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Help with choosing the right plants

Spike64Spike64 Posts: 1

Can anybody advise me of any plants with attractive foliage and colourful flowers suitable for growing in a shaded area of my garden.

I've tried many plants but had no successs yet. As i'm new to gardening it has all been trial and error so far.image

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138

    Hi Spike image

    Can you give us some idea of the type of soil (clay/sand/loam etc) and the surroundings (high fence, trees etc) whether it's dry or moist, the size of the area invlved etc.

    A picture or two would be good - to upload a photo you need to click on the green tree icon on the toolbar above where you type your post.


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





  • darren636darren636 Posts: 666
    Just google plants for shade....

    No need to waste money on unsuitable plants.
  • Rhod CromptonRhod Crompton Posts: 160

    Hostas, foxgloves, hydrangeas

  • Rhod CromptonRhod Crompton Posts: 160

    Ferns

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Hi Spike - Dove's right. If you can us some more info that will really help with ideas. For instance - plants for dry shade won't do  so well in wet shade and vice versa.You might want a basic background of shrubs or climbers if there's a wall or fence too.  Dicentra is certainly a good perennial with attractive flowers - pink mainly but I have the white one which is 'glowing' right now. Cimcifugas (Acteas), japanese Anemones, Heucheras, foliage plants like Euonymous, Aquilegias are just a few to add to those above mentioned. image

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



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138

    Fg image Different types of shade are so ............ different, aren't they?! 

    I have really dry shade under large trees and damp shade on a terraced bank, some of it is gritty sandy loam and some is humus-rich and dark and lovely.  Some of it is in deep shade all winter and then in quite good sunlight for the summer - all need different types of plants if they are to do well.


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





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Most of the shade here is damp Dove - something to do with that stuff that falls out the sky all the time.....image

    I do have a dry area under the conifer and pine at the rear of the garden. A couple of ferns,  and London Pride grows well enough there - despite it doing best in damper ground - but that's about it. I made a couple of pockets to take some polyanthus and filled them with clay soil form the garden and they're happy.

    Astilbes are another one Spike - but definitely need damp soil image

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



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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