Ron’s Rustic Birdhouses Presents The 2015 Garden Blog, Volume 2
We have trees on all the edges of our property except the north so shade is prevalent except for the midday sun in the late spring, summer and early fall, and, of course, winter, when nothing is growing anyway!
And, I am often asked her what a some good plants for deep shade.
This is a short list….
Bloodroot (Sanquinaria) It does flower from March to May with delicate white flowers. And, it will work in most of the United States and up into Canada. It usually reaches a height of 8 to 10 inches.
Columbine (Aquilegia) One of my favorites, sometimes planted in the back of beds because it gets to be 1 to 2 feet tall. It comes in a variety of colors including white, red and yellow. It flowers in late spring normally.
Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cuculallaria). Even the name is fun! It is generally six to twelve inches tall, and the seeds are spread by ants, usually.
Ferns are great because they often flower. Check your local nursery for types that can be planted in your area. Sometimes the Japanese ferns will die out in Northern climates as ours have.
Wild geraniums love shade, too, and will grow to 2 feet in the right conditions and normally flower in the spring.
Violets are always a good bet for woodland growing, and they will flower spring and summer, again check your zone for the best bets.
Jacob’s ladder (Pedilanthus tithymaliodes) (Where is spell-checker when you need it?) This one is blue and gorgeous with a lightly shaded area and is worth planting because it reaches 3 feet.
And, our favorite standby for spring…Jack in the pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum). This is one of the real sentinels and will last for years and years. It gets to the height of two feet or more, but the flowers are kind of odd…green and brown, but pretty with some violets at their feet.
So, if you have deep to medium deep shade and want some blooms, try these and I hope you have Happy Gardening!
I will get back to the regular blog and answer some questions later in the week. Last week, with the funeral, I lost track of where I was so I am sorry.
But, I will have another edition later this week.
Happy Gardening!
Best, Ron
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