Help! Deep Shade Woodland Garden - Plant options

traceykeightley83sfLaLBOm · February 2021

Hi,
We are having an extension built around a small garden. It is a deep shade area. I'm quite concerned that this will look a mess. A gardener has suggested some tree ferns, but I'm a bit worried that the view from both the living area and dining area will be mud as not a lot grows in that area! Has anyone had any experience creating a nice woodland garden that would be nice to look out into?

Thanks!

Bee witched · February 2021

Hi @traceykeightley83sfLaLBOm, and welcome to the forum.

There are lots of plants will love your shade ..... plenty of ideas on this website.
https://www.plantsforshade.co.uk/

Bee x

Fairygirl · February 2021

Yes - not really enough info to give useful advice.
Shade isn't a huge problem, and there will be loads of ideas. It also depends on how you want to use the space, or if it's just to have something attractive to look at all year round from a window.
If the ground is wet, it's easy enough to find planting to help that, or you can also improve the conditions first to give more scope. Some decent shrubs will also help to soak up excess moisture.

Tree ferns aren't particularly simple to look after if you aren't reasonable experienced. They also aren't suitable everywhere in the UK due to variations in climate.

Cambridgerose12 · February 2021

This is basically the conditions I have in my back garden so I have a lot of suggestions, but it depends on the size of the area, your soil type and so on. I too would avoid tree ferns; there are a number of good hardy ground ferns that will give interesting foliage effects, and in general you'll probably enjoy your garden much more if you aim for texture and contrasts of leaf shape over lots of colour.

wrightt · February 2021

I have a woodland area and there are loads that you could grow some highly scented and some with beautiful flowers. Try to visit an NGS garden that has shade for inspiration.

SueAtoo · February 2021

I have a similar problem Tracey, an oak tree towering over a huge magnolia which has huge leaves in the summer and a camellia, evergreen all year. It's fine in the spring with various azaleas. The February RHS magazine has a woodland article and I'd love a fuller bed like page 41. @wrightt can you suggest some of the highly scented and pretty flowers please.

Obelixx · February 2021

I suggest you have a read of book by Beth Chatto on the Shade Garden and the Woodland Garden. A good local library will source them for you or there's always Amazon. You will find them enlightening, informative and inspiring.

Inglezinho · February 2021

These are deciduous trees so you need something early flowering before the shade sets in.The standard plants for this situation are snowdrops, hardy cyclamen, winter aconites, wild garlic (smelly but loads of flowers and just about the only thing that flowers in summer) Depending on the amount of shade you may be able to grow tazetta daffodils and here's a surprise: winter flowing jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) and just a tiny bit of sun in summer - it will grow and flower(!) in total shade in winter, but plant with plenty of compost and fertilizer. For autumn by far the best is holly. Many different types. If you have a wet area, white dead-nettles (!) Avoid anything summer flowering. Good luck! - Ian

Help! Deep Shade Woodland Garden - Plant options

Posts