Ideas for shady native plant area?

[Anonymous]

I have a small space on the north side of our house that receives shade for most of the day. It's approximately 2.5-3 ft x 10 ft long and sits between the house and the patio. Currently it's a mess of mostly non-native solomons seal but I want to pull that up and put in some native plants. Any suggestions for a small area like this that would be visually interesting? Was thinking maybe some ferns, wild geranium and heuchera but open to other suggestions. Also thought about some creeping phlox for the edge (the long edge has a wood border separating the garden bed from the patio) but not sure it would be enough sun? TIA!

[Anonymous]

I like Ostrich Ferns. It's neat to watch them come up each year and spread-out. They even do pretty well in the heat of summer (on a shady north facing side of the house).

For spring interest I also have wild bleeding hearts, but they die out by summer. You can use a mix of both.

https://www.americanmeadows.com/perennials/bleeding-heart/wild-bleeding-heart

[Anonymous]

Is it dry or wet? Most ferns like moisture.

This is what I have in my dry shade:

Aquilegia canadensis



Salvia lyrata - this is evergreen



Coreopsis lanceolata

[Anonymous]

PP here - for shade and moist you have hundreds of options
all the ferns, including evergreen ones like the Christmas fern and yes, Wild Geranium.

Anemone canadensis - this loves to spread, so it's very economical



Hypericum prolificum



Iris cristata



Packera obovata - evergreen

[Anonymous]

More for shade and moist

Zizia aptera - you will get these swallowtails coming





Tiarella cordifolia


Maianthemum, both stellatum, racemosum, and canadese. Stellatum spreads easily. Stellatum and canadese have fragrant flowers.

[Anonymous]

OP here- thanks all! I'd say medium moisture- being so shady, it tends to stay moist longer after a rain. I usually put in some annuals there too and rarely have to water.

[Anonymous]

Hellebores. resilient. Lovely flowers. it's a smaller plant

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hellebores. resilient. Lovely flowers. it's a smaller plant

These are not native and they spread like crazy. I'm still trying to get rid of mine, 2 years later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- thanks all! I'd say medium moisture- being so shady, it tends to stay moist longer after a rain. I usually put in some annuals there too and rarely have to water.

So all those above would work.