Beauty in the Shade

Just because you have a shady area doesn’t mean it will be lacking in colour or interest.
I have several areas just like this, and there are some wonderful plants which will thrive here.
First up – the castor oil plant – Fatsia japonica – this is one of my absolute favourites – it has lovely large palmate shiny green leaves. It is evergreen, so will delight all year round. It also has strange flowers which look like the ivy flower – green clusters on the ends of stalks. It is quite a big plant, but so interesting, I would put it in the middle of a space – depending on the size of the area of course.
Next – Garrya elliptica – with its long silver tassles, it really is a plant of interest. It makes a good backdrop plant as its colours are mainly green & silver. It reaches 2 metres, so it is a whopper – give it space !!!
Climbers – there are plenty of shade lovers. Go for plants which originate in woodland areas and you won’t go far wrong. Lonicera, the honeysuckle, is a wonderful fragrant plant. The scent of those flowers is irresistable. I have several varieties so I have one in flower now, and one which flowers in early spring. They are followed by red berries which my chickens like eating, so I hope they aren’t poisonous.
Another climber which likes dry shade is the climbing hydrangea. It has panicles of white flowers in August. As an example of how much abuse it can take, mine is in the corner beside the favourite dust bath area of the chickens. I don’t know why, but it is. They congregate there at least twice a day and roll about in the now extremely dusty soil. The roots of the poor hydrangea are frequently exposed and I regularly cover them up again. My last attempt included a circle of large stones around it to stop our feathered friends. However, the plant is thriving, so perhaps it’s just me…

Another plant which likes shade is half way between climber and shrub. It’s Jasminum nudiflorum, and flowers from November to February, bless it. Just when we need colour most. Sadly it’s not scented, but the flowers are so pretty, I really don’t mind. As it is more of a shrub, it must be tied in to a trellis if you want it to conform. However, I find it such an unruly beast that I just leave it to its own devices. Anyway, I quite like it in its semi languishing state, lolling around the flower bed. It’s also ideal for layering if you want to propagate more. (More about that another time). When it finishes flowering in February, it resembles a burst mattress, so you might like to give it a bit of a haircut.

So next time you hear of anyone bemoaning their shady garden, silence them with: “You lucky so-and-so !” and direct them to this website.