Flowers or flowering shrub for the shade?

Positively Negative

I have a fairly big part of my garden that's completely in the shade of my house all day and all year. Is there anything with nice flowers I could plant here? Seems such a waste of land.

If not, could I put a glasshouse there to grow some veg ect?

Marhay70

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/advice-search?sortReverse=true&sort=_score&facets=8;shade


Lots of plants would be happy enough in such a situation, just make sure they are getting the proper nutrition by preparing the ground. Have a look at the link above, I'm sure you'll find some ideas.
Not suitable for a glasshouse unfortunately as the whole point of a glasshouse is to enhance the suns rays.

looksee

I have a totally shaded border which has no sun but grows a good assortment of ferns, christmas roses (hellebores), berginias, periwinkles, honeysuckle, and a couple of roses, many roses will grow in some degree of shade.

jaffa20

Looksee, out of interest which roses do you grow in partial shade/shade? I have a floribunda rose in partial shade. It flowered just a few times last summer but not as profusely as i would like.

looksee

I have a Zephirine Drouhin which is known for being good in shade and does well for a long period of the summer, a James Galway which I've only just got so it has not flowered for me yet, but it is recommended for shade, both of these are David Austin roses. Quite a few of the DA roses are recommended or can be used in shady areas.

There is another rose which has dark velvety red flowers and smells gorgeous. Unfortunately a large shrub has grown in front of it so you can only see it if you go round out of the garden to the north side and there it is, flowering for no-one! Bad organisation on my part and there is not much hope of moving it I think. I might try though! I have no idea what it is called.

jaffa20

Thanks looksee, they both look lovely but are climbing. I was looking for shrub ones but just had a look on David Austin website and they actually have page for shady areas. Great news:)

http://www.davidaustinroses.com/eu/specific-situations/north-walls-and-shady-areas-shrub-roses

cobham

I would recommend Japenese Anenomes for shady area... tough as old boots and bit invasive but come up very reliably every year and flower from September to Christmas. I have three varieties, the white being most hardy. There is a pale pink version but it tends to take over so keep away from the white. I also have less vigorous one in deep pink. Geranium 'Johnsons Blue' and any from that wide family of plants are also very forgiving.... not to be confused with Pelargonium Geranium, the brightly coloured sun lovers suitable for pots.

Marhay70

looksee wrote: »

I have a Zephirine Drouhin which is known for being good in shade and does well for a long period of the summer, a James Galway which I've only just got so it has not flowered for me yet, but it is recommended for shade, both of these are David Austin roses. Quite a few of the DA roses are recommended or can be used in shady areas.

I too have Zepherine Drouhin growing in a shady area and while it is a lovely rose with a beautiful scent it is a magnet for blackspot, good housekeeping and hygiene is essential or you will quickly lose patience with it, particularly if the area doesn't drain well.
No rose really likes shade but there are some which tolerate it better than others, remember the groundwork needs to be laid for climbers and ramblers, they need to be trained horizontally as they will want to climb upwards.
If you want something to cover a fence and give good flowering and scent and which is relatively trouble free, try Mme Alfred Carriere, a rambler, a bit slow to start but when it takes off it's amazing, it'll outpace Usain Bolt. New Dawn and James Galway are two more good choices.