Hi friends. If you are like me, you are planning or doing research for your garden constantly. Being a gardener is a year round activity with very little down time.
At least in the winter there is some down time. If you call scouring magazines, books and doing plant research "down time".
I have a garden bed up close to the house, that is going to get a makeover and due to it being in the shade it sometimes poses a problem.
Not because it's in the shade, but because in my area, I have a hard time finding flowers that I haven't seen a thousand times before.
if you look below it is the bed on the lower left hand side.
Not to insult begonias, but enough already. There are so many different choices out there, but my local garden centers seem to only want to showcase the "standard" ones.
if you look below it is the bed on the lower left hand side.
Not to insult begonias, but enough already. There are so many different choices out there, but my local garden centers seem to only want to showcase the "standard" ones.
I don't know about you but I pass them up every time. Just because I have seen them
every where!
So I decided to do some research to find out what else is out there that my local Nurseries aren't offering. That way I can name some names and start making them earn their money and my business. Now some items below are the tried and true, but others? I never knew about. So if you have seen them, comment below. Because I don't get to see bugleweed or yellow finch? I've never seen that one before.
I separated the shade lovers by Annual or Perennial to make it easy.
I separated the shade lovers by Annual or Perennial to make it easy.
Shade Loving Perennials
Virginia Blue Bells
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Coral Bells Huechera
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Astilbe
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Barrenwort
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Lamium
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Bugleweed
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Ferns
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Columbine
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Hosta
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Shade Loving Annuals
Yellow Finch
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Alyssum
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Torenia
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Perilla
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Browallia
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Polka Dot
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Violas
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Here are some quick links if you'd like more. These are more common and have been used and around for years and years.
More Annuals (but it's recommended they get at least 3 to 4 hours of sun to perform) I call these part shade to sun lovers. Due to my winter climate here in Zone 5b, I would not plant these in less then 6 hours of sun, so I get their full performance. Unless I was able to buy them at mature height.
Blue Mohawk
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King Tut
