Advice taken - shade-loving plant update

[col]

Thanks to all who offered advice about my need to perk up the shady side of my garden in a previous thread. I couldn't get, or find, all the plants suggested to me - but after ransacking the 'shade tunnel' at Braithwell Nurseries over the weekend, I did pretty well.....

Arum italicum marmoratum:

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' :

Cyrtomium falcatum (Japanese Holly Fern) - a bit palm-like:

Ferns, ferns, and more ferns - including two Dicksonia antarctica's. Fern overload!

Hellebore 'Smokey Purple' - sinister looking dark flowers. Out of focus - sorry:

Tiarella wherryi (Foam Flower):

Rodgersia pinnata (BIG leaves!):

Plus, a couple of non-shade loving plants I couldn't resist:

Yucca aolifolia, decent size (£5.50) and placed for planting:

Yucca rostrata, juvenile, about 8ins high (good value at £4.50):

Now, all I have to do is plant them up

Col

[lee-ann]

Good looking haul good luck with the planting

[Gaz]

I do like that Rodgersia pinnata, I remember looking at that in Cornwall last year but didnt get one. I'm questioning why not now!!

[col]

I do like that Rodgersia pinnata, I remember looking at that in Cornwall last year but didnt get one. I'm questioning why not now!!

Just to make you feel slightly worse about not buying it, Gaz, is that the photo I took of my Rodgeria doesn't give a good impression of scale. Those leaves are about 10" long and the whole thing has the 'wow' factor you are looking for to give that tropical effect....

Col

[themes]

I do like that Rodgersia pinnata, I remember looking at that in Cornwall last year but didnt get one. I'm questioning why not now!!

Just to make you feel slightly worse about not buying it, Gaz, is that the photo I took of my Rodgeria doesn't give a good impression of scale. Those leaves are about 10" long and the whole thing has the 'wow' factor you are looking for to give that tropical effect....

Col

Very interested to see how the planting goes. Keep us updated. I have vested interests here

[DavidF]

A nice set of plants there

I love shade loving plants, but I don't really have much shade in my garden apart from winter shade, but that's not the same.

[themes]

A nice set of plants there

I love shade loving plants, but I don't really have much shade in my garden apart from winter shade, but that's not the same.

You could always get a tropical tree and create shade

[tropical-pete]

Some lovely plants there col - I love the foliage on that Cyrtomium falcatum, and the Rodgersia, too. Keep us posted once you've planted them, it should look great!

[ChrisG]

Lovely plants Col. This will and you thread about what plants people recommend will be good for reference when I finally get around to planting my shade beds.

[col]

Lovely plants Col. This will and you thread about what plants people recommend will be good for reference when I finally get around to planting my shade beds.

Now, the shady part of my garden gets all the attention and in a couple of months I'll post another thread bleating on about how neglected the sunny side is

I've had some great advice and when I get my shady area planted up I'll certainly post a pic or two.....

[Owen]

Great plants- ive found the Tierella didn't come back this year- perhaps it needed more water/light than I could give it. Love the Arum italicum! Try scattering the orange berries when they ripen around to spread the plant around. It comes true from seed.

Ive recently planted up my shady border- although up till this year I never fully admitted that's what it was! As I tried the past few years to get away with growing many plants that really were struggling in the semi shade. So out went the small cordylines, yuccas, melianthus major, lobelia tupa, and in went the lovely shade plants.

To be honest for me you cant go wrong with Ferns. My favourites are Male Fern, Harts Tongue fern, Sensitive fern, Polysticium setiferum, and Athyrium otophorum 'Okanum'. There are probably others- but I find these are good doers. The sensitive fern and Athyrium are deciduous. I use the ferns as the main shade plants and incorporate other plants used for differing leaf shapes.

I would suggest looking for Iris foetidissima and Carex for vertical spikes of green leaves, Rodgersias for bold leaves, Darmera peltata for round dinner plates, Purple Bugle for ground cover, and a new plant for me I bought this weekend Vinca minor 'Atropurpurea'. Also another ground cover I like is Alpine strawberries! Solomons seal, Geranium phaem, ivy, hellebores and Lamium species also all work well in dry shade. As do Martagon Lilies as I have found to my delight!

Good luck! And show us some photos when you plant it up!

[col]

Thanks Owen - I've kind of half planted it up already, but work gets in the way!

Interesting what you say about ferns - I've just discovered them after years of dismissing them as 'orrible things you get growing in gullies, drains, etc. I must have bought 8 or 10 of the things in the last couple of weeks and I'm amazed at just how great they look. More to the point, they add to that 'tropical / jungle' feel, especially when planted around the two Dicksonia antarctica I bought....

Col

[themes]

I like the look of myrrhis Odorata..going to try and get hold of one this year. It is good in shade and looks great to boot can get to 5 ft