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janina5309

Tall shade perennials Zone 3a?

janina5309
13 years ago

I have a 4 ft fence, the top 1ft is a trellis and some sunlight gets through there. I want to plant tall perennials in front of it since it is at the back of the bed. Anyone know of three to four foot perennials or larger to grow there? I had hollyhock successfully grow there since they grew tall enough in the shade to reach towards the light, but this winter killed them. Zone 3a

A spring flowering bush might also be nice....

Comments (5)

  • oilpainter
    13 years ago

    2 shrubs that like the shade and will do well in your zone are Annabel Hydrenga and Dogwood. There are some lovely variagated dogwoods out now. Some Astilbe will grow to 3 feet and Bleeding heart is a slightly smaller perennial that likes the shade. Columbine is another shade lover. All these are good for your zone

  • janina5309
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thank you very much! I already have a dogwood, but the Annabel hydrangea seems perfect and lovely! It's spread is enough that I can put it far out enough and it will reach some sun. And it will still reach far enough to the back. And it blooms almost all season! White blooms really do look excellent in shady areas. It seems also to like wet soil, which it is all the time there. Until it's wide enough, I think I might divide my bleeding heart and put it behind.

    Is there a certain species of columbine that does well in full shade?

    I haven't found that my columbines do well even in part sun. Plants in this area don't start reaching the sun till about 2 ft tall, and most die before this because the soil is always wet.

    I forgot to mention this area is SE facing and gets morning till about noon sun since the house/tree blocks the rest.

  • oilpainter
    13 years ago

    That amount of sun is perfect for columbines. I have a purple and white one on the north side of my greenhouse--It has a solid wooden north wall. The only sun it gets is a bit late in the day until nightfall and it does great. You might investigate the everlasting bleeding heart. It has fernlike leaves and small hearts--without the drop. It starts blooming first thing in the spring and if it doesn't get so warm and water deprived that it collapses it will bloom until frost

  • debbiecz3
    13 years ago

    Taller perennials for a shady moist bed include cimicifuga, goatsbeard, ligularia and lysimachia. All of these are hardy in 3a. Happy gardening!

  • swontgirl_z5a
    13 years ago

    Hollyhocks aren't perennials so you have to keep planting them. I find here they are biennials. They reseed but you maybe don't have a long enough season. In my garden I have babies one year and they bloom the next. The babies are never where I want them but they transplant easily. You can also buy seed and start them yourself. If you get some on alternating years you always have some blooming.

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