It depends what you mean by very shallow soil. What is under that soil? Solid concrete that won't drain properly, or just sand stones and gravel etc.? If the last then Leggi has the best approach; use easy alpines or bulbs. If you know nothing about alpines just look in the garden centre. Anything you get a lot of for your money is an easy alpine in general. Sempervivum, Sedum, Erinus, Dianthus, Campanula, Armeria (Thrift) etc. Several small bulbs should be OK, such as Grape hyacinths, crocus, snowdrops, the smaller alliums (onions) eg. chives or ornamental speacies. Maybe liriope or some of the coloured leaf sedges. Just look for the smaller grass like plants in plant sales.
Alchemmila Mollis (Ladie's Mantle) would do well there, and the daisy that another poster mentioned, the Erigeron, but they're both low growing. Sounds like Gardening Grandma has a lovely mixture growing, year round interest as she says. But I would be wary of the Japanese Anemones, they are lovely but I fight a constant battle with them to try and stop them taking over.
Fleabane? It's a pretty pink - white daisy, very airy, self seeds freely, can cope with being trodden on and is low on height, though I don't know if it needs sunshine. Also, wouldn't some geraniums survive? They seem to pop up everywhere. One other plant that loves a crack in paving is Echium Vulgare Blue Bedder - the bees absolutely love it. I grew 3 plants in my very small front garden and thought I'd got them out before seeding - I was wrong, as my neighbour can testify! Just as well he appreciated them growing through the paving and path, and just about everywhere else. Hope this helps.
Erigeron karvinskianus! One of my favourite plants. Masses of daisy-like flowers which start off white and change gradually to pink, then purple, flowering for a good six months. I had some growing between paving stones on my old patio - it obviously thrives in a thimbleful of soil and selfseeds well.
Erigeron karvinskianus! Emilyn, that's the fleabane I was on about. That's 2 shouts for it. Will certainly cheer up an overlooked corner. White will look really good and jump out as the night begins to creep in.
Considering this is quite a dark, narrow strip along a walled area I think a combination of Asarum europaeum (evergreen and low-growing), Polystichum setiferum (evergreen), Geranium, Hosta, Helleborus niger would look lovely. Epimediums would be a possibility and also Campanula ( the small varieties). I would also consider putting in a climber; there are some lovely Clematis' that do well in shady conditions. Another thing I always like very much is using bulbs like Cyclamen coum, Corydalis, Fritillaria meleagris, Galanthus and Scilla. This way you'll have something to look at all year round.
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It depends what you mean by very shallow soil. What is under that soil? Solid concrete that won't drain properly, or just sand stones and gravel etc.? If the last then Leggi has the best approach; use easy alpines or bulbs. If you know nothing about alpines just look in the garden centre. Anything you get a lot of for your money is an easy alpine in general. Sempervivum, Sedum, Erinus, Dianthus, Campanula, Armeria (Thrift) etc. Several small bulbs should be OK, such as Grape hyacinths, crocus, snowdrops, the smaller alliums (onions) eg. chives or ornamental speacies. Maybe liriope or some of the coloured leaf sedges. Just look for the smaller grass like plants in plant sales.
Or a raised bed and added topsoil.
Fleabane? It's a pretty pink - white daisy, very airy, self seeds freely, can cope with being trodden on and is low on height, though I don't know if it needs sunshine. Also, wouldn't some geraniums survive? They seem to pop up everywhere. One other plant that loves a crack in paving is Echium Vulgare Blue Bedder - the bees absolutely love it. I grew 3 plants in my very small front garden and thought I'd got them out before seeding - I was wrong, as my neighbour can testify! Just as well he appreciated them growing through the paving and path, and just about everywhere else. Hope this helps.
Erigeron karvinskianus! One of my favourite plants. Masses of daisy-like flowers which start off white and change gradually to pink, then purple, flowering for a good six months. I had some growing between paving stones on my old patio - it obviously thrives in a thimbleful of soil and selfseeds well.
Erigeron karvinskianus! Emilyn, that's the fleabane I was on about. That's 2 shouts for it. Will certainly cheer up an overlooked corner. White will look really good and jump out as the night begins to creep in.
Considering this is quite a dark, narrow strip along a walled area I think a combination of Asarum europaeum (evergreen and low-growing), Polystichum setiferum (evergreen), Geranium, Hosta, Helleborus niger would look lovely. Epimediums would be a possibility and also Campanula ( the small varieties). I would also consider putting in a climber; there are some lovely Clematis' that do well in shady conditions. Another thing I always like very much is using bulbs like Cyclamen coum, Corydalis, Fritillaria meleagris, Galanthus and Scilla. This way you'll have something to look at all year round.