Shade-loving garden flowers. Shade-loving and shade-tolerant plants for the garden. What to plant in a shady place or which plants are shade-tolerant
In any garden with fruit or decorative trees There are areas that are in the shade most of the time. Some of them are constantly shaded, so the grass and flowers lack sunlight. To the delight of summer residents, there is a large category of plants that grow well in an unlit area - these are shade-loving perennials for the garden, with which you can create beautiful flower and herbal compositions.
Depending on the location of the flower garden, its significance and the degree of decorative design, groups of plants can be divided into three categories:
- classical compositions;
- natural areas;
- accent flower beds.
On small edges, along paths and fences, that is, in places with an open perspective, there are classical compositions created to decorate areas not illuminated by the sun. This is a series of varietal herbaceous plants with decorative foliage, as well as developing and gaining color over several years.
Natural areas are located on the periphery, their main purpose is to fill empty spaces and prevent the emergence of weeds. For natural growth, plantings of periwinkle, Siberian brunnera, lungwort, May lily of the valley, shieldweed.
In slightly shaded conditions, Brunnera develops and blooms well - a beautiful plant with blue or blue flowers, similar to forget-me-nots.
In addition to shade-tolerant flowers, plants with decorative leaves are used in natural areas, which are ideal for simulating wild, natural cover
The central areas of the garden and places for relaxation are also often located in areas hidden from the sun, so there is a selection of accent plants especially for them that are distinguished by beautiful flowering and decorative foliage: elecampane, Japanese anemones, Rogers, black cohosh, astilbe.
Flowers with pale petals usually grow in shady places, but there are exceptions. Multi-colored anemones are an opportunity to create a bright flower arrangement in a dark area
Shade-loving perennials by season
In early spring, primroses appear, delicate and modest, which delight with their beauty throughout the month. These include European kandyk, various varieties snowdrops, blueberries. A little later, jeffersonia dubious, liverwort and oak anemone (anemone) hatch.
Primroses actively reproduce by self-sowing, so during the flowering period new foci should be identified and their spread throughout the dacha area should be controlled
At the end of spring, ruby corollas of the common lumbago and tiny soldanella flowers appear. On the background low bushes The uvularia looks great, looking like a bell with yellow buds and silvery foliage. A yellow carpet is also created by spring celandine, which blooms in small round bushes. It is usually alternated with fern. A bright composition can be made from saxifrage, hybrid primroses and phlox, creating a dense floral cover.
To create a spectacular flower garden, Saxifraga rotundifolia is suitable - a bush-like plant with small white flowers and bright green decorative foliage.
The summer period is marked by the flowering of martagon (curly lily). When initially planted, it does not have luxurious buds, but in subsequent years it will look more and more beautiful. Among lilies, there are varieties that reach one and a half meters in height - this factor must be taken into account when planting. Areas under low tree crowns are not suitable. The lilies can be accompanied by the dotted bell and the sinuous corydalis, which also chose the warmest summer period for flowering.
Perennial shade-loving flowers do not like the first cold weather, so at the beginning of autumn only a few of them open their buds. Sample late flowering Kirengeshoma palmate with large decorative leaves and bell-shaped flowers is considered.
Three flower bed ideas for a shady garden
Using plants of different heights and colors, you can create original compositions. Of course, they will not be as bright and lush as, for example, rose bushes, but they are still capable of charming with their modest charm and delicate shades.
Option #1 – combined flowerbed of 11 plants
This is an example of a non-standard composition. For planting, plants are taken that differ in height and color scheme, and are planted in a flowerbed with dimensions of 2 m x 3 m. The final appearance of the flowerbed takes place only after 2-3 years, when the plants reach full development and gain maximum color.
1. Oak anemone. 2. Astrantia. 3. Lily of the valley. 4. Corydalis. 5. Dicentra. 6. Foxglove. 7. Geranium versicolor. 8. Geranium is magnificent. 9. Liverwort. 10. Hosta. 11. Shield
Plants are planted depending on their size: taller flowers in the background, border and cover flowers in the background
Plants bloom at different times, one after another, as a result the flowerbed looks presentable throughout the entire summer season. Suppose the flowering time of anemone and corydalis is the end of April, lily of the valley is the beginning of May, June, astrantia is July and August. Many varieties of geranium actively bloom buds throughout the summer.
A special role belongs to plants such as the shield plant. They decorate the flowerbed not with flowers, but with leaf plates. The decorative foliage of hosta has a bluish tint and a unique “waffle” texture, while the feathery leaves of shieldweed have a scaly texture.
Option #2 – perennials with bulbous
Well-known varieties of bulbous plants - daffodils, tulips, hyacinths - can be used as bright accent V natural areas oh shade-loving flowers for the garden. They will decorate the area at a stage when the perennials have not yet bloomed. To prevent faded bulbs from spoiling the picture in the future, they must be carefully dug up and planted again in the fall for wintering. Another option is also possible: hazel grouse, tulips, daffodils, and crocuses tolerate the winter well without replanting, and next year they delight with even more lush flowering.
Along with perennials, tulips get along well in gardens, copses and parks, despite the minimum sunlight and seeding density
Blue forget-me-nots look great together with tulips. Using several varieties of tulips and forget-me-nots, you can create a multi-tiered composition; against the background of decorative shade-loving perennial flowers they will look most impressive. Let’s not forget about marigolds: they tolerate shade well and have a protective phytoncidal aura, which is also useful for tulips. And sports turf, but the presence of fescue in the mixture will come in handy. There are numerous varieties of fescue, so each region has its own, most suitable species.
For example, hard red fescue tolerates a lack of sunlight well, but does not like even short droughts, so it should be planted only with frequent watering. In addition, it is susceptible to fungal diseases and takes a long time to restore root system if damaged. Long-leaved fescue, on the other hand, is drought-tolerant and disease-resistant, so it is good for sowing in hard-to-reach places that require minimal care.
Red fescue is ideal for creating a lawn base in shaded areas: it is unpretentious, grows quickly and can replace other types of lawn grasses
Creating flower arrangements for a shady garden is a real art that requires knowledge and patience, but the result exceeds all expectations: a blooming garden, and in the farthest corners amazing flower beds appear.
Is the garden not located in a sunny area? Then you will need shade-loving flowers. If you place such plants in your flowerbed, you can get a beautiful and bright landscape. To do this, you need to know the names of suitable flowers and the secrets of growing them.
Fragrant lilies of the valley and lupins
The most common perennials for shade are lilies of the valley. These plants are low (maximum 30 cm in length) and have broad, lanceolate, oblong leaves that resemble the ears of a hare. The flowers look like a brush, in which there are from 6 to 20 white jugs. Lilies of the valley bloom with their buds from May to June, and also emit a subtle and strong aroma.
To grow shade-loving perennials on your site, you need to plant them correctly. Most often, this process is performed in the fall (late September). It is better to place them under bushes or trees, and also choose places protected from the winds. The soil required is moist, slightly acidic or neutral. Before planting, it is necessary to fertilize the soil with humus or peat compost (10 kg per 1 m²). Placing lilies of the valley in open ground is carried out using sprouts with part of the rhizomes in even rows in grooves, and the distance between flowers is 10-12 cm. The furrow should be approximately 1.5 cm deep. If the soil is dry, it must be watered after planting lilies of the valley. As soon as frost sets in, you need to cover the area with mulch. This will protect you from freezing in the event of a snowless winter. It must be remembered that without transplantation, flowers can last for 5 years.
Plants take excellent care of themselves - they displace other representatives of the flora from the site. The only thing you need to do is water the crop in hot weather. In addition, loosening the soil and getting rid of weeds is mandatory. In case of diseases, it is necessary to treat the plants with fungicides.
Another shade-loving garden flowers are lupins. Buds - blue, pink, dark red, white, yellow. The plant is propagated by seeds or cuttings. It is completely undemanding to the soil, but when planting it is necessary to enrich it with peat.
Caring for flowers in the first year of life consists of removing weeds and loosening the soil. Be sure to add soil if the root neck of the plant suddenly becomes exposed. It wouldn’t hurt to fertilize a flower bed with lupins. mineral fertilizers. After 5-6 years, the bushes need to be removed and new ones planted, since the old flowers will not produce lush buds. If lupins grow in windy areas, then they definitely need to be tied up. Water the crop moderately, otherwise it may get sick.
Saxifraga and periwinkle
Excellent shade-tolerant flowers for the garden are saxifrages. This is a common plant that can decorate any flowerbed or garden plot. They decorate retaining canopies and alpine coaster. The culture includes more than 350 species that are found throughout the world. The plant is compact, frost-resistant and durable. The flowers are white, pink and red. The leaves are green with a silvery tint, the height of saxifrage is 70 cm, it creates original carpets that have an attractive appearance. The plant can be grown from seeds, followed by transplantation into open ground. You need to know that the first leaves are weak, so picking must be done after their number increases.
It is recommended to plant these shade-tolerant perennials in late May-early June. Saxifraga requires preparing soil with good drainage. The distance between the bushes should be 9-11 cm so that they have room to grow. This will create a continuous floral carpet.
In order for saxifrage to grow well, it is necessary to properly care for it. It is very important to moisten regularly, but the soil must have time to dry out. If the soil is flooded, the flowers may rot. For feeding, you should use complex fertilizers, which can be purchased at any florist store. In the first year, saxifrage will not bloom; this will happen only in the second summer.
Excellent plants for a shady garden are periwinkles. These are subshrubs that creep along the ground, characterized by leathery leaves of a dark green hue. Sometimes they have a cream border or spots. The flowers are solitary, the most common being blue, but there are also white, pink and pure purple buds. The mass opening of the crop occurs in the spring; during this period, periwinkles look especially attractive.
Plants are grown from seeds, which are placed in the soil in the spring or winter. Sometimes these perennial flowers are planted even in summer, but in this case it is done on rainy or cloudy days. The sowing depth is 1 cm, then the furrows are covered with soil and watered. Caring for periwinkle is quite simple. You don’t even need to remove weeds, since the plant can handle it on its own. Sometimes you can feed the crop with organic matter or mineral fertilizers. At the end of mass flowering, it is necessary to trim the periwinkles so that next year they have a beautiful shape.
Anemones and marigolds
If you have a shady garden, then anemones are perfect for it. These are original herbaceous plants, surprising with their colors and buds. This culture prefers loose, fertile soil with good drainage. Plants can be grown from seeds or tubers, it depends on the anemone variety. The most difficult thing in caring for plants is maintaining an optimal level of humidity, since the roots of the crop will not tolerate excess water.
To create mulch for anemones, experienced gardeners It is recommended to use peat, fallen leaves or special mixtures. The thickness of such a layer is approximately 4-5 cm. If the soil is enriched in advance, then you don’t have to feed the plants throughout the entire summer season.
The most common varieties of anemone:
- 1. Forest. They are dense bushes, up to 1.5 m in height. These garden perennials have buds that are arranged singly. Their diameter is 6-7 cm. The leaves of the plants are large and characterized by long petioles.
- 2. Crowned. The height of this anemone variety is 25 cm, and the flowers reach 6 cm in diameter and can be of different shades. The leaves are collected in a rosette.
- 3. Japanese. The length of the bush is 40 cm. The palette is quite wide, the buds are groups of loose inflorescences.
- 4. Tender. This variety is low-growing (maximum 20 cm). They are very reminiscent of daisies, the color ranges from white to purple.
Note that these shade-tolerant garden plants are used to create bouquets.
Marigolds can decorate a shaded area. They are sown in open ground, for this purpose holes are made 2 cm deep. There should be a distance of 1.5 cm between the furrows, and after placement, the seeds must be covered with soil and watered. If the seedlings sprout very densely, they must be evenly placed in the flower bed. Caring for marigolds is not at all difficult. The main rule is to protect flowers from the wind. It is recommended to feed the plants once a month, and if you do this more often, the bushes will only stretch and will not open their buds. Colors - yellow, white, brown-orange, etc. There are many varieties that differ in height. For marigolds, it is very important that weeds are removed from the soil. Thanks to this, they will be able to take root well and present their owners with beautiful bouquets.
It is quite difficult to arrange shady areas of the garden because there are few plants that like such conditions. If it's in the shade of a large tree, the soil in that area is usually quite barren and too wet. The arrangement of such an inhospitable place should be carefully considered. The most reliable plants for shady corners or ledges located on the north side are ivy, ferns and periwinkles, which will certainly grow even in very poorly lit areas. When we have more ambition, we can try growing other shade-loving plants for the garden, preferably low-maintenance perennials.
There are many species that grow in the sun, but there is no such choice in the shade. Many plants tolerate partial shade (become less colored or bloom less profusely), but there are shaded areas in the garden that do not big amount sunlight. In such conditions there are, for example, plants growing near the northern wall of buildings or under the crowns of trees and shrubs.
Ferns
Ferns can grow in the shade and need moderately moist soil.
The most popular ferns in gardens are:
Sod plants
Below are ground cover perennials with photos that will sod the soil and tolerate shade.
Ivy, European hoofweed, periwinkle
These plants have very low light requirements. Common ivy, European hoofweed and common periwinkle grow best in fertile, moist soil, but also suffer worse. These plants will certainly tolerate even very shaded areas.
Creeping tenacious
This perennial grows in clumps, creates creeping shoots underground, can be grown in shaded areas, and protects the soil from landslides. The plant is blooming blue flowers, collected in an inflorescence of ears. Tenacious blooms from May to August, garden varieties often have brown-red leaves.
Fragrant bedstraw
These shade-loving flowers bloom from April to June, with small flowers in clusters. The plant emits an odor similar to hay.
Pachysandra apex
Japanese milkweed (pachysandra) is an evergreen plant. It blooms in May and has rather inconspicuous flowers. These shade-tolerant garden plants can be grown in the shade of trees, creating a beautiful green carpet of soil.
Spleen
The plant includes shade-loving annuals or perennials of the Saxifraga family. The name of the plant comes from its use in diseases of the spleen. The perennial spleen loves moist soil and has evergreen, leathery leaves. The plant blooms small in May star-shaped flowers, white, red in the middle, collected in loose panicles.
Saxifraga shadow
Small perennial plants often form an extensive, non-flowering turf. Saxifraga is a widespread plant throughout the northern hemisphere. Pink flowers collected in a dense inflorescence. Saxifragas like a semi-shaded and moist position with fertile soil. The plant looks very decorative in masses, in large spaces.
Herbs that tolerate shade well
Some herbs grow well in the shade. Let's consider which shade-tolerant plants are the most popular from the herbaceous group.
Ozhika snowy, forest
Ozhika snow and forest are widely known shade-loving perennials. You can plant zhika under trees and shrubs, but it cannot always be in deep shade.
Forest oxica is an evergreen plant with leaves with long hair.
Fescue
Gray fescue, marsh fescue, and low sedge are evergreen or semi-evergreen shade-tolerant perennials from the grass family.
Low shade-loving perennials
Fragrant violet
These are excellent shade-loving flowers for the garden with small blue-violet flowers and an exceptionally pleasant scent. Violet blooms from March to May, grows easily, and spreads quite quickly. It is important to take into account its ability to quickly spread throughout the garden before the violet takes over unplanned areas.
Lungwort
Red lungwort blooms in March-May, the flowers are brick-red, the plant has a height of 30-40 cm, can grow under trees and shrubs.
Sugar lungwort is a plant for semi-shady and shady places. Loves moist and fertile soil. It has decorative, dark green leaves, decorated with contrasting white and silver spots. The flowers are initially coral-red in color and become pink, blue or purple when they open. Blooms from March to April. The plant forms dense, dense bushes that cover the ground.
Noble liverwort
The herbaceous evergreen liverwort creates low carpets; the leaves, in good conditions, remain throughout the winter - green at the top and yellowish underneath. It can be used as a green carpet under tall trees.
Lily of the valley
These flowers reproduce by rhizomes and love shaded places. However, in strong shade they bloom less, but the leaves develop well. Lilies of the valley require a position at least half a day out of sun. Small bell-shaped flowers with a characteristic aroma.
Garden hellebore
This amazing flower is the first to bloom in our gardens. IN mild winter flowers may appear even in December. Hellebore should grow in shady positions: in damp and secluded places.
Doronicum eastern
The plant blooms in May with golden yellow flowers. Does well in loose, moist garden soil and prefers semi-shaded positions that are not heavily shaded.
Primrose fine-toothed
These are shade-loving garden flowers; strong sun damages the plant. Primrose grows best in light partial shade. The soil should be fertile, loamy, constantly moist (in summer it should not dry out). The soil reaction is neutral.
Tall perennials
Below are garden plants tall, which can grow in partial shade.
Japanese hosta
Funkia or hosta grows best in fertile, slightly moist soil in partial shade, although it tolerates a sunny position. The main decoration of the plant is its large, interestingly colored leaves.
Volzhanka vulgare
Perennial, forming large thickets up to 2 m high. The inflorescence is paniculate, blooms in June-July. Volzhanka is an extremely shade-loving herbaceous plant. The perennial is easy to grow, grows in almost any soil, and can grow in one place for many years. Frost-resistant, not susceptible to diseases and pests.
Voronets racemosus
The plant of the ranunculaceae family is also called black cohosh. Grows best in shaded or partially shaded areas and blooms in August-September. Small flowers, collected in a thick cluster, resemble a candle, and have a strong scent. Voronets inflorescences reach a height of 60 cm.
Buzulnik toothed
Grows well in shady, damp places. In bright sun it can dry out. Buzulnik has baskets of yellowish flowers and blooms in August-September. Large leaves are also decorative.
Japanese anemone
Anemone loves partial shade and sandy loamy, moist soils. Grows up to 90 cm. Blooms in late summer, usually with pink flowers.
Zarzhitsa
Cortuza Mattioli or zarzhitsa is a medium-tall perennial, rarely found in our gardens, with decorative purple-violet leaves and bell-shaped flowers. It blooms from May to July, the soil should be fertile, moist, and the position should be semi-shaded.
Lady's slipper
The lady's slipper or lady's slipper belongs to the orchid family and is rarely found in gardens. Loves shaded places and thickets, blooms in May, has a pleasant scent of vanilla and lemon.
Waller's touch-me-not
Impatiens valerian is a herbaceous perennial native to Africa. In our climate it is often grown as an annual. Prefers to grow in the shade, blooms profusely in a wide range of colors, the flowers are very decorative. Has a long flowering period.
Astilbe
The perennial is known as false spirea. A light trail of inflorescences will enliven the dark parts of the garden. Astilbe needs to be provided with appropriate conditions - fertile and moist soil. Astilbes are often planted on the banks of ponds and reservoirs.
Daylilies
Shade-tolerant garden flowers with lily-like blooms, hardy and easy to grow. The perennial tolerates partial shade well. There are many interesting varieties of daylilies with original flowers, some look like sprinkled with gold brocade, others have velvet petals, others resemble exotic butterflies.
Bulbous and tuberous plants for semi-shady positions
Snowdrops
These are low plants with white drooping flowers, blooming in March, and do not mind shade. Snowdrops are one of the first spring flowers to decorate the garden. They are frost tolerant.
Dodecatheon vulgaris
A tuberous plant, quite rare in our gardens, blooms spectacularly and is frost-resistant. Dodecatheon can grow in partial shade and should be planted in the company of other perennials because it wilts after flowering.
Corydalis
Belongs to the Dymyankovye subfamily. A low or medium-sized herbaceous plant that grows in temperate regions. Blooms in May with flowers of pink, blue, purple, white.
Checkered hazel grouse
An herbaceous perennial with drooping flowers with a characteristic pockmarked pattern on the petals. It can be grown in dark and damp areas of rockeries, spring flower beds, planted under bushes or on lawns in the garden.
Perennial shade-tolerant shrubs
Common wolfberry
This shrub should grow in the shade. Wolfberry (wolfberry, plohovets), blooms early and abundantly with pink or white flowers. In June-July, the wolfberry bears fruit.
Wolfberry fruits are very poisonous. It’s not for nothing that another name for wolfberry is deadly wolfberry. The plant should not be planted in gardens where children walk.
Hydrangea
Beautiful flowering shrub Hydrangea can grow in shady areas, although it blooms less in such conditions. Hydrangea paniculata grows best in the shade.
Rhododendrons
These shade-loving shrubs prefer partial shade and even shade, secluded and sheltered positions from the wind. They bloom beautifully in May and early June. Rhododendrons need loose sand-humus and acidic soil with moderate humidity.
Holly holly
Holly (Ilex aquifolium) is an ornamental shrub of the Holly family. Can grow in the shade, in the company of tall trees. Best places for holly - secluded, protected from the wind, with not too large temperature fluctuations. Bright midday sun can “burn” holly leaves. Holly is decorated with spherical fruits that contrast beautifully with dark green foliage. They remain on the bushes all winter, but the plant is sensitive to severe frosts.
Fuchsia
Perennial native to America. In our climate it is grown as an annual, as it is afraid of frost. Fuchsias can be planted in the ground in the summer in a shady or semi-shaded place - this shrub does not like strong sun. It is important to ensure sufficient soil moisture and regular fertilization. Fuchsia blooms throughout the summer and autumn. In winter, it should be moved to a cool room.
Trees
The following trees also tolerate shade well.
European beech
The tree grows well in fertile and slightly moist soil. Beech can grow in the shade.
Common ash
Ash grows quite quickly and is resistant to air pollution. Can grow in average soil (although prefers fertile soil). The tree can be planted in partial shade.
Mountain ash
Rowan is a small, resilient tree or shrub that grows on any soil and tolerates shade. From summer to winter, rowan is decorated with decorative orange-red fruits.
Elm
European and mountain elms require moist, fertile soil. They are frost tolerant and can grow in the shade, but can develop Dutch elm disease.
Canadian hemlock
Hemlock (tsuga canadensis) is a coniferous tree or shrub that prefers moist places and fertile soils. Dwarf varieties Suitable for small gardens, they can be planted in shady beds and rockeries. 
Plants that can be grown under trees
The following plants can be grown under tall trees that provide a lot of shade:
- liverwort;
- snowdrops;
- lily of the valley;
- periwinkle;
- tenacious;
- touch-me-not;
- forget-me-nots;
- violets.
Plants for wet, coastal areas
Suitable for planting on shady banks of reservoirs and in damp places:
- astilbe;
- buzulnik;
- hellebore;
- marsh marigold;
- Japanese iris, Siberian iris, yellow iris;
- loosestrife;
- European swimsuit;
- point loosestrife;
- Anderson's Tradescantia, Virginian;
- ivy.
Fruit trees, shrubs, vegetables
It is quite difficult to grow in shaded areas fruit crops, because it's not enough shade-loving plants for dachas, vegetable gardens, orchards that like such conditions. If a large tree provides shade, the soil in that area is usually quite barren and too wet. The choice of crop plants for shady areas is smaller than for ornamental ones, but even in dimly lit areas you can try growing some fruits, vegetables or herbs. You need to choose plants that will at least tolerate partial shade.
Berry bushes, nuts
Most big choice shade-tolerant agricultural plants among shrubs because they are or were part of the forest floor.
Currant
This shrub is unpretentious, but it is worth feeding the soil with plenty of compost. Currants can grow in partial shade and are frost-resistant. There is a choice:
- white currants (the sweetest, children like them);
- red (more sour);
- black - not very tasty when fresh, but excellent for canning, contains a lot of vitamin C.
The best date for planting currants is late autumn. Currant bushes grow best on humus, medium-heavy, sandy and loamy soil with sufficient moisture.
Gooseberry, yoshta
Gooseberries grow well in partial shade. It needs to be provided with slightly better soil than currants: fertile, fairly moist, with a slightly acidic reaction. Gooseberries have fruits with green, yellow or reddish skin, often covered with glandular hairs. Some varieties have smooth and shiny skin.
Yoshta is a hybrid of black currant and gooseberry. Grows well in partial shade. Yoshta and gooseberries can be planted, for example, under cherry trees.
Blueberry
This berry bush can grow in shady places. A plant with very low soil needs, it is suitable for light (sandy), acidic, humus, moist and airy soils. It is worth planting blueberries in groups because they need another bush for pollination. Blueberry fruits contain micro- and macroelements - calcium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamins A, group B.
Hazel (hazelnut)
Hazelnut is resistant to low temperatures and does not require special soil and climatic conditions. Peat and too wet soils are not recommended. He likes sun or partial shade. Hazel can grow in the shade, but produces fewer nuts. Unfortunately, the plant is often attacked by pests.
Raspberries
Raspberries can grow in sun or partial shade, are resistant to frost and drought, and do not place high demands on the soil.
Blackberry
The shrub grows in dry, light and sandy soil– the fruits are tasty, but the plant grows a lot, its growth needs to be controlled.
Chokeberry
Plant with low soil requirements. Grows well in a variety of soils. Withstands low temperatures down to -35 °C. Prefers positions from full sun to partial shade, the plant is resistant to pests.
Dogwood
Garden dogwood is an unpretentious shrub, grows well in the sun and partial shade, tolerates calcareous soils, dry and polluted air. In full shade it bears little fruit and has a loose crown shape. The fruits are edible raw. Dogwood is used to make marmalade, preserves, jam, tinctures, and compotes.
Fruit trees
Most fruit trees need full sun. You can plant an apple tree in partial shade. Typically, variety descriptions indicate that apple trees love sun, but they can also grow and produce in areas with less direct sunlight. Cherry and sweet cherry trees can grow and bear fruit in partial shade.
Vegetables and herbs
The choice of shade-tolerant vegetable crops is very limited. You can plant:
- Parsley – can grow in light, sandy, dry soil.
- Red beets are best sown in light, moist soil.
- Medical sage can grow in partial shade, on light, sandy, dry soil with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction.
- Kale (Kale) is a biennial plant belonging to the cabbage family that prefers cold climates. Cabbage tolerates almost all soil types as long as adequate drainage is provided. The plant does not like drought and tolerates shade. Not affected by pests and diseases. After freezing, cabbage leaves become more tender and have best taste, contain more sugar, lose their characteristic bitterness, so they should be collected after the first frost. Kale grows best in the cooler months of November and December.
- Peppermint - likes rather heavy, relatively moist soils.
What do you need to remember when planting plants in the shade?
- many shade-loving garden plants have dark green (sometimes shiny) leaves;
- in such places you should avoid planting perennials with two-colored or multi-colored leaves (they will be unattractive and more difficult to grow);
- You should not plant plants that produce large flowers, with the exception of rhododendron and hydrangea;
- Care must be taken to ensure sufficient distances between plants (too high density can cause fungal diseases and increased mosquito activity);
- to illuminate shady corners, perennials should be planted with light colors leaves or flowers;
- among deciduous shrubs, azaleas with cream or pink flowers, hydrangeas with beautiful, white flowers, boxwood, cotoneaster, dogwood, ligustrum, periwinkle;
- to make the composition of flower beds interesting and varied, it is worth planting conifers for gardens that prefer shady places, such as yew.
Conclusion
Garden owners often struggle with the problem of using shady areas. As a rule, growing trees and shrubs does not pose a big problem; the situation with low plants, for example, perennial, worse. Many species growing in such areas die or become less decorative. When chosen correctly, shady areas in the garden can be colorful and decorative.
For some reason, there is an opinion that flower beds should be located in well-lit places. But it doesn’t always work out, and this is not at all a bad thing, because there are a huge variety of ornamental plants that grow well in the shade. Flowering shade-loving perennials often escape the attention of summer residents; they are remembered only when necessary, when you need to organize a flower garden in a shaded corner of the garden.
Perennial ornamental plants, blooming or pleasing to the eye only with their foliage, are the basis of most garden flower beds. The main purpose of a dacha and garden is to grow fruits, which is what most owners do, for flowers or ornamental shrubs there is little space and time left. Therefore, it is better to plant plants that grow more and more from year to year, and they need to be replanted every three or five years.
Having planted them in a flowerbed once, you don’t have to worry about annually decorating the flowerbed or planting new plants. If you have time and desire, you can always revive your flower garden with annuals, but if you don’t have time, it will still look beautiful thanks to overwintered perennials. And they most often spend the winter without problems, without effort on the part of the owners.
To decorate a dacha, unpretentious herbs are most often used, climbing plants, flowers, shrubs. All flowering plants can be divided into large groups according to flowering time.
There are early bloomers that begin the garden flowering season back in May. Plants that bloom in June-July pick up the baton, and others continue, pleasing the eye from August until the coldest weather. But the most favorite among summer residents are those that bloom throughout the warm season. Among them we should mention phloxes, growing in almost every garden. There is an opinion that even if all the flowers suddenly disappear and only phlox remains, they will be able to provide for the garden bright colors
and a wonderful aroma from June to September. Phlox likes sunny areas, but can grow in partial shade. They bloom longer in shaded flower beds, but not as luxuriantly as in the sun. They are undemanding to soil, but prefer light, loose, nutritious soil. They love moisture, but cannot tolerate stagnation of water at the level of their roots, and this is a depth of up to 15 cm. Perennial phloxes reproduce by seeds, cuttings, autumn (summer too) shoots, and dividing the bush. Most often they are planted by dividing the bush, in early spring
or in the fall, after autumn planting, the stems are shortened by a third. The bushes overwinter well under snow cover; if there is no snow, then they need to be covered, otherwise the roots may freeze. They bloom all summer and garden roses . People generally love roses, but anyone who has grown them before knows that they take time and trouble. Young roses can freeze in winter, they are susceptible to disease and capricious. Among them there are few shade-tolerant varieties. But you can choose zoned varieties that will grow in your area without any particular difficulties. Often planted near fences or buildings park roses
Those who want to see flowering plants in the spring grow tulips, daffodils, primroses, crocuses, and irises in their garden. Tulips grow well on neutral or slightly alkaline sandy loam soil; it is better to prepare heavy soil by adding sawdust or river sand. It needs to be planted in the fall, when the temperature at a depth of 10 - 12 cm drops to + 10, this will be approximately mid-September. In 3–4 weeks the plant will take root, after which frosts will no longer be able to affect its growth next spring. Most varieties are light-loving, but can grow in the shade.
But crocuses are quite shade-tolerant; they grow well in the shade of trees and shrubs. White, blue, yellow, lilac - they can bloom as early as April. These bulbous perennials are not capricious, tolerate winter well, and do not cause trouble to gardeners.
Primroses don't like straight lines sun rays, bloom in early spring, prefer temperatures no higher than + 12, when the temperature rises, they shed their flowers. Many varieties rebloom when temperatures drop again. They love moisture very much.
Irises are considered sun-loving plants, but they bloom wonderfully in the shade. Unpretentious, hardy, tolerates cold and drought well - perfect option for busy summer residents. There are low and tall ones with large or graceful flowers, after spring bloom It remains a lush green bush all summer long. The most common are blue, purple, yellow, less common are white terry, brick and two-color.
Video " Shade-tolerant flowers for the garden»
Video selection of names of decorative shade-tolerant flowers for growing in the garden.
June - July delight us with the greatest variety of colors in the garden, when most flowers bloom. Chamomiles, cornflowers, calendula, multi-colored delphiniums - the eyes run wild. Majestic delphiniums can decorate any flower bed; they grow well in the sun and partial shade. Propagated by cuttings, buds, and root division. Best time for landings on garden beds– August – September, so that the plants can take root before frost. The bush is thinned out, breaking out weak or simply extra shoots so that the remaining 3–4 give luxurious flowering.
It's hard to surprise anyone with peonies. This is a convenient combination of a luxurious flower and a completely unpretentious plant all summer residents love it. Red, pink, white flowers with an intoxicatingly sweet aroma, peonies do not tolerate shade and lowlands flooded with water, and do not like peat. Everything else does not affect their vitality.
Bluebells also do not like stagnant water; they need to be planted in elevated areas, well lit or slightly shaded, and they will delight with their flowering from June to August. Lilies bloom in July, some varieties later. This perennial belongs to the shade-tolerant plants, it is not capricious, and does not require special care. They like a lot of water during flowering and do not like the soil around their roots to overheat. If there is little snow in winter, it is better to cover the lilies.
The last month of summer brings the blossoming of dahlias and gladioli. Gladioli love a lot of sun and long daylight hours. They need moisture and air temperature from 10 to 25 degrees. Dahlias also love the sun; they are planted in light flowerbeds sheltered from the wind in humus-rich soil with good drainage. A tall plant (up to 2.5 m) with an incredibly diverse palette of flowering and odorless can become a decoration of the garden if grown in light or slightly shaded areas.
Exquisite chrysanthemums also love illuminated places. They bloom no earlier than September; housewives often transplant blooming chrysanthemums indoors to allow them to bloom. In the garden they can withstand temperatures as low as -7 degrees and winter well even in Siberia (where the roots with shortened stems are covered with peat and spruce branches).
Ideas for a shady flower garden
Plants that easily adapt to a lack of sunlight are considered shade-tolerant. It is they, along with the shade-loving ones, that should form flower beds in shady corners garden plot. Among them, hosts occupy a special place. They look great from spring and develop in little sunlight, and bloom until mid-autumn. But they are valued not even for their flowers, but for the decorative nature of the bush.
Bright astilbe, blooming almost all summer and autumn, will perfectly enliven any flower garden in a shaded corner of the garden. Ferns, of which there are a huge number of species, will become an indispensable main background, shading bright flowers periwinkle, begonia, frost-resistant petunia that can bloom in the shade. Shade-tolerant plants They do not produce long-lasting luxurious flowering, but they look great all season long, decorating the garden with their foliage and textured bushes.
The more valuable they seem beautiful flowers lily of the valley, bergenia thick-leaved, saxifrage, lungwort, foxglove and liverwort, violet and podophyllum thyroid. Doronicum (Yellow Chamomile) blooms even longer in the shade, iris and daylily will bloom long and luxuriously in partial shade, replacing each other. By creating a flowerbed in a shaded area, you can plant snowdrops, hyacinths, and primroses. They will bloom before the trees shading them have leafed out. Ivy and wild grapes, if there is room nearby, will provide lush greenery in the summer and incredible brightness in the fall.
»Video for gardeners with a selection of photographs of perennial garden flowers that do not require special care.
On any personal or summer cottage There will certainly be shady places. And I want to decorate them no worse than the central flower beds and front alleys. With an illiterate approach to this issue, we often create unviable “beautiful pictures”, which subsequently turn into a headache for the owners, the source of their constant concern for the fading life of plants weakening from lack of sun. In desperation, we cover these areas with tiles or shyly block our view of these areas. Meanwhile, there is a fairly large selection of perennial shade-loving flowers for the garden that will enliven these difficult areas and make them attractive, interesting and, most importantly, viable.
Shade-tolerant and shade-loving - theoretically there is a difference!
Any plants need sunlight - this is the principle of their life, their biochemistry. However, they all need it differently. Some people need it bright and open, others prefer soft, diffused. Plants that have learned to make do with reflected light and tolerate shading are called shade-tolerant. And there are those for whom open sunlight is destructive; they feel much better in the shade. They are classified as shade-loving. It is these crops that are recommended to be planted in secluded corners of the garden, on the north side of houses and along high, blind fences that block out the sun.
But in fact, even experienced gardeners do not always see the difference between them (or do not always make it) and consider these two concepts to be synonymous. This category includes all flowering and simply decorative perennials that do not require sun. Therefore, we will talk in general about plants that do not require a lot of light and are excellent candidates for landscaping shaded areas.
Zone separation
By and large, three categories of zones can be distinguished according to the degree of decorativeness, location and significance. This classification will depend right choice shade-loving perennials:
- Classic compositions of herbaceous flowering crops planted for decorative purposes.
- Natural areas. The purpose of planting them is to fill voids on the periphery of the site and prevent the growth of weeds.
- Accent flower beds. They are located in the central zone, where they have to be content with a small amount of sunlight. This group includes accent perennials, which are distinguished by especially beautiful flowering or original decorative foliage.
Soil requirements
Plants that are little demanding of lighting are usually very demanding of soil. The soil should be moist, but without stagnant water, well drained. Its composition should be light and nutritious. Such as the soil of deciduous forests usually is. If the type of soil in a given location does not meet the requirements of shade-loving crops, you will have to take care of this by preparing special planting holes filled with an optimally composed substrate.
Shade-loving perennial flowers for densely shaded areas of the garden
These zones include all places that are illuminated by the sun during the day for no more than 3 hours. Such shade is provided by buildings, wooded parts of the garden, and even solitary pine trees. A special microclimate is created here, characterized by high humidity of both air and soil.
It looks spectacular among stones and conifers, winters well even in northern regions, but does not tolerate drought and open sun at all. Requires watering and good drainage, prone to self-sowing. Can serve as a replacement for moss in imitation of Japanese compositions. Although it is a perennial, it is not durable.
Quite a rare perennial in classical domestic gardens, which is more original than beautiful, but invariably attracts attention. In Britain it received the name “cobra lily”, which well reflects its appearance. Refers to evergreen grasses that have a pronounced dormant period.
Blooms profusely and for a long time in slightly sparse shade. Forms a spreading bush with beautiful panicles, which can be in a wide variety of pink, purple, white and red shades. It looks especially impressive during the flowering period, but is decorative throughout the entire garden season.
Particularly valued for its early flowering. Its inflorescences, both rose-like and lantern-like, decorate the thawed patches of the garden already in March. It tolerates not only a lack of lighting, but also frosts and drought.
Carefully! Hellebore is a buttercup and, like all of them, is poisonous!
This is the real queen of the shadow, which has a huge number of varieties. It will compete with its flowering neighbors in the garden with its decorative effect. The hosta also blooms, but its color is quite modest, and the main advantage of this impressive group is the leaves. All shades of green, spotted, striped, speckled, white-yellow, golden, gray - their variety is truly impressive.
Choosing plants for semi-shaded areas
A lacy shadow forms under some fruit trees, such as cherry, plum, some types of apple trees. On the one hand, less hardy perennials can be planted here, on the other hand, the trees greatly dry out the soil in a significant radius around them. And most shade-tolerant plants are moisture-loving. This should definitely be taken into account when choosing compositions for such plots. The best plants to take root here are cereals, periwinkle, mountain weed, comfrey, forest anemone, bergenia, and broad-leaved rosebush.
When planting shade-loving plants under fruit trees, keep in mind that they take away some of the nutrients necessary for the formation of the crop!
If openwork shade is formed by the crowns of non-fruit-bearing trees, and the sun illuminates the flowerbed for 3 to 5 hours during the day, lupins, daylilies and many medicinal herbs will feel comfortable in such flower beds: lungwort, Rhodiola rosea, lemon balm, spring umbilicalus, woodruff.
Shade-loving perennial shrubs for the garden
They are used mainly to create natural areas, but many of them also look great in accent compositions. Placed both in groups and solo.
In terms of decorativeness in the autumn and even winter seasons, this bush has few equals. When everything that pleases the eye in summer turns into a faded and gray boring background, the chic foliage of the euonymus becomes a real highlight of your garden.
It will pair with the autumn euonymus with its decorative foliage. One of the most unpretentious shrubs, which has a clear advantage over others - in the shade its leaves do not lose their variegated color. Their contrasting pattern creates the illusion of light highlights in the shady corners of the garden, refreshing them and making them visually brighter.
It has become increasingly popular in recent years. Voluminous foliage, spectacular flowers and seed pods - all this, against the backdrop of enviable unpretentiousness, is deservedly appreciated by gardeners and landscape designers.
Classification by seasons
A typical mistake when landscaping shady areas is failure to take into account the seasonality of flowering of various crops. As a result, the attractiveness of a decorated corner of the garden turns out to be short-lived. Meanwhile, if you take this point into account in advance, you can create sites where flowering will be continuous throughout the entire summer season.
Spring
Early spring is the time of primroses, which should not be neglected. After the dull monotony of winter, looking at them will be almost more relaxing than looking at roses in summer. They will delight you with their early modest beauty for about a month. The first to open their buds will be various types of snowdrops, hellebore, corydalis, European commonweed, and scillas. It won’t be long before the oak anemone, jeffersonia, and liverwort will bloom.
Primroses, as a rule, are prone to active self-seeding, and therefore require control over reproduction. It is best to identify new outbreaks in early spring, when they are just opening their buds.
By the end of spring, primroses are ready to be replaced by soldanella, common lumbago, mountain weed and uvularia, which will look especially advantageous against the backdrop of low-growing shade-loving shrubs. If it is necessary to cover a significant area, it is recommended to alternate saxifrage rotundifolia with phlox and hybrid primroses. They will create a fairly dense foliage-floral mat in places where the sun rarely shines.
Summer
Among the shade-loving perennials, blooming in summer, there is something to choose from, taking into account the location of the composition, conditions and general landscape design. We advise you to pay attention to the martagon (curly lily), which will bloom more and more luxuriously from year to year. However, it should be taken into account that this is a tall plant (some varieties grow more than 1.5 m in height) and it will not look beautiful under trees with low crowns. But it will be very advantageously placed along a fence or on the shady side of a garden building. Paired with lilies, the sinuous corydalis and bluebell look great, also calmly tolerating a lack of lighting.
Autumn
The cold season is not so generous with flowering shade-loving perennials, but at this time many ornamental shrubs delight with their lush foliage. Conifers and ferns also help out in such places. It is recommended to supplement the compositions with them so that with the onset of the first cold days the garden does not lose its attractiveness. These are warty euonymus and white turf, as well as mahonia, forsythia and others. You should not ignore berry bushes such as barberry or hawthorn. Among the late-blooming shade-loving plants, one can distinguish palm-shaped Kirengeshoma. Its voluminous decorative leaves are advantageously complemented by bell-like inflorescences.
A rational approach to the selection of perennial flowers and shrubs for decorating shady places makes it easier to care for personal plot, eliminating its “poorly performing” functions. Mistakes in this matter will require constant maintenance and regular financial investments, which can be completely avoided with the right choice of compositions.
