I've just been in the garden and remembered another doing remarkably well in what was dense shade and very dry under a large conifer:
Choisya 'aztec pearl'.
It is planted about two foot from the base of the conifer and until I raised the crown on the conifer a few weeks ago it had spread forwards about 6ft and was 3ft tall. Now I've stood it upright and it's now 6ft tall, and its now in sun most of the day. But it has been in the shade for most of its nine or ten years.
both of mine have done great the red lig i bought last year and split the beginning of the year is doing great and both parts are flowering really well.
and my marie crawford i think the green one has grown great for the first year some of the leaves a really big! and thats right next to a tree fern
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Last edited by bobbyd44 on Wed Jul 29, 2009 1:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Love the Ligularia, I planted one in near full-sun but gave up on it as it was constantly begging for water. I've found some seedlings so will try it in the shade now.
Some more I've just found in the garden, or remembered:
Pulmonaria
Podophyllum
Primula
Euphorbia (some)
Cyclamen
Convallaria (Lily of the Valley, the variegated form looks especially good)
Symphytum (again the variegated forms)
Brunnera
Mahonia
Nandina (N. dometica 'Richmond' is self fertile and berries well, very large compound leaves)
Prunus laurocerasus and P. lusitanica
Aucuba
(sorry of some have already been mentioned)
If the shade is caused by deciduous trees or shrubs, bulbs can do very well, especially those that like it dry over summer, such as tulips.
Mo ~ some of the plants in my earlier list are remarkable only for being unremarkable; not the most exciting of plants, but maybe “interesting”!
Last edited by Chalk Brow on Wed Jul 29, 2009 2:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
stephenprudence wrote:I have Contoneaster, don't like it one bit, but my dad does - it's definitely a traditionalists plant!
Stephen - I'm shocked
The familiar Cotoneaster horizontalis can be quite effective growing as ground cover beneath tress and shrubs, especially if it intermingles with other plants. (I did not plant it but it seeds itself quite freely so is likely to pop up anywhere)
But in a totally different category is C. cornubia, a very fast growing small evergreen (?) tree. It is handsome at any time of the year with its long glossy dark green leaves, with the added bonus of masses of white flowers in spring and copious red berries in autumn. But for me it is at its very best as the new leaves emerge in spring; they initially grow vertically on the horizontal branches looking like rows of silver candles, a fascinating sight that never ceases to give pleasure.
Last edited by Chalk Brow on Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
Do you have any pictures of oreopanax in your garden. I have been meaning to get this for a while. How shaded a position is it in?
I bought the Oreopanax this spring Mo, an impulse buy, I did not know anything about it but as soon as I saw it I knew I had to have it whatever it was.
It's planted in fairly dense shade under the canopy of a Trachycarpus and seems to be liking it. I gave it plenty of water to begin with but to be honest it gets forgotten now when I'm watering as it is so much in the shade, so for the last couple of months has had no additional water, but it's growing well and now looks as if it is about to flower.
Just after planting in May 2009
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Chalk Brow wrote:Love the Ligularia, I planted one in near full-sun but gave up on it as it was constantly begging for water.
I have Ligularia 'The Rocket' in full sun for the afternoon. It droops terribly but not for want of water. As soon as the sun goes in it perks back up again. The stress probably means it doesn't perform to its full potential so I will probably move it when I find something to put in its place.
Another good one for shade is Petasites. Not sure if it has been mentioned already. I have Petasites frigidus var. palmatus 'Golden Palms' from Urban Jungle, which is doing well. Another one that flops when the sun gets on it.
I've only really got into shade plants this year, as I don't have much during the summer. Last year when I ripped the Phylostacchis nigra out it opened up a whole new gardening dimention as I actually had a bed shaded most of the day even in high summer. This year at Urban Jungle I looked for a couple of shade plants, and even if I say so myself, I am really pleased with the effect.
I don't think these have been mentioned in the lists So here goes...
Remusatia pumila
Brunnera Jack Frost
Strobilanthes Persian Shield
And here they are all together with the Alocasia portdora bought at Amulree
I can see why you brought the oreopanax the foliage is gorgeous. It will be interesting to see how big it gets. It seems very adaptive to shade, from the pic the colour has darkened just like fatsia does when it is in shade.It has a lot of characteristics of ivy too. I wonder if its in the fatsia ivy genera of plants?
Simon, this is the first time I have heard of Petasites frigidus var. palmatus. I really love the foliage. I wonder how big it gets? If its hardy in peoples garden Its a must buy for me.
Dave, I really love the persian shield. I think I had a brrief discussion of this plant with Petefree. My main concern was hardiness. Again, If its hardy in peoples garden Its a must buy for me.