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Bright green/gold shrubs for part shade?

NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
in Plants
I’m looking for a few shrubs/sub shrubs for the middle to front of a border against a north-facing fence. It gets a couple of hours of morning sun (tho even that can be pretty strong in summer) before being shaded out by large trees beyond the fence. Many shrubs for part shade coming up on searches have dark green foliage or are generally rather dull looking. I would like something with bright green or golden foliage/interesting-shaped leaves, but not a fan of variegated.

Any flowers or winter interest to be white, yellow or orange to fit with the overall scheme. definitely no pink or red foliage, autumn colour or flowers.

Soil is alkaline but very well-improved with pine bark compost, leaf mould, manure etc. and will be well irrigated, but it’s naturally more dry than damp.

Options that have come up so far:

Cotinus Coggygria Golden Lady - if it can be kept reasonably compact with pruning
Choisya Aztec Gold
Berberis Maria or Golden Rocket
Physocarpus Dart’s Gold
Aralia Cordata Sun King
Hebe Emerald Green

Any other suggestions please or advice about any of the above? I was also wondering about Potentilla..
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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Posts

  • PerkiPerki Posts: 2,527
    edited November 2021
    They is few Pittosporum to look at like Warnham gold and Tandara gold plus others . Spirea Gold fountain and maybe some others a lot do have pink flowers though. I have Choisya goldfingers . Caryopteris worcester gold and a few others to look at they do like the sun but they may have a more lime green foliage in part shade. I have a thing for Cryptomeria and they is one called Golden promise, lots in conifer family to look at if you like them . Cornus alba aurea but red bark . They is a golden hydrangea Annabelle limey yellow foliage, and a yellow philadelphus aureus  maybe be on the to big size ,  same with the sambucus sutherlands gold but can always be hard pruned.

    Physocarpus darts gold is a bit of a monster plant I've seen one 10ft high by 12ft + can be kept smaller but may lose the flowers . they is a lot more other physocarpus they are getting quite popular now so a newer variety may fit. 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I have a couple of shrubs that are mostly in shade but do well.
    There's an orangey berberis (I can't recall the name) that seems to glow in the shade. To the right of that is a philadelphus aureus and to the right of that is acer Katsura




    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Excellent, thanks @Perki, for the heads up how big Physocarpus Dart’s Gold can get, that rules it out. I have climbing yellow roses on the fence so don’t want anything too huge for the middle and front to obscure them completely. Pittosporum nor caryopteris came up on my search for part shade, but thinking on it, the vareiegated pittosporum I inherited is in part shade and does fine despite being listed as needing full sun. Definitely two to investigate further..

    That’s a beautiful scene @Pete.8. Sadly the philadelphus is probably too big. I have a potted acer Bi-Hoo which I may incorporate somehow, needs the shadiest spot as the foliage does crisp a little even in morning sun. Is your Berberis Orange Rocket? I have that in the opposite, sunny border and mirroring it in this shady one might look good.

    Lots to think on, thanks both.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I think the berberis may well be Orange Rocket - I does ring a bell and it was narrow and upright when first planted quite a few years ago

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    My Caryopteris Worcester Gold only gets morning sun, but it seems quite happy. It starts off a bit limey greeny when the leaves first open but turns yellow in high summer,and the flowers are nice too if blue goes with your scheme (I like blue with orange and yellow, but you might not).
    There are a couple of yellow-leaved Euonymus that might be suitable - have a look at El Dorado and Happiness.

    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Philadelphus aureus has beautiful vibrant lime green / yellow foliage.  The mature leaves will revert to an ordinary green mid to late summer.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • TackTack Posts: 1,367
    I have Philadelphus Aureus, Choisya Sundance and various Euonymus that I rate highly, I keep them the size they need to be, all easy to prune
  • newbie77newbie77 Posts: 1,838
    I was also about to suggest Choisya Sundance. It isn't as golden in shade as it is sun but still nice contrast to anything dark green. I have nandina lemon and lime which is very compact and beautiful. It doesn't have berries. 
    South West London
  • robairdmacraignilrobairdmacraignil Posts: 782
    Had read the question here and was browsing in the local garden centre and noticed a nice bright leaved form of Pittosporum called midget that might be an option. It does say it has some purple flowers in summer with a nice fragrance but the Pittosporum types I have already have very small flowers so maybe this would not disrupt your colour scheme too much. From what I have growing I would have just suggested a bright leaved variety of choisya.

    Happy gardening!
    https://www.youtube.com/user/sustainableveg/videos
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Cheers for the further ideas and info, @JennyJ, @B3, @Tack and @newbie77 😊 

    Philadelphus Aureus is lovely and proving a popular choice! I would have to sacrifice the Cotinus if I went for it as it’s not a huge space. One has fragrance, the other one great autumn colour.

    A little blue would be fine with the scheme, Jenny. I’m rather taken with Caryopteris ‘Sterling Silver’ for another part of the garden but have listed a gold one for this border in place of the gold choisya because I like it better.

    I have a fair amount of Nandina already, but Bright Lights is a really nice one and worth considering, newbie. The shrubby type Euonymous fails to excite me, tbh, but I will have another look.

    Here is where I am currently at:

    Cotinus Coggygria Golden Lady (2x2m, hard pruned smaller) or Philadelphus Aureus 

    Berberis Maria (1.2mx50cm) or Orange Rocket

    Caryopteris Touch of Gold (1x1m)

    Aralia Cordata Sun King (1x1m)

    Pittosporum Midget (80x80cm)

    Hebe Emerald Green (30x40cm)


    Great to have my options and horizons expanded, thanks again folks 😊 

    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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