Most gardens have shaded areas created by buildings, walls,fencesor tall trees.
Too often these areas contain a few sad looking plants quite unsuitable for the conditions.
However there are a number of attractive garden shrubs which will happily grow in shade.
However, there are also a number of attractive flowering shrubs which make good shade plants.
Below is a selection of shrubs for different areas in a shady garden.
Nevertheless, several shrubs will happily grow in this very tough situation, including:
#1.
Buxus sempervirens or Box
Glossy green evergreen foliage.
Good for small ornamental hedges or topiary.
#2.
Eleagnus x ebbingei
Glossy green evergreen leaves with silvery undersides, small very fragrant flowers and autumn berries.
#3.
Good as a specimen shrub or for ground cover.
#4.
Kerria japonica
Dull green leaves, but abundant single yellow flowers up to 2 in across in late spring.
#5.
Ribes sanguineum or flowering currant
Mid green matt leaves and small pink/red tassles of flower in spring.
#6.
Sarcococca or Christmas Box
Glossy green evergreen leaves and small, very fragrant white flowers in mid winter.
#7.
#8.
Vinca
Glossy green leaves and lavender topurple flowers, with a very long flowering season.
Good ground cover but can be invasive.
The spotted and variegated forms do less well in shade.
#2.
#3.
#4.
Hydrangeas macrophylla
Mid green deciduous foliage and huge heads of white, pink, red orblue flower.
Both the Mophead and Lacecap forms do well in shade.
#5.
#6.
#7.
Clematis Alpina Hagley Hybrid
Shell pink 5-6 inch flowers from June September.
Height 6-8 ft.
#2.
#3.
#4.
#5.
Gives best colours in shade.
#6.
Other climbers for shady situations or a north wall are:
Hedera helix or Ivy.
Glossy green foliage (the variegated varieties do less well in shade).
Can be invasive.Hydrangea petiolaris, the Climbing Hydrangea.
Attractive glossy green ddeciduous foliage, with red stems to give some winter colour.
Glorious tiers of creamy white flower in early and mid summer.
