower type and leaf colour the same.
    http://www.johnjearrard.co.uk/plants/epimedium/epimediumxperralchicumfrohnleiten/species.html

  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    If your bed is 5ft wide, I would lay a 2 ft wide bark mulch path between the fence and the back of the bed, to bring it out a bit more in the daylight (depends of course how tall the leylandi is). If you search the RHS site for plants for dry shade, you might get some more inspiration.  
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    Moving plants forward won't help.  Leylandii is only about 8' but high enough to block sun to that area as the house blocks the sun for part of the day too.  Some sun during the height of summer but predominantly shaded.
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    Liriope Muscari should be fine in that spot. There are white and purple flower forms and more or less staying evergreen. Another plant, Euphorbia Amygdaloides var. robbiae will smother an area like that with evergreen leaves throughout the winter. Bergenias are also useful plants. Even in dry soils, they may not flower for long, but the leaves offer nice ground cover and often turn oranges and reds in the colder months.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    I get your point @KT53 but bringing out the bed a bit more helps the plants get a bit more actual daylight (not necessarily sunshine), takes the plants further away from the roots of the leylandii, helps them get more rainwater, makes it easier to prune the leylandii and reduces the area you need to plant up so saves you money! 
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • rosemummyrosemummy Posts: 2,010
    I have s border under several climbing shrubs that I am doing my best to control, I planted 3epimediums last year, they have completely disappeared, is this right? It is the amazing disappearing border... I have managed to lose wood anemones, Pulmonata, & lily of the valley! I think there is s plant eating shade loving monster lurking in there( seriously if anyone can help I'd I'd be v grateful sorry for jumping in x
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    Jump away rosemummy.  I think I have the same monster.  Even the weeds don't seem to like it there!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think you'll struggle to get anything of height KT. Unless you get heavy enough rainfall through summer, most things will struggle to establish, let alone thrive. I have cotoneasters, astilbes and geraniums under and around conifers, as well as bulbs, but we get heavy enough rainfall year round, so they never dry out. They also get virtually no sunlight even in summer, which doesn't affect them. 
    Dry shade is something I don't have much of here, but I'd expect cotoneaster would be ok in your site if you can get them established initially. 
    One thing that thrives anywhere is London Pride - Saxifraga Urbium. It copes with anything from full sun and dry, to full shade and wet.

    Rosemummy- pulmonaria, wood anemones and lily of the valley need moisture. Once they get dried out, it's difficult to get them back. Last year in particular, will have done them no good. 
    Take a look at Long Acre - they specialise in shade plants of all types.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • rosemummyrosemummy Posts: 2,010
    Thanks, last year I went out of my wSy to really water that border, I will let you know if anything comes back, having a look yesterday the hellebores I thought had died are growing but they're at least 2or 3 weeks later than gardens I've seen locally so the shade must be holding them back too x
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