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hardy plants for winter deep shade

Does anyone have any ideas for showy plants to put

into a small area in very deep winter shade that are

also hardy for freezes?

Comments (11)

  • Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
    11 years ago

    Are you looking for year-round deep-shade plants for zone 9B? Or winter annuals?

  • fl west coast zone 10a
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    It really doesn't matter, but it is an area where there's
    room for small plants near the carport. I'm not afraid
    to try different things.

    Thanks

  • slopfrog
    11 years ago

    I'm sure this is probably wrong, but the old school impatiens seem to do well for me. Not the Sunpatiens with the purplish leaves, but the old green leafed ones.

  • slopfrog
    11 years ago

    Oh, you mentioned frost as well. Not sure impatiens are right for that. I usually don't get frost in my shady areas. They are either covered overhead so they don't frost, or they're next to the concrete house so they don't frost.

  • fl west coast zone 10a
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I might try your idea of impatiens. Sometimes when we
    get a real cold snap the frost gets them, but I have a
    lot of sheets that could be used to cover them. Anyone
    else with some more ideas would also help.

    Thanks for the suggestion

  • tomncath
    11 years ago

    Given where you live you need responses from Anna and Hester, hopefully they'll be along soon....

    Tom

  • starryrider
    11 years ago

    Ferns

  • katkin_gw
    11 years ago

    How about variegated cast iron plant? The color in the leaves make it showy. They could be put in back of the impatients

  • fl west coast zone 10a
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I like the idea of a variegated cast iron plant. I have
    a green leaf one in a container that has always done well
    in deep shade and would love to try a variegated one.
    Thanks. Also I have a fern in the ground in another spot that I could try to take pieces of. Also, today I went
    to a garden center and got a snapdragon, some new wave
    pansies and an aztec grass which should hopefully turn
    out good. Thanks for all the suggestions

  • hester_2009
    11 years ago

    Hi fellow Sarasotan..
    Sorry to be late to your thread....
    I have a deep shade garden which is full of bromiliads, yellow walking iris, dracenas, crotons (do surprisingly well in shade,) ruellia repens, pencil cactus, spathylium,ferns, among other things. Also loads of cane begonias for color.They are always in bloom.
    Since it is not easy to find flowers for shade (and I don't use impatiens as they will freeze easily), I concentrate on textures Seems to work.
    I would post some pics but I don't have the patience today to figure out the new photobucket!(If you want to go back to some of my old posts, you'll see some pics)
    I don't cover anything in this area as it is protected by trees and so far, all has been well.
    Hope this is helpful!
    Hester

  • fl west coast zone 10a
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for the info. Sorry it took so long to reply.
    I decided for some temporary color and for hardiness
    to get snapdragons, new wave pansies and in a spot
    with a little sunlight an aztec grass. The aztec grass
    may make interest because of the variegated spider plants
    that look similar. I'll have to try the ferns. I have
    one type in a container that gets some morning sun
    and another type in the ground in part sun that i could
    try to relocate some of them to the deep shade. Thanks
    for the help.

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