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laumaclandscape

Shady spot in front of house - what plants will work?

laumaclandscape
9 years ago

I have a large mulched area in front of my home that only gets a couple of hours of sun in the late afternoon. Nothing has ever done well there, but it's a big bald spot in our landscaping. What plants will work in this shady area? I would need shrubs or perennials. thank you!!

Comments (10)

  • sampson2001 (zone 6a - cleveland - clay
    9 years ago

    Hostas would probably do well there. I'm not a fan of them but everyone else is. What type of shade? dense (bldg) dappled (tree)?

  • laumaclandscape
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Both. It's not as black as night, but there's a large maple as well. So we have the shade from the house and the maple leaves as well. I have some extra hostas.. Maybe I'll give it a go! Thanks!

  • edlincoln
    9 years ago

    Forest understory plants, like Ferns, trillium, Mayapple, Mountain Laurel?

  • edlincoln
    9 years ago

    Forest understory plants, like Ferns, trillium, Mayapple, Mountain Laurel?

  • emerogork
    9 years ago

    I have done very well with a south-west side of the house and shade of a 60 year old Maple tree. In the spring, it gets a lot of afternoon sun until the leaves take it all.

    Starting in March, both pink and yellow forsythia will grow along with crocuses, daffodils and squills. When the shade takes over, May - October, I have Hellebore, potted Clivia, Bleeding Heart, Astilbe, Mountain Laurel, Andromeda, Azalea, for starters... The area might get 1-2 hours of afternoon sunlight.

    This post was edited by Emerogork2 on Thu, Oct 2, 14 at 23:45

  • raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
    9 years ago

    Liriope, heuchera, hellebores, epimedium, pulmonaria. My neighbor has a red azalea or rhododendron and sweetshrub that have done beautifully on the north side of the house. Hydrangeas and viburnums also do well in shade -- in fact hydrangea requires it here, they faint in the sun. I also have boxwood, elderberry, pierus japonica, euonymus japonicas and yellow dogwood in shady spots.

  • emerogork
    9 years ago

    Forgot about the epimedium both yellow and red along with viburnum but although I have an Euonymus in the bed, I find that there is not enough sunlight to produce those brilliant red leaves of the fall. For me, it is well, just green.... You do get to admire the bark in the winter.

    A second one is in the back with full days of sunlight and really stand out in the fall.

  • vaud
    9 years ago

    Ferns, Lamium, Pulmonaria.

  • PRO
    Blossoms & Blueprints, LLC
    9 years ago

    I don't know which zone you're in, so it's difficult to recommend anything with certainty. But a few nice shrubs for shady areas include oak leaf hydrangea, variegated boxwood and dogwoods (such as Isanti).Serendity Surfaces in the Shade


  • Karen
    9 years ago

    Given the trees and their ability to rob the soil of moisture, it sounds like you need suggestions for dry shade.... Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope', Azalea 'Gillie', Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Prostrata', Euonymus fortune 'Silver Queen', Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen', 'Pee Wee' or 'Little Honey', Loropetalum chinense, Microbiota decussata, Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Goshiki', Rhododendron catawba 'Bourgault', Distylium myricoides 'Blue Cascade' and Taxus x media 'Densiformis'. Perennials... Asarum canadense, Brunnera, Carex, Chrysogohum virginianum, Corydalis lutea, Euphorbia 'Red Martin', 'Christmas' and 'Arborvitae Fern', Hellebore, Heuchera, Hosta, Hypericum, Iris cristata, and Polygonatum. Have fun! These are great plants.