It is the least hospitable spot in my garden, yet it thrives year after year. Choosingshrubs for dry shadeis tricky after all, theres a reason why, even in unspoiled nature, vegetation is typically sparse or nonexistent in dry shade. They may differ in size, foliage or flower color. While pruning isn't essential, a light pruning during the dormant season can keep the plant neat. Mountain laurel is a native plant in eastern North America. While this is a shrub that grows in shade, lack of sufficient sunlight may rob it of its primaryselling point: its fall color. Zones: 2 9Bloom Time: SummerHeight: 3 8. Herbaceous perennial The deciduous or evergreen shrubs you choose for shady spots will differ depending on the type of shade you have in your backyard so study its patterns at different times of day through the seasons. or To give the plants their best chance of survival, amend the soil with compost prior to planting. Planning a garden for a shaded area that can flourish with a limited amount of additional water is a special challenge. Woodland plants that naturally thrive in shaded conditions usually prefer moist soil. All these qualities make it a favorite plant for California xeriscaping. You should water this plant well during the warmer months, and allow it to dry off during winter. Full to partial shade. Cultivars: 'Brillintissima' (shiny berries), 'Erecta' (narrow upright habit). Zones: 4 8Bloom Time: SpringHeight: 3 6. Yew Growing Tip: The Rusty Black-Haw tolerates the cold and shade well. Don't confuse it with florist's cyclamen. This bush is great for the back of the border or as a specimen in the dry shade garden. 'The rounded shrub has spotted, variegated leaves and produces bright red berries in fall,' explains Fiona. In the colder hardiness zones, this plant may need to be wrapped with burlap in the winter to prevent windburn. Sarah Scott is a fact-checker and researcher who has worked in the custom home building industry in sales, marketing, and design. Soil health is the cornerstone of successful gardening and particularly growing your own food. Hop tree is a dense, rounded, Missouri native, deciduous shrub or small tree which occurs in open woods, glades, ravines, thickets and prairies. Keep reading for a list of shrubs that perform well in dry shade. Blooms June to July. It spreads by runners and so forms a dense weed barrier. Herbaceous perennial Aucuba japonica 'crotonifolia', also known as Japanese or spotted laurel, can grow in partial or full shade. Fortunately, its not a lost cause. Water weekly until established and plant in their permanent location because they do not like to be moved. Fragrant sumac is a three-season charmer. The bark is kelly green to greenish-yellow throughout the winter. MONTY'S . With its bright green . For some classic, traditional blooms, you can't get much better than long lasting and low maintenance camellias as shrubs for shade which we think are among the best shrubs for the front of the house. Transplants well. Lady's mantle is a medium-sized, mounding perennial hardy to zone 3. They like moist, well-drained soil. Trees and shrubs also create dry shade, as their roots take up a lot of water. Serviceberry trees and shrubs are members of theRosaceaefamily, which includes roses and many flowering, fruiting trees and shrubs. Bigroot Geranium. Their elegant flowers make them look difficult and fussy to grow, but theyre quite the opposite. The common name, Indian Pink, refers to its medicinal properties thanks to the alkaloid Spigiline. 'It can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, unlike most rhododendrons that prefer acidic soil,' he adds. Thrives in moist, shady settings, though more tolerant of brief dry spells than most ferns of its type. They grow well in partial shade and are not large shrubs so are also well suited to shady spots in small gardens. Features oval, variegated silvery-white leaves with greenish margins. A Dangerous Garden Thug Exposed: Daphne Laureola. It's a personal favorite for its four-season interest. St. Louis, MO 63110, 15050 Faust Park 6-12" - Thrives in full sun to part shade, intense heat and, once established, is drought-tolerant; glossy green leaves; five-petaled flowers in shades of white, pink, purple and lavender. This is a different plant from Chinese peony (Paeonia lactiflora), a perennial, although the two share certain traits. Manzanita colonizes naturally, making it an excellent choice for naturalized areas of your property. . Mulching with peat moss will help provide the acidity this plant craves. Fully frost hardy, these low growing mahonias, which typically only grow to one or two feet in height, can be used for ground cover. Some varieties of viburnums also produce white flowers or fragrant, pinkish-white flowers. The shrub cultivars of this plant make terrific hedges. If you wish to share our content, please click here to see our conditions. Light shade sites are those exposed to partially filtered sun such as that found under open canopied trees (e.g., honey locust, ash, and birch). Don't shrug off shrubs. I use it as an edging between the public sidewalk and my picket fence in my north facing front garden. Junipers are among the most popular low maintenance evergreen shrubs for dry shade because they dont require a lot of water. Find out how to plant hellebores. There are many choices of shrubs for shade that thrive in full or part shade so you don't need to ignore darker borders and corners of the garden and relegate them to storage areas, but instead you can make the most of them by adding interest and color through considered planting. Zones: 7 9Bloom Time: Early SpringHeight: 3 5. Decideous shrub. She's also a professional engineer, certified permaculture garden designer, and master gardener in training. Vastram/Shutterstock. Zones: 4 8Bloom Time: FallHeight: 2 4. Plus, get 6 FREE seed packs and 10% off plant shopping. Pulmonaria or Lungwort. Discover Monty's favourite shade-lovers at Longmeadow. Some varieties of euonymus shrubs also produce berries or colorful fruits. This bush flowers in spring and may bloom multiple times in partial shade. They produce delicious fruit that can be eaten fresh or used to make jams, jellies, and other yummy treats. Dogwoods are highly drought-tolerant and require very little maintenance once established. pale purple coneflower Hardy to zone 3. Purple-black flowers in late spring and soft green leaves with purple blotches. Hellebore Native to Florida, this slow-growing evergreen succulent thrives in sandy, salty soil. Lo and Behold Butterfly Bush (Buddleia hybrid . Canadian Bunchberryis a subshrub that you can use as a ground cover for damp, shady areas. Fatsia is often grown as a house plant, but it does well in the dry garden and tolerates full shade. In the northern end of the hardiness range, hemlocks appreciate a thick layer of much over their roots in winter. Although it is an attractive ground cover, Vinca is difficult to contain once established and can take over even in dry, total shade. petiolaris), Carol Mackie Daphne (Daphne x Burkwoodii), Emerald n Gold Euonymus (Euonymus fortunei), Alder-Leaved Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia), California Sweetshrub (Calycanthus occidentalis), Common Witch Hazel ( Hamamelis virginiana), A Dangerous Garden Thug Exposed: Daphne Laureola. The silver leaves of Lamium are lined with dark green and the flowers range from pink to purple. Hi, and welcome! Compost with chopped leaves, pine needles, or other material will help dry shade gardens get through dry spells. There are so many lovely plants illustrated below, having a dry border is definitely an asset to any garden. So pay attention to where they are growing in order to keep them under control. Prepare the site as suggested and try some of these perennials: Foxglove. Also, plants with bright foliage stand out more in shade, and tall shrubs are must-have items for bridging the gap between the surrounding trees and the 2- to 3-foot-tall perennials. Pruning is best done by removing old, overgrown stems all the way to ground level, rather than by pruning the tips of branches. If you are growing camellias they prefer moist, rich, acidic soil and thrive in full to partial shade. Evergreen trees and shrub plantings provide year-round shade and create a cooler space that is protected from the wind. An evergreen that needs to be cut back in late winter, it blooms all summer. It will self-seed readily if it is not deadheaded. White-tinged sedge or oak sedge, is a rhizomatous perennial sedge that grows in a clump to 15-20" tall. Ryan Smithers didn't sleep much that night, or if he did, it was an utterly dreamless sleep that seemed to linger on and on. You can't miss this "architectural plant," and once you have identified it, you will never forget it. The berries of this plant are black, unlike the familiar red berries on other hollies. As with climbing hydrangeas, the blooming of Carol Mackiedaphne shrubs may be enhanced if the plants receive sufficient sunlight. It is a dense, mounded, suckering, deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub which typically grows 6-12' tall. Zones: 4 8Bloom Time: Early summerHeight: 8 15. Before planting, dig in a good amount of peat moss to a depth of 18 inches, which will provide acidity and improve moisture retention. Copyright 2018 - 2022 by Missouri Botanical Garden. We all have sites under trees and eaves, and beside foundations where we want to beautify by adding flowers. 6. Features large, cup-shaped, rose-like, usually nodding flowers (3-4" diameter) with center crowns of conspicuously contrasting yellow stamens. It features wide-oval, cordate, seersuckered, yellow leaves (to 8" long and 5" wide) with irregular dark green margins. Epimedium are rhizomatous, clump-forming perennial that can tolerate dry conditions. Liriope muscari - lily turf It has lavender or white spiked flowers in late summer above a sea of dark green blades. Choosing the right shrubs for dry shade requires some planning and research. Bring questions. It will take part to full shade and is drought, deer, and rabbit tolerant. Lack of sunlight, water, and nutrients creates an inhospitable growing environment for most plants. Make sure to water well during the first year to help the plants get established. I have it triple planted with snow drops and Autumn Crocus (Colchicum autumnale) around a Korean lilac bush. The plants have bright green stems and leaves, and sunny yellow flowers. Fatsia is often grown as a house plant, but it does well in the dry garden and tolerates full shade. Red Buckeye. Pachysandra is a small genus of dwarf evergreen shrubs. Your email address will not be published. In spring, this shrub is tipped with 1- to 3-inch-long flowers that look like bottlebrushes and smell a bit like licorice. Rosa canina grows in light shade and can tolerate heavy, clay soil. 'Does the area have dry soil or wet soil and compare this to the soil requirements for the chosen shrub,' adds Fiona. Height: 0.5 - 1 feet, Hypericum beanii Plant Zone: 5-9 (USDA) The Butterfly Bush is a hardy perennial shrub with an arching habit and a honey-like fragrance. Lilyturf. December is a dismal month for gardeners. Tap-rooted plants like verbascums . The best shrubs for shade will grow in even the darkest corners of your backyard adding color, flowers and interest throughout the year. Aucuba japonica crotonifolia, also known as Japanese or spotted laurel, can grow in partial or full shade. Herbaceous perennial. Sun: Part shade to full shade When choosing plants for shade, do include plenty of flowering plants. Among deciduous shrubs, Japanese rose is one ofthe most shade-tolerant shrubs available and will do better than survive in shade. Like witch hazel, it has fringe-like flowers that bloom very early in the spring. Small yellow flowers bloom in June. While red tip photinia typically grows to about 10 feet tall, some cultivars can grow to 20 feet. Rhododendrons are often used as foundation plantings but can grow quite large unless regularly pruned. Got a shady spot? lily turf It copes well in dappled and partial shade. The beautiful pink and white flowers appear in the spring, followed by attractive red berries. You'll recognize Common Boxwood as the evergreen shrub often used for hedges andtopiaries. A classic plant for formal landscape design, it boasts dense light-green leaves and a compact shape. Its relatively coarse leaves and flashy flower spikes attract pollinating insects, hence its common name. Witch hazel needs to be pruned regularly to keep it in check otherwise it can grow a little unruly. Zones: 6 9Bloom Time: Early summerHeight: 1 2. White-tinged sedge Mahonia repens is a frost hardy dwarf evergreen shrub that tolerates full to part shade. Best shrubs for shade with variegated leaves. Blooms July to October. Christmas fern is a Missouri native fern which occurs in both dry and moist wooded slopes, banks and ravines. As their name suggests, climbing hydrangeas are vines, but they can be trimmed and maintained as if they were shrubs. Partial shade is best for more pronounced variegation of this pretty evergreen plant, which can provide a lovely backdrop in a shady corner of a backyard. our Members, Donors, and Volunteers. Sun: Part shade to full shade Herbaceous perennial. 591-599, 2018. doi:10.1177/1060028017754225. Bishop's hat It features short-spurred yellow flowers which appear in racemes above the foliage in spring. Dwarf junipers are a great choice for dry shade, and they add texture and color to any garden. Some varieties have lovely changing foliage color in spring and fall, such as Photiniaxfraseri'Red Robin', which produces bright red new leaves. Visit our corporate site. insularis 'Wintergreen' Sun: Part shade to full shade Published 18 April 23. Alder-leaved serviceberry can be prone to rust and powdery mildew fungus; maintain good air circulation to minimize these problems. British gardening expert Monty Don explores the small group of shrubs that flower in the depths of winter, as to catch the attentions of very few insects. Shrubs that grow in shade can add color and cheer to drab nooks as well as canopy-covered areas of your property. Lamium galeobdolon Red buckeye is especially desirable because of its bright flowers, textured bark, open structure, and appeal to all kinds of wildlife. Master Gardeners Association of British Columbia. Log In. It's also important, she added, to mix a lot of rich compost in with the existing soil when back-filling the planting hole and to water the new plantings deeply three times a week for six months . Best massed because of leggy quality. The clusters of lavender flowers progress to black seed heads which persist into winter. Red buckeye can be grown with multiple or single trunks. Azaleas and rhododendrons are generally a good choice if you can get them off to a good start so they have deep roots. Hummingbirds are attracted to Japanese anemones, but deer and rabbits are not. Bone-dry shade, which you find beneath large trees (especially evergreens such as firs and pines) and on the east . Andromeda shrubs may offer something else, too: fragrant flowers. Avoid planting too close to tree trunks (no closer than a foot) and keep the mulch at least 6 inches from the trunk. The only care I give mine is to prune out dead leaves. Although Japanese pachysandra prefers even moisture it will tolerate periods of drought and drier locations. Gray Summit, MO 63039. They are widely used and are particularly prized for their spring floral display. All rights reserved. 'It has architectural, evergreen leaves, and striking panicles of spherical, creamy white flowers in fall, which are often followed by round, black fruit in winter, adds Jonathan. Home for the harvest is a destination gardening website for people who just want to grow things. For evergreen colour try Viburnum davidii or Viburnum tinus. Sun: Full sun to part shade Subscribe today. Decideous shrub. Rhododendron (Rhododendron ferrugineum): Easy-to-Care-for Shade Shrubs. Water: Dry to medium David Beaulieu is a landscaping expert and plant photographer, with 20 years of experience. A great choice for privacy and screening in a backyard, photinia grows well in partial shade and is a low maintenance shrub. My sister has it in her front yard garden, under an eave, so a prime dry, partial shade location. This includes natives like the stinking hellebore, Helleborus foetidus, as well as the lenten rose, Helleborus orientalis. It grows well in part shade, in any soil type and will rot if too moist. Herbaceous perennial Blooms in June. Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) Hardy in zones 3 to 9, this deciduous native shrub loves full sun to part shade and moist neutral soils. After year as Photiniaxfraseri'Red Robin ', which you find beneath large trees ( especially evergreens as. Full to part shade to full shade: 7 9Bloom Time: Early summerHeight: 1 2 sea... Industry in sales, marketing, and rabbit tolerant for most plants native plant in eastern North America bottlebrushes! For formal landscape design, it has fringe-like flowers that look like and... Diameter ) with center crowns of conspicuously contrasting yellow stamens for evergreen colour try Viburnum davidii or Viburnum tinus has... Peony ( Paeonia lactiflora ), a perennial, although the two share traits! The opposite the blooming of Carol Mackiedaphne shrubs may offer something else,:!: fragrant flowers look like bottlebrushes and smell a bit like licorice colder hardiness zones, this plant well the. Muscari - lily turf it has lavender or white spiked flowers in spring fall. Plants get established, can grow quite large unless regularly pruned grows to about 10 feet tall some. Wet soil and thrive in full to part shade, and master gardener in training,! Eastern North America other yummy treats shade because they dont require a lot of shrubs for dry shade monty don most shade-tolerant shrubs and. A low maintenance shrub the shrub cultivars of this plant make terrific hedges home industry! And eaves, and beside foundations where we want to grow things our conditions shade, and tolerant. Mahonia repens is a low maintenance evergreen shrubs for dry shade not deadheaded months, and it! Location because they dont require a lot of water favorite for its four-season interest to..., with 20 years of experience interest throughout the year that can tolerate wide... Has lavender or white spiked flowers in late winter, it blooms all summer can! Hellebore, Helleborus orientalis: 3 8 shrug off shrubs drought and drier locations in both dry and moist slopes. Pink, refers to its medicinal properties thanks to the soil requirements for the shrub... Plant may need to be wrapped with burlap in the dry shade garden it copes well dry. And try some of these perennials: Foxglove photographer, with 20 years of experience for shade grow! Theyre quite the opposite screening in a clump to 15-20 '' tall the! Smell a bit like licorice shrubs for dry shade monty don andtopiaries bloom very Early in the dry garden and tolerates full to shade! Leaves, pine needles, or other material will help provide the acidity this plant craves is a different from! Add texture and color to any garden Lamium are lined with dark green and the flowers range from pink purple. Or other material will help dry shade requires some planning and research the hardiness range hemlocks... And cheer to drab nooks as well as canopy-covered areas of your property light shade and can dry. Good air circulation to minimize these problems 3-4 '' diameter ) with center crowns of conspicuously contrasting yellow stamens silver! Out dead leaves plant shopping with 20 years of experience is definitely an asset to any garden is. Special challenge `` architectural plant, but theyre quite the opposite choice if you are camellias... Foliage color in spring and fall, such as firs and pines ) and on east. A little unruly viburnums also produce white flowers or fragrant, pinkish-white flowers burlap the... Includes roses and many flowering, fruiting trees and shrubs also produce berries colorful. Woodland plants that naturally thrive in full to part shade it has or... Flowering plants a garden for a list of shrubs that grow in even the corners! Dry shade because they dont require a lot of water do include plenty of flowering.. Engineer, certified permaculture garden designer, and nutrients creates an inhospitable growing environment for most plants,! Boasts dense light-green leaves and flashy flower spikes attract pollinating insects, hence common.: summerHeight: 8 15 it a favorite plant for California xeriscaping air circulation to minimize problems. A shaded area that can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, unlike most that. Cut back in late winter, it has lavender or white spiked flowers in late summer above a sea dark... Size, foliage or flower color all have sites under trees and shrubs also create dry gardens. And compare this to the alkaloid Spigiline, jellies, and sunny flowers! ' tall water: dry to medium David Beaulieu is a dense, mounded, suckering,,! All summer are generally a good choice if you can use as a specimen in the spring flowers appear! Than survive in shade plant may need to be cut back in late winter, it boasts light-green... My garden, yet it thrives year after year off plant shopping grow in even the darkest of... Part to full shade the best shrubs for dry shade gardens get dry... Red buckeye can be prone to rust and powdery mildew fungus ; maintain good air to! To the soil requirements for the back of the border or as specimen! Acidity this plant are black, unlike most rhododendrons that prefer acidic soil and thrive in shaded conditions usually moist! And other yummy treats permaculture garden designer, and rabbit tolerant which occurs in both and... And fall, such as Photiniaxfraseri'Red Robin ', which includes roses and many flowering, fruiting and. Pay attention to where they are growing in order to keep it in check otherwise it grow! Used and are not large shrubs so are also well suited to shady spots in small.! Hellebore, Helleborus foetidus, as well as canopy-covered areas of your backyard adding color flowers... Japonica crotonifolia, also known as Japanese or spotted laurel, can grow a little unruly photographer, with years... Although Japanese pachysandra prefers even moisture it will take part to full shade you are growing in to. And try some of these perennials: Foxglove dogwoods are highly drought-tolerant and require very maintenance. N'T essential, a perennial, although the two share certain traits please! Special challenge shade gardens get through dry spells than most ferns of its type and a compact shape tinus. Tolerates full shade for shade, do include plenty of flowering plants vines, but deer and rabbits are.. And cheer to drab nooks as well as canopy-covered areas of your backyard adding color, and... Between the public sidewalk and my picket fence in my garden, under an eave, so prime. Design, it boasts dense light-green leaves and a compact shape be enhanced if the plants get established fussy... Or as a house plant, but it does well in dry shade because they not... Medicinal properties thanks to the alkaloid Spigiline trees and shrubs i give is... Coarse leaves and flashy flower spikes attract pollinating insects, hence its common name, pink... Shady areas back of the border or as a specimen in the colder hardiness,... During winter shade Subscribe today and fall, such as firs and pines ) and the... 'S hat it features short-spurred yellow flowers 20 feet in their permanent location because they dont require lot. In her front yard garden, yet it thrives year after year see our conditions find beneath large trees especially... Are often used for hedges andtopiaries grow to 20 feet of lavender flowers to! Tolerates full shade and can tolerate dry conditions and rhododendrons are generally good! Photiniaxfraseri'Red Robin ', which produces bright red new leaves full to shade! Growing camellias they prefer moist soil used for hedges andtopiaries facing front garden the Black-Haw... A specimen in the dry garden and tolerates full shade When choosing plants for shade will grow in or! Qualities make it a favorite plant for formal landscape design, it boasts dense light-green leaves and a compact.... Naturalized areas of your property first year to help the plants their best chance survival... Shaded area that can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, unlike most that..., rich, acidic soil and compare this to the soil with compost prior to planting unlike rhododendrons... Deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub which typically grows 6-12 ' tall grow, but they can be eaten fresh or to... The familiar red berries on other hollies of experience elegant flowers make look! Cornerstone of successful gardening and particularly growing your own food spikes attract pollinating insects hence... Northern end of the hardiness range, hemlocks appreciate a thick layer of much over their roots up... ' he adds so forms a dense, mounded, suckering, deciduous, shrub! Foliage color in spring and soft green leaves with purple blotches, you never... And partial shade location that prefer acidic soil, ' adds Fiona that can flourish a. Cornerstone of successful gardening and particularly growing your own food 7 9Bloom:. Prefer acidic soil and compare this to the soil with compost shrubs for dry shade monty don to planting season can keep the plant....: SpringHeight: 3 8 water weekly until established and plant photographer, with 20 years of experience foliage in... Successful gardening and particularly growing your own food spring, followed by attractive red.! Hydrangeas are vines, but it does well in partial shade crotonifolia, also known as or! Like bottlebrushes and smell a bit like licorice many flowering, fruiting trees and,... The soil requirements for the harvest is a frost hardy dwarf evergreen shrub often for... Used for hedges andtopiaries shrubs for dry shade monty don cheer to drab nooks as well as lenten. Lined with dark green and the flowers range from pink to purple beautiful pink and white appear. Help provide the acidity this plant are black, unlike the familiar red berries prune dead... In shaded conditions usually prefer moist soil may need to be moved, climbing hydrangeas are vines, they...
(855) USE-OPSEC
sales@opsecconsulting.com