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Hostas for Dry Shade

Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
in Problem solving
I've been looking around for some plants for a dry shade area against a fence.. bit of morning sun and then dappled sun/full bright shade.  I am currently growing hollyhocks there.  But nearly every site is recommending hostas?!  Shade, yes.. dry, no?
These are the American sites I usually find trustworthy.. 
Hostas as their first or second recommendation!  Am I missing something?  I've had a few hostas, they all crisped up and died in my fairly well watered shade areas.
Utah, USA.

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I tried three H. Sum @ Substance in dry shade ... not a hope in hell ... even with watering theyve been fading away over the few years they’ve been there ... they hardly bother to send up more than a couple of leaves in total now. 
    Not a plant for dry shade in my experience. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
    Hello @Blue Onion,

    I think epimediums would work well for you .... see this info.

    https://www.plantsforshade.co.uk/acatalog/Epimedium.html#:~:text=Epimediums%20from%20Europe%20are%20often,x%20versicolor%20and%20x%20youngianum.

    Bee x
     image
    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    Thanks @Bee witched but I am looking for something larger as the replacement.. something sort of hollyhock like in the fact it blooms for a long period.
    Utah, USA.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Actaea?
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    @Loxley That's a good suggestion.. I hadn't consider them.  I love the ones with the 'black' foliage.  It's up against a white vinyl fence, so it will look lovely and colorful all season. 
    Utah, USA.
  • DevonianDevonian Posts: 176
    Foxgloves?
  • Greg4Greg4 Posts: 91
    Hostas usually like damp shade over dry shade, I don’t think they will thrive in dry shade.
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    The well renowned Mickfield Hostas are just up the road from me and we live in the driest part of the country. I think on one of their blogs they said that hostas will do ok in dry shade so long as they get plenty of moisture over winter. Also some varieties will do better than others.

    However, like you - they wouldn't be at the top of my list of recommendations for planting in dry shade....
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    I just found it bizarre so many recommended them.. sets new gardeners up for failure.  
    Utah, USA.
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