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Large planter in shade
autumnglory
Posts: 255
in Plants
I want to plant a large trough planter with shade plants like hostas and lily of the valley for the front of my house, which only gets a couple of hours of morning sun.
Im going to put spring bulbs in it for spring, but I'm looking for suggestions for plants to include to stop it looking like an empty pot in winter. The only thing I can think of is to put a couple of euonymus in there, but I already have some in pots so I'm looking for something different.
I'm trying to get away from the winter and summer bedding I usually put in my pots because it seems wasteful to keep buying them every year.
Thanks!
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I have heuchera in a trough
They come in a wide variety of colours. in the summer I add a few small bedding plants.
I love heuchera, completely forgot about them! I saw your picture of the erythronium the other day on the picture thread, it's inspired me to put one of those in it. :-)
autumnglory - the erythronium dies back summer until spring. With heuchera, remember to treat to prevent vine weevil. I do it spring and autumn. I also have heuchera in hanging baskets in shade and add some bacopa to the basket for summer.
Parsley would grow and look decorative too
Harts tongue fern (and other evergreen ferns) would work. Helleborus foetidus is always good. I love Euphorbia amygdaloides Robbiea - but it does take over.
Have you thought about things like box balls? Would look very smart.
Thanks for the replies! I like harts tongue fern so I think I'll put one of those in. I didn't know it was evergreen though so I've learned something there! I'm wary of box because none of the box I've seen around here seems to look good, I assume it's blight.
We had that euphorbia at our old house and I was forever trying to control it so it's put me off!
Last edited: 05 April 2017 07:53:01
If you chose a dark-leaf Hosta, what about one of the lovely lime/chartreuse Heucheras, like Key Lime, Cintronelle, or Lime Ruffles? A coral-leaf Heuchera would look nice also for even more color contrast.
I think I am going to do that Peggy! I have a citronelle in the shady bit of the back garden and it looks amazing now with the young new growth on it. That and the dicentra really brighten it up.
Do share a photo with us when you get it all sorted out and planted, please
Thought I'd update you all with a picture! Lily of the valley is yet to make an appearance, I planted it from bare root a few weeks ago and I've read it can be difficult to get going.