plants, flowers, shrubs, small trees - what are your favorites for shady areas?

[Anonymous]

Title says it all. We moved into a place with no/bad landscaping. Both front and back yards are small. Front yard is north facing and gets almost no sun, the area we'd landscape is along a porch so don't need tall. Back yard gets sun but the area we'd landscape is along a fence and doesn't get sun.

While something with pops of flowering color would be nice, I also accept that shrubs with various shades of brighter green may need to suffice, particularly along the backyard fence. I think in the front yard there are probably some flowers that would work (for instance astilbe have been recommended).

Also considering a small/dwarf tree for the front yard - hybrid dogwood or eastern redbud (dwarf) maybe (certainly open to others)? We have a large oak in the back yard and a large oak off to the side in the front (far enough off to the side that it wouldn't get in the way of a small tree in the front, but it's why we can't do another large tree in the front).

I welcome any and all suggestion of shade loving landscaping that would fit these areas. Native plant suggestions are definitely welcome, but not specifically limiting myself to them (definitely want to avoid anything invasive, however).

[Anonymous]

Look around in the area for similar shady properties and see what they have that is thriving. Then plant that. No need to reinvent the wheel. Just copy what is successful around you.

[Anonymous]

Here is a list I made after a lot of Pinterest surfing and observations on walks:

Ferns
Caladium
Coral bells
Coleus
Ornamental grasses
Geraniums
Snapdragons
Bleeding hearts

I haven't actually planted any yet, now that I've done some research I am planning to later this spring. I've seen some really simple and attractive small gardens that are pretty much just hostas and coleus, on the very simple side.

[Anonymous]

An area on the north side of a fence, if there is no other shade (from trees), will get more sun than you think in high summer. It’s tricky because it will be a short season, but full shade plants may fry if you’re not paying attention in July.

There are a lot of natives that love the shade. But many are ephemeral. So you may need to decide if you want to embrace a “woodland” garden which is kind of how I think of native-dominant shade gardens, or if you want a more intensely planted space in which case the old standbys like hostas, ferns and astilbes will do well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An area on the north side of a fence, if there is no other shade (from trees), will get more sun than you think in high summer. It’s tricky because it will be a short season, but full shade plants may fry if you’re not paying attention in July.

There are a lot of natives that love the shade. But many are ephemeral. So you may need to decide if you want to embrace a “woodland” garden which is kind of how I think of native-dominant shade gardens, or if you want a more intensely planted space in which case the old standbys like hostas, ferns and astilbes will do well.

Thanks, that's a helpful point. The ground is pretty shaded, currently has moss growing, and we do have a large tree in the back, but you're right that the higher up you go the more sun it will get. We were recommended laurel skip and goshiki holly (not sure I love the look of this one) for this area. I like the look of variegated dogwood but not sure that would grow in the space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is a list I made after a lot of Pinterest surfing and observations on walks:

Ferns
Caladium
Coral bells
Coleus
Ornamental grasses
Geraniums
Snapdragons
Bleeding hearts

I haven't actually planted any yet, now that I've done some research I am planning to later this spring. I've seen some really simple and attractive small gardens that are pretty much just hostas and coleus, on the very simple side.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An area on the north side of a fence, if there is no other shade (from trees), will get more sun than you think in high summer. It’s tricky because it will be a short season, but full shade plants may fry if you’re not paying attention in July.

There are a lot of natives that love the shade. But many are ephemeral. So you may need to decide if you want to embrace a “woodland” garden which is kind of how I think of native-dominant shade gardens, or if you want a more intensely planted space in which case the old standbys like hostas, ferns and astilbes will do well.

Thanks, that's a helpful point. The ground is pretty shaded, currently has moss growing, and we do have a large tree in the back, but you're right that the higher up you go the more sun it will get. We were recommended laurel skip and goshiki holly (not sure I love the look of this one) for this area. I like the look of variegated dogwood but not sure that would grow in the space.

It has been my experience that skip laurels are lovely but don’t like to stay wet. I wouldn’t plant a row of them if you’re going to be bummed if you lose a few. But they are nice if you don’t expect them to be indestructible.

[Anonymous]

You may want to watch how much sun the area actually gets before you fully commit to plants. Light levels change as the year progresses. I have areas that are in fairly deep shade in the middle of summer bc of deciduous trees that are quite bright in winter. On the other hand, the full sun (in summer) south side of my house is in part shade in winter bc of the angle of the sun a fence, and the house next door.

[Anonymous]

Hostas look nice when you mix a variety of leaf colors and sizes and they fill in fast. Sadly, if you have deer they might eat them. But if not some bloom in lavender or white as well. Astilbe look gorgeous with hostas and ferns. They come in a variety of colors and bloom times. They also fill in fairly quickly and have nice foliage and winter interest after the blooms have faded.

[Anonymous]

Thank you all!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You may want to watch how much sun the area actually gets before you fully commit to plants. Light levels change as the year progresses. I have areas that are in fairly deep shade in the middle of summer bc of deciduous trees that are quite bright in winter. On the other hand, the full sun (in summer) south side of my house is in part shade in winter bc of the angle of the sun a fence, and the house next door.

DP but yeah I have this issue and haven't quite figured out how to manage. We have south facing, slope-y areas that get a lot of sun right now but as soon as the oaks leaf out, not so much. Definitely cannot plant full-sun stuff but can be a bit dry for the shady species. So far white wood aster seems to like it but like all asters that gets pretty tall and scraggly looking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look around in the area for similar shady properties and see what they have that is thriving. Then plant that. No need to reinvent the wheel. Just copy what is successful around you.

I downloaded an app called "Seek" that helps me identify plants I admire while out walking. I'm not going into yards or anything, but if it's along the street it's really helpful.

[Anonymous]

My house has the same orientation as yours, and here is what has done well on our street.

North facing Front (east side has more shade, west side gets more sun). Trees: pink dogwood, red buckeye, eastern redbud, white fringe tree (my personal favorite), sweetbay magnolia, witch hazel. Shrubs: mountain laurel, the ubiquitous azaleas, viburnum, holly, hydrangea in the back of the border (hides the winter sticks). Perennials: native ferns, hostas, virginia bluebells, jack in the pulpit, blue lobelia, lots of spring bulbs, native columbine (red), heuchera, bleeding heart, eastern shooting star, cranesbill, goatsbeard, white wood aster for fall.

Along the south fence in back yard: same trees as front, shrubs like oakleaf hydrangea and american beautyberry, perrennials like cinnamon ferns, hostas, native columbine, turlehead, bee balm, northern blue flag, cardinal flower, great blue lobelia, penstamon, phlox, obedient plant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may want to watch how much sun the area actually gets before you fully commit to plants. Light levels change as the year progresses. I have areas that are in fairly deep shade in the middle of summer bc of deciduous trees that are quite bright in winter. On the other hand, the full sun (in summer) south side of my house is in part shade in winter bc of the angle of the sun a fence, and the house next door.

DP but yeah I have this issue and haven't quite figured out how to manage. We have south facing, slope-y areas that get a lot of sun right now but as soon as the oaks leaf out, not so much. Definitely cannot plant full-sun stuff but can be a bit dry for the shady species. So far white wood aster seems to like it but like all asters that gets pretty tall and scraggly looking.

I had put together a list of NoVA natives in a spreadsheet so I can see this kind of information readily, and here's what it says:

Chrysogonum virginianum (Green and Gold)
Coreopsis verticillata (Whorled or Threadleaf Coreopsis)
Heuchera americana (American Alumroot)
Iris cristata
Various Liatris
Mitchella repens (Partridge Berry)
Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort)
Phlox divaricata (Woodland Phlox)
Penstemon hirsutus (Hairy Beard-tongue)
Ruellia caroliniensis (Carolina Wild petunia)
Sedum ternatum (Wild Stonecrop)
Solidago spp. (Goldenrods)
Sisyrinchium angustifolium (Narrow leaved Blue eyed grass)
Danthonia spicata (Poverty Oatgrass)
Eluus hystrix (Bottlebrush Grass)
Muhlenbergia capillaris (Hair-awn Muhly)
Schizahyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem)
Dryopteris intermedia (Evergreen Wood Fern)
Dryopteris marginalis (Marginal Wood Fern)
Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern)

For shrubs, if you have room, you can try the following:

Hypericum prolificum (Shrubby St. Johnswort)
Itea virginica (Virginia Sweetspire)
Kalmia latifolia (Mountain Laurel)
viburnum pronifolium (Blackhaw viburnum)
viburnum dentatum (Arrow-wood viburnum)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hostas look nice when you mix a variety of leaf colors and sizes and they fill in fast. Sadly, if you have deer they might eat them. But if not some bloom in lavender or white as well. Astilbe look gorgeous with hostas and ferns. They come in a variety of colors and bloom times. They also fill in fairly quickly and have nice foliage and winter interest after the blooms have faded.

These are solid, lovely choices. There are so many really nice varieties of hostas and they definitely thrive in the shade with minimal care. Their delicate flowers are delightful and long-lasting. I also love our astilbes but their plume colors are starting to fade (after 10+ years, they're allowed!). Sadly, I've never had much luck with ferns.

Good luck, OP. Bring on the Spring!