The best shade-loving and shade-tolerant plants for summer cottages and gardens. Choosing shade-tolerant plants for the garden and vegetable garden Shade-loving fruit plants for the garden
Almost every summer cottage is divided into certain zones - well-lit and shaded. Areas of the plot in the shade often remain empty and look inorganic, and therefore we decided that it would be quite relevant to study shade tolerant plants for giving.
To tell the truth, almost every second dacha has buildings or mature trees that cast a lot of shade on a young garden, vegetable garden and flower beds. But what to do with areas that are not illuminated by the sun at all or are illuminated minimally? What crops can be planted country house, under old apple tree or on the side of a new car garage? These questions are answered by site specialists who have done painstaking work on selecting the necessary information, as well as studying forums and collecting a wide variety of opinions.
Today we will try to describe in detail the areas of plant cultivation, choose annual and perennial flowers, shrubs, berry and vegetable crops for shaded areas.
Such formation of zones and selection of plants for growing in the shade are especially relevant for owners of standard dachas of 6-9 acres, where, frankly, there is not enough space, but oh, how much you need to plant everything!
Determination of site shading and plant selection
You should be very serious about studying the site for planting crops and the time of its shading throughout the daylight hours. Many of us already know the agricultural technology of popular country plants, and therefore it is not difficult to understand that not every one of them will be able to develop normally in full shade. In such an environment, only some species feel normal. For the rest, it will be necessary to choose zones with partial shading, where the sun is at least half a day.
Distribution of shade-tolerant crops in the garden
The problem of the correct distribution of plants in the country is very serious, because in small areas it is very difficult to figure out where and what will grow, how to properly plant. Particular difficulties haunt beginners who have just acquired a summer house and decide where exactly the garden, garden, flower garden will be.
Often, trees are planted along the fence so as not to occupy usable area in the country. But here you should choose the right side so that the shade from the trees does not occupy large areas of the site. You can also distribute them evenly throughout the dacha, taking into account the requirements of distances. In this way, it will be possible to form areas with partial shading and leave some areas with the most light for those plants that prefer the maximum light.
Summer residents are also used to planting shrubs along fences and hedges, but here it is worth understanding that some of them will be in complete shade from the fence or trees planted earlier. Therefore, the most correct solution would be to plant berries or closer to the center of the summer cottage, for example, to divide the territory into certain zones.
For flowers and berries, a place can be found everywhere, since we have long studied the technology vertical gardening and high beds. Besides, there are always such small architectural forms that involve growing flowers on hills. You can also consider unique decorative flower beds, special garden sculptures, original pots in the country and other products, thanks to which plants are provided with the maximum right conditions for growth and development.
Names of shade-loving plants
We are accustomed to seriously confuse these concepts, believing that both those and other plants can easily cope with dark areas in the country and endure conditions without sunlight. We recommend to distinguish between concepts and when buying a particular crop, it is imperative to study agricultural technology, the requirements for choosing a place to plant a plant in a country house. Remember, the shade can be stable throughout the day, partial (a certain part of the day due to the course of the sun) or diffuse (sunlight through the branches and foliage of vigorous plants).
What plants to plant in a shady area (video)
The degree of shade and soil
It should be understood that not only light conditions are necessary for the development of plants, but also certain soils and other conditions. Thus, in the dense shade cast by summer cottages, dense plantings of shrubs or trees, they will feel good sedum sedum, kupeny, magnificent elecampane, heart-leaved tiarka, European hoof.
If you combine these summer cottage areas with well-moistened soil, then it is possible to plant black cohosh, primrose, hellebore, astilbe, dark geranium.
In areas with scattered shade, for example, under walnuts or old apple trees, it is quite possible to arrange a planting of spring umbilical, fragrant woodruff, lupins, daylilies. Some medicinal and fragrant plants- peppermint, lemon balm, others.
You also need to know that not only soil moisture determines the possibility of growing some plants in shading, but also its composition. Thus, on sandstones and sandy loams in partial shade, kupen, lily of the valley, periwinkle, violet, creeping tenacious and others feel normal.
Shrubs that can be planted in partial shade
Interesting is the fact that in the shade orchard or on delimitation fences summer cottages you can often find shrubs that do not feel any negativity from the shadow. They grow and develop quite normally, without requiring special treatment.
But it is advisable to plant them in partial shade, scattered shade, under trees, since the complete absence of sun seriously affects flowering.
Penumbra is also suitable for hydrangeas, it will not harm viburnum, elderberry. Ivy can also be planted in the same areas, parthenocissus, clematis.
Examples of flowers and ornamental plants in the shade
In this section, we will present a small list of crop names that are okay with shaded areas, and some are even ready to live without sunlight.
perennials
The largest number of shade-loving plants is among perennials. Due to the abundance of species, it is possible to create not single plantings, but entire longline flower beds that will decorate the shady landscape.
Badan prefers medium to dense shade. In such conditions, only flowering can suffer, while growth is fine.
early blooming daylily prefers partial shade, but in strong shade, flowering noticeably weakens. Modern varieties of daylily are best planted in the sun.
hosta not only is not afraid of the shadow, but simply loves it. The only requirement is moist soil.
Aconite feels good in shady areas, but like most, prefers moist soil.
Astilbes Shade tolerant, but prefer partial shade or partial shade.
For dicentres penumbra and shade with well-moistened soil are also the best place to live in the country.
Brunner- a pretty and absolutely picky plant that will survive in any shade. But you should be careful with it, as the brunner grows quickly.
In the scattered shade of a young garden blooms beautifully doronicum.
Lily of the valley and cyanosis - almost classic plants for shade and partial shade in the country.
In addition to this list, lupine, bathing suit, fragrant violet, periwinkle, arizema, tiarka, majestic chistous, ostrich, primrose and many others feel great in different shades.
biennials
It's worth starting with pansies , choosing different varieties of which and planting them in shady places at different periods warm season, you can easily achieve flowering from spring to autumn.
Digitalis- tall biennial plant, which copes well with the lack of sun, but always subject to the observance of agricultural technology.
If you need to plant something in full shade, remember to forget-me-not, which by self-sowing will soon create a whole carpet of pretty flowers.
Annuals
It is rather difficult to choose from annuals, since there are not so many lovers of shady places.
Balsam copes with partial shade, but suffers from a lack of flowering in full shade.
fragrant tobacco can be planted in diffused sunlight in a young garden.
Begonia evergreen suitable for shaded flower beds and single plantings.
Bulbous
Almost all bulbs love sunlight, but there are some exceptions that thrive in minimal light.
Most of the small-bulbous ones, the flowering of which begins in early spring, can grow in the shade of the garden or shrubs. These are crocuses, blueberries, white flowers, snowdrops.
Shading is positive for daffodils, which still bloom brightly and do not change the vertical position of the stem.
All this applies to flowers and ornamental crops, for which now there is no need to look for some special place on suburban area. Hostas, ferns, periwinkles - in the shade and partial shade, they will easily grow and show the expected result.
What flowers grow in the shade (video)
What vegetables can be grown in the shade
Shade-tolerant vegetables and other garden crops are available, and almost half of them are in the country. That is, you will not have any problems with growing food if you find them a small area between shrubs or in the partial shade of the garden.
In addition, there is always the problem of placing light-loving plants, which need to be in the sun for at least 5-7 hours daily. As an example, we can cite the most popular tomatoes in the country (although there are enough such plants). So, if there is no place for all light-loving plants in the country house, you can always use the materials of our site and arrange high gardens in several tiers, come up with special designs from pipes or boxes, plant tomatoes in containers and pots, for example, by creating a “heavy flower garden” in this way » on a trellis.
If there is enough space for such plants or you have already mastered their placement, we still have many plants that can be planted in the shade.
By the way, it is better to approach this issue from the other side - when calculating the planting of light-loving crops, start from shade-tolerant ones and, placing them in suitable places, fill the remaining sunny areas with light-loving ones!
So, vegetables that grow in the shade. With proper agricultural practices, these crops can be expected to produce a good harvest even with minimal sunlight. Here is a short list of what you won’t have to look for a long time for a place on the territory of the dacha - beets and beans, lettuce, cauliflower and broccoli, onion, parsley, garlic and many more.
Garden crops in the shade (according to summer residents)
Regarding the following list ... it is not advisory, but purely conditional, since we have chosen the opinions of summer residents in it, talking about the possibility of growing certain horticultural crops in places with a lack of sunlight. Here are just a few of the most interesting ones:
- Sorrel and garlic do an excellent job with full shading. Sometimes in such zones you can also harvest a good crop of carrots, but this crop is still better to be in the sun sometimes. In addition, upright beans, peas can also be grown in the shade of trees, often even cucumber plantings can be seen here;
- In regions with hot summers, tomatoes grow well in partial shade. Of course, they need sunlight, but not always its overabundance is beneficial for tomatoes. In the shade of a young or even old garden, you can grow the entire line of green salads;
- Red currants grow in the shade of a tall hedge. The lack of sun affects the speed of ripening, but not the quality of the crop. Horseradish grows nearby, a little further away, in partial shade - rhubarb, Chinese cabbage, zucchini ... everything gives a normal harvest, if you take care of it.
These opinions from summer residents from different regions, and therefore it can be seen that, depending on the climate, plants can relate differently to the shade and the sun.
Shadow plot: problem or luck (video)
Reviews and comments
(23
ratings, average: 3,26
out of 5)
Igor 07.02.2015
Nevertheless, in my opinion, the term shade-loving is not entirely accurate - rather, plants in the course of their evolution optimally adapted to survive in such conditions. So to speak, already a step higher than shade tolerance. As for your own garden plot, in addition to hostas or ferns, there is reason to pay attention to the same irises: Lera 11/06/2015
That's what I thought in the forest! Our facade of the house faces the north side, and there is a blank fence in front of it. Of course, no plants wanted to grow there, except for the lilac bush. I dug up a few rhizomes of lilies of the valley in the forest and planted them in front of the house. The fern does not grow in our forest, I bought it and also planted it. Both the lilies of the valley and the ferns have grown and mixed. Now I have a wonderful clearing in front of my house.
Oksana Vladimirovna 21.12.2015
Thanks, really helped. And then I got tired of using the "poke" method to find out what grows in the shade and what does not. And then I was still surprised that nothing bloomed or did not grow at all. But for some reason, my redcurrant is better in the sun.
Nastya 12/16/2016
Everyone loves the sun. I have a small plot - 4 acres. Tried almost everything under landing in the shade. The cabbage stretches and does not fork. Carrots and beets are small, Onions - which I planted, and dug out. Zucchini - many flowers, few ovaries. Corn on the cob is underdeveloped. But eggplant, regular and asparagus beans, potatoes, lettuce, green onions and wild garlic, and sunflowers are just fine. Tomatoes - light penumbra is just super! This season I planted dill under a tree - it stretched out and withered, but the parsley was spiked, but the root parsley in the shade is very small, thin with branches, and large, powerful in the sun
Even the most well-organized garden plot has such zones where a shadow forms for most of the day - a place near the fence of the cottage, an area under a sprawling tree, behind the house. Many consider these areas unsuitable for growing fruit trees and shrubs. And in vain: there are many plants that themselves do not like a long and bright sun. There are also those that, with proper care, can tolerate some shade.
It's time to figure out how to correctly select shade-loving fruit trees and shrubs for the garden. How to use wisely every meter of a country or garden plot.
Shade-tolerant and shade-loving - what are their differences
We will talk about fruit trees and shrubs that grow well and bear fruit in the shade. Theoretically, any plant can be placed in the shade - it can survive. But not everyone will be able to get a good and plentiful harvest. After all, plants, like people, are different: someone can sunbathe in the sun, and someone over the edge has enough sunburn in the shade of trees.
Fruit trees and shrubs in the shade
Before choosing which fruit trees and shrubs can be planted in the shade, it is recommended to find out which ones are shade-loving and which are shade-tolerant.
- Shade-loving - these are plants that do not need rays bright light, on the contrary, they need poorly lit places.
- Shade-tolerant plants grow well in full sun but can tolerate shade. At the same time, if shade-tolerant fruit trees are planted in a very dark place, they will not bear fruit, although they may bloom.
Shade-tolerant cultures are called scioheliophytes, and shade-loving ones are sciophytes. There are much fewer of the latter in nature than those who love the sun or are considered shade-tolerant.
Many gardeners mistakenly believe that their site is unsuitable for growing a good garden, because it contains many "dead" places in terms of illumination. In fact, there is usually not so much true and deep shadow. In the worst case, there is an area where no light beam hits at all. Such, for example, can be a path, bounded on one side by a fence, and on the other - by a wall of a summer residence. This is really the most unfortunate place for planting, but if there is no other way, then it can also be used properly by planting, say, tall cherries or cherry plums there. In the end, they will grow and begin to reach the sun.
Podbelskaya cherry (tall)
Special literature defines penumbra as the presence of direct sun rays for three hours in the mornings and evenings, when in the middle of the day the site is without direct sunlight. Or when the area is well lit all day, but the direct sun does not fall on it.
On a note. Shade is when only three hours of the day the site is lit, and the rest of the time the illumination is very limited.
There is also the concept of a rarefied shadow - the sun gradually penetrates here constantly, but only through the foliage of trees. All this can be attributed to the category of shaded places. In principle, plants can grow everywhere, it is important to choose where and which one. Without taking into account the characteristics of a particular plant (its shade tolerance), without creating conditions for its development, you can get the following sad results:
- the fruits will be tasteless or not tied at all;
- the fruits will ripen with an offset to the edges of the crown;
- the death of fruit branches occurs;
- the leaves lighten, the wood does not ripen well and does not undergo hardening.
As a result, the young tree is damaged in frost and suffers. And a fruit seedling that has fallen into a strong shadow in the first years of life will completely wither away.
To avoid all this, you should carefully study which plants can and should not be planted in places that are not too bright.
Which fruit trees love shade
Most fruit trees are photophilous. However, there are those who feel quite normal in the shade.
Let's call them:
- cherry - it can be planted in the most secluded places of the garden, because it perfectly tolerates shade and even thickening;
- cherry plum - although it is considered a southern tree, it is quite tolerant of the lack of direct light, unpretentious and productive;
- plum - blue varieties of plums are suitable for growing in partial shade, but the yellow varieties suffer from a lack of sun and therefore will not give a good harvest;
- apple tree - except for the lowlands, it tolerates any landing sites, including shady ones.
What shrubs can be planted in the shade in the garden
The choice of shade-tolerant shrubs is more diverse than that of fruit trees. However, it is absolutely impossible to leave them without lighting. So, with excessive shading, a culture such as raspberries weakens. As for the currant, which is traditionally planted in the most inconvenient places, the red currant tolerates shading worse than the black currant. At the same time, when planting a red currant variety, it should be taken into account that good overhead lighting is a must, but it can cope better with the lack of side light.
In shaded places in the country, you can plant the following perennial bushes:
- currant different varieties- red, black, white;
- blackberry
- raspberries;
- black elderberry;
- common hazel;
- dogwood and deren male;
- viburnum;
- barberry;
- honeysuckle.
Important! Not all of them are equally easy to take root in a serious shade. Most allow shading, but do not tolerate a deep lack of sun.
Therefore, they do not need to be specially shaded. These fruits and berries do not exactly adore the shadow, but are ready to endure it. A berry bushes with sweet fruits in any case ripen well only with sufficient light.
Barberry
You can focus on how closely the chosen shrub looks like its wild, forest comrades. It is characteristic of forest communities garden plants easier than others to grow and bear fruit well in the shade. An example would be blackberries, alpine currants, varieties of barberry, viburnum. Irga shows itself well, blue honeysuckle - all those plants that in nature are accustomed to live and develop in the lowest tier of the forest. And the best representative in terms of endurance - chokeberry, she is chokeberry, and hazel.
How to grow trees and shrubs in the shade
Plants that can survive and thrive in the shade are fighters in their own right. They are ready to withstand stress and not the most convenient growing conditions. But if a raspberry planted along north side at home, is able to bestow large enough and juicy berries, you can’t say the same about some others.
For example, white and red currants are, in principle, more sunny berry than blackberry and raspberry, and therefore it develops well in the sun and can wither without serious support in the shade. Therefore, if necessary, it can be planted in shaded areas, it will cope. However, currants, like a number of other shade-tolerant plants, will have to be helped.
On a note. That life in the shade is a constant struggle for light, warmth, for existence. And in this struggle, the plant may even die.
What affects the survival of plants in the shade?
- First of all, they should not suffer from a lack of moisture. Like other plants, shade-loving ones require the right amount of water, the soil should not be allowed to dry out, which can happen in the heat even from the northern shady side of the house. Moisture is especially needed in late spring, with the onset of hot weather.
- All plants for the shade must be fed. They are very dependent on food. Many seek to feed plantings with nitrogen fertilizers. This is where moderation and accuracy are needed: with a lack of sunlight, nitrogen must be given carefully, without an overabundance. Otherwise, there is a danger that the plant will stretch or be thickened.
Many novice gardeners are interested in what should be the soil before planting a shade plant? Naturally, in this case, the plants are even more demanding on the composition of the soil than under normal conditions. Therefore, planting even such a completely unpretentious shrub, like an ordinary garden viburnum, you need to see what kind of soil suits it best. In this case, viburnum needs a slightly acidic environment or neutral soil. At the same time, on poor, infertile soil or on peat soil, it will grow poorly and will not bloom.
garden viburnum
Important! Before planting any plant or tree in the shade, soil compatibility must be checked. In shade conditions, the wrong choice can become an aggravating factor, leading to the death of the plant.
When planting, you need to prepare the soil in advance. A feature of most plants that can grow in the shade is the abundance of surface roots. This means that the soil should not be heavy. On the contrary, the looser, lighter, airier upper layer land, the easier it will be for the plant to take root, the easier it will be for him to live in such difficult conditions. Loose soil will provide the surface roots of plants with better moisture absorption.
Note! At the same time, it is completely unacceptable that shady soil be constantly waterlogged. high humidity, and also combined with plant thickening or excessively compacted planting, can lead to diseases. Thus, both of these factors - the abundance of water and the thickening of plantings - very often provoke the occurrence of garden diseases and pest damage.
As can be concluded from this article, one should not worry and be upset, believing that there are few open sunny places in the summer cottage. Even shady and dimly lit places can be used wisely, creatively and profitably. Moreover, there are a sufficient number of different plants adapted for growing in partial shade and shade.
These plants, of course, will not surprise you with their yield, but they will give a certain amount of fruit. And they will also bring aesthetic pleasure to the gardener. Of course, with the right agricultural technology for cultivating crops and their competent distribution on the site and relative to each other.
Whatever the plot or garden, it always has one or more corners where the sun's rays practically do not fall, whether it is a shadow from a house or big trees. But you shouldn't worry about it. The flora is very rich in species, and you can always pick up shade-loving or shade-tolerant plants for the garden that will delight in flowering and decorative leaves.
Classification of plants according to lighting requirements
Sunlight, water and good, fertile soils- these are the basic requirements of plants that guarantee them successful cultivation. But not all flowers and trees love bright sunlight, depending on this they are divided into three groups.
- Light-loving plants for the garden, their second name is heliophytes. They love open spaces and sunlight, but they can die in shading. This group includes the vast majority garden flowers. From annuals: petunia, marigolds, lobelia, godetia, etc. From perennials, for example, daylily, rudbeckia, gaillardia, arabis, chistets. As well as trees: Ginnala maple, Manchurian walnut.
- Shade tolerant plants for the garden. This group includes species that also love sunlight, but 5-6 hours of it in the morning or afternoon is enough for them. However, flowering in this case may not be so plentiful and long. This group includes plants such as oak anemone, astilbe, alpine catchment (in the first photo), dicentra, peony, blueberry, etc.
- Shade plants for the garden. These species prefer to grow in secluded corners where there is almost no sun. They usually have deep green leaves. First of all, these are ferns, hostas, lilies of the valley, lungwort, foxglove, etc.
Shade tolerant conifers for the garden
Evergreen trees and shrubs always give the garden a special charm and delight the eye throughout the year. All of them have an amazing aroma that not only improves mood, but also disinfects the air. Species coniferous plants there are quite a few, they differ in size, crown shape, soil and lighting requirements. Many plants do not like bright sun, and young specimens, without exception, require some shading in the early stages of growth. The most popular among gardeners are the following varieties of shade-tolerant conifers:
- spruce Canadian, common, prickly, Serbian and "Entelmani";
- Siberian fir, balsamic, Canadian, one-color;
- yew "Repandens" and Canadian (pictured);
- tuevik drooping (Japanese);
- echiniformis;
- the microbiota is cross-paired.
All conifers are quite unpretentious, but some require abundant watering and shelter for the winter. Many decorative species grow quite slowly, which allows them to be used on Alpine rollercoaster, in group plantings.
Choosing shade-tolerant shrubs
Shade-tolerant plants for the garden and vegetable garden of this group can be purely decorative in nature or also bring practical benefits. In addition, there are decorative leafy and flowering. Let's dwell on the most popular and common.
It should also be noted the following shade-tolerant plants for the garden, which are included in the group of shrubs and have decorative leaves: privet, boxwood, euonymus (winged and warty), Thunberg barberry.
shade tolerant trees in the garden
If you want to choose not fruit trees for the garden, but decorative ones, then you should pay attention to several types. Maple remains one of the most popular trees for landscaping. Large dissected leaves are especially beautiful in autumn, when they acquire a bright color. There are a lot of types of maple: field, holly, silver, white, sugar, Japanese. The tree forms a beautiful spreading crown and it is quite possible to plant shade-tolerant flowering plants for the garden.
Very often, forest beech and hornbeam are used for landscaping; they have garden varieties and forms. They look great not only in group, but also in single plantings, and the crown is easy to trim and shape.
Fruit trees and shrubs growing in the shade
Not many fruit and berry trees and shrubs are able to grow and give good harvest in the shade, they still need the sun. Of the species most resistant to lack of light, it is worth noting raspberries and blackberries, since their natural habitat is forest thickets and wet ravines, they tolerate partial shade well. You can also plant barberries and gooseberries, which will be good neighbors to the mentioned species. The first shrub is winter-hardy, grows rapidly and gives a good harvest of berries, which have a specific sour taste. Gooseberries (pictured) are also characterized by very valuable fruits that are used to make jams and compotes.
Now it is much easier to choose shade-tolerant ones for the garden, because the varieties are constantly updated. You just need to choose a product according to your wishes. Contact the nurseries directly, as the markets often sell absolutely nothing that is stated on the package.
Herbaceous shade tolerant for the garden
If your garden mainly consists of shady corners, then this is not a reason to refuse planting flowers. Perennials include plants that overwinter in the soil for many years, while the aerial part dies off every year, and the roots remain alive. The main advantage of shade-tolerant perennial flowers lies in the decorative foliage.
From the earliest spring, bulbous primroses can decorate your garden. At this time, the trees have not yet spread their leaves, and the light freely penetrates into all corners of the garden. It can be early blooming tulips, crocuses, woodland, hazel grouse, daffodils, muscari.
Of the perennials that will bloom all summer, we recommend ordinary peonies (for partial shade) and wild ones, aronnik, adonis, badan catchment (aquilegia), daylily, hosts. Also, do not ignore biennial flowers: digitalis, mallow, forget-me-nots.
Shade-tolerant annuals in the garden
These plants can diversify any flower bed or flower garden. The number of species and varieties cannot be enumerated. Even for a shady garden, you can easily pick up about a dozen different annual flowers. Here are just a few of the most unpretentious and common types as an example.
- Ageratum - a low plant literally forms a carpet of blue inflorescences, flowering continues from early summer until late autumn. Prefers semi-shady places.
- Kobeya is an annual vine that weaves a green carpet over the entire surface of the support; large bell-shaped flowers of various shades appear throughout the summer.
- Kosmeya is a beautiful annual, actively propagating by self-sowing. It is quite high (about 1 m) and grows quickly, which allows you to fill empty places with this plant in a short time.
- Levkoy (photo above), plants of different sizes depending on the variety with spike-shaped fragrant inflorescences.
Nemesia and mimulyus also deserve attention.
Horizontal landscaping of shady garden areas
To do this, use shade-tolerant (they are also called vines). Do not forget that if you choose perennial species, then they will need a strong support, as they are gaining a fairly large mass. This is especially true for semi-woody varieties. The most famous is either parthenocissus (pictured). Liana grows to a height of up to 15 meters, while it is undemanding to soils and does not require additional care. The only difference is that in a heavily shaded place, the leaves may be somewhat smaller in size and not as bright.
Clematis is often used for vertical gardening, but it is suitable for warm climates with mild winters. This is a rather capricious liana, prefers sunny places, although light shading is also possible. It is also worth noting such plants as kirkazon, wood pliers, princes.
Shade tolerant ampelous plants
It is difficult to imagine a gazebo, terrace or patio without beautiful flower bushes hanging their green lashes from hanging planters. Ampel shade-tolerant plants for the garden are not numerous compared to their sun-loving relatives, but they still exist. Lobelia, in particular, blooming in many pure shades of blue and of blue color. In partial shade it will feel quite good, the main thing is to provide it fertile soil and regular watering.
Much less often you can meet bakola, dichondra and strange nolina. Despite complex and unfamiliar names, these plants are quite unpretentious and short term form thickets densely strewn with bright flowers.
When choosing ornamental shade-tolerant plants for your garden, don't expect them to abundant flowering, large and double inflorescences. All of them are valued primarily for decorative appearance leaves.
Shady corners of the garden are a real problem for all gardeners. After all, no matter how hard you try to plan the site in such a way as to make the most productive use of the entire available area, there are a lot of corners that are not suitable for planting traditional and so beloved plants. Old trees, behind buildings or near a house on the north side almost always have a shadow, and often such problem areas look far from attractive and differ in contrast from the design of the rest of the garden. And how I would like to extend and fill the unprofitable corners with lush flowering splendor! But the owners of gardens, in which the problem of shady areas arises, should not despair. This problem can be solved not only with the help of decorative leafy plants, for example, ivy, but also with the help of magnificent shrubs, including flowering ones. Indeed, among these lush and long-lived garden stars, there is more than one species that will happily become your own colorful and fresh wonder in the shade.
Before choosing shrub plants that will easily adapt to life in insufficiently bright light, be sure to accurately determine the conditions of the place where they will grow. So, all flowering shade-loving shrubs will need fertile, high-quality soil, rich primarily in humus. If you plan to fill a shady corner with shrubs next season, then be sure to leave dry foliage in this place, which will turn into nutritious fertilizer over the winter and naturally increase the nutritional value of the soil. If there is not enough dry foliage (for example, near buildings or fences), simply add humus or compost to the soil when digging. In such shady corners near buildings and walls, there is another problem: the soil in such specific conditions often turns out to be parched. Even when there are no plants growing, mulch the soil and water it periodically to preserve the unique soil ecosystem and support the development of microorganisms. It is equally important to analyze the acidity of the soil: only knowing exactly whether the soil in the selected area is alkaline or acidic, you can choose the right shrubs. Planting holes for seedlings should also be dug very carefully, if we are talking about filling shady places near large trees: when planting, you can not damage root system plants already growing in the area. You can safely dig deep planting holes near crops such as mountain ash, oak or pine, but near cherries and pears, on the contrary, you should work very carefully and carefully, literally “raking” the soil with your hands. Be sure to mulch the soil under shade-tolerant shrubs every spring, preferably with compost or dry foliage.
The first in the “line” of candidates for filling shady places with beautiful flowering are, of course, rhododendrons that prefer acidic soils. In terms of beauty and abundance of flowering, only a few plants can compete with them, and even they cannot boast of such beauty of individual flowers and a variety of colors. True, for growing this amazing shrubs Asian origin will need quite specific conditions. All rhododendrons grow on acidic soils, and only rare varieties can tolerate neutral soil (incarto group). In order to ensure sufficient acidity of the soil at the place of cultivation, special acidic peat should be added to it. They prefer these shrubs and moist, cool areas where they bloom much more actively.
Brilliant dark, rich green foliage, luxurious variations in variegated colors and a variety of sizes make these imposing shrubs planted in both large and small gardens. So, large-flowered hybrid rhododendons can reach a maximum height of four meters in just a few years, they need large spaces. And other hybrids - Yakushiman rhododendrons - on the contrary, can settle in the smallest place, because they rarely exceed 1 meter in height, they are very compact in the structure of the bush. Evergreen species of rhododendrons have their own advantage: they do not lose their attractiveness all year round. But deciduous beauties will not yield to them in beauty, and sometimes they will surpass them in the splendor of flowering, behind which the leaves are practically invisible. So, Japanese rhododendrons, which many people call azaleas out of habit, also do not grow above 1 meter, but create such a dense oriental carpet with a slight exotic character that they seem like flowering pillows. Deciduous azaleas will feel great not near buildings where they look rather unattractive in winter, but where trees and tall shrubs that preserve decorativeness all year round cast a shadow, which easily compensate for the loss of leaves by rhododendrons with their winter splendor and greenery. And rhododendrons in their shade during the active season, and especially during flowering and in the fall, when they change into a bright crimson outfit, will turn into real bright stars. As for evergreen rhododendrons, they can be planted anywhere in the garden with suitable conditions.
The palette of rhododendrons includes a wide range of shades from white to yellow, orange, red, purple, pink, lilac. When planting rhododendrons in the shade, take care of the right combination of colors and colors, use all the available space to present flowering shrubs in all brilliance. So, combine bright shades with white and cream, purple with pink, yellow and red with light lilac. Create extra volume and emphasize the lushness of blooms with color contrasts and variations in tonal saturation - and a shady corner will seem like the brightest place in the garden.
If the rhododendron strikes the imagination with an even carpet of small flowers, then the hydrangea is the largest among the shrubs with caps of inflorescences. Reaching a diameter of 25 cm, these lush and openwork hats amaze the imagination and captivate with pastel, soft colors of white, blue, pink tones of various color saturation variations. The main advantage of hydrangea over other shrubs for shady places is that it blooms when most shrubs “leave” the garden stage. Hydrangeas show off their already legendary blooms from June to September, filling the summer with a lush splendor of elegant blooms. In the shade, they seem not just shining, but fresh and bright islands of peace and quiet. Hydrangeas and rhododendrons are similar in terms of soil requirements: they need sour, slightly wet ground and regular watering in drought. Not all varieties of hydrangeas can successfully withstand harsh winters, so always plant these plants near buildings, and unstable types in containers, not in open ground. The problem of non-frost resistance can be solved with the help of shelter nonwoven fabric and pawpaw. But tree-like hydrangeas will not disappear even in the deepest shade and will withstand severe frosts.
Suddenly, the common viburnum and its decorative varieties look great in the shady corners of the garden. Kalina, unlike capricious rhododendrons, is absolutely undemanding to soils and requires only stable soil moisture when grown. Delightful varieties retain their decorative effect throughout the garden season, striking the imagination atypically. lush bloom, bright autumn outfit and clusters of sparkling berries. Yes, that's enough miniature variety"Compactum" will not exceed a height of one and a half meters, but it can boast of an amazing abundance of 10-cm creamy inflorescences in the form of an umbrella, in place of which no less amazing berries flaunt in autumn, which in the viburnum of this variety stay on the branches for a long time and can become a real winter decoration of the garden.
But not only these three wonderful shrubs will decorate and refresh shady corners. Gorgeous mahonia pleases at first with golden clusters of flowers, and closer to autumn - with one of the brightest blue berries. Magonia, being one of the most impressive autumn and winter berry bushes, is very easy to care for and tolerates a haircut that will maintain a compact shape and stable dimensions.
The bells, collected in drooping loose inflorescences, of the eschinanthus resemble lilies of the valley to many, but not with a reddish color. This shrub is also good in spring, during original flowering, and in summer, when the lush mass of leaves seems incredibly voluminous, and in autumn, when the usual outfit changes to a fiery palette of bright decoration.
golden and bright flowers Japanese kerries appear in the shade as luminous lanterns. This beauty blooms at the end of May and adorns the beginning of a hot summer, and with proper care pleases with repeated flowering in September.
Color also affects the effect produced, and the specificity of the shaded areas enhances optical illusions, which allows you to achieve amazing decorative ensembles. So, the advantage when choosing flowering shrubs for shade should be given to white or light colors, which, as it were, glow from the inside and fill the dark corners of the garden with the effect of illumination. Variegated foliage with a white or yellow pattern, such as variegated varieties of boxwood or ivy, which do well in the shade and complement the effect produced by flowering shrubs during the rest of the year, has the same effect. The yellow border along the leaves of the Emerald’n Gold variety, which changes in winter, will perfectly fit into such a picture. lemon color on pink; yellow-flowering witch hazel, which is decorated with amazing fringed flowers only by October.
I really love ornamental shrubs, and there is nothing surprising in this. Agree, you can look at the flowering bushes of lilacs, hydrangeas and spireas endlessly, their beauty is simply mesmerizing! And there are a lot of such luxurious decorations in my garden.
But here's the problem - not all areas of my garden are located in such a way that they are illuminated by the sun for most of the day. But everyone probably knows that flowering shrubs prefer southeastern and southern areas. In the shade, their flowering becomes much less abundant, and the flower petals lose their brightness.
And in front of me, as in front of any lover ornamental plants, the question arose - what shrubs suitable for shady places? I have been decorating my garden for quite some time, choosing plants suitable for the shade, and without false modesty I will say that the result of my efforts is impressive.
I will tell you how you can decorate the shady places in your garden in such a way that you can admire the plants all year round.
Any shrubs, in whatever part of the garden they grow, must perform at least one of the following functions:
- decorate the garden
- decorate some outbuildings;
- be a background for flowering plants (for example, hydrangea looks brightest against the background of conifers, and astilbe against the background of the host);
- serve as a hedge that does not let in dust, noise and wind, and also hides you from the prying eyes of your neighbors.
That's based on what functions the shrubs you have chosen will perform, and you should choose them.
Shrubs for shady places can be divided into three types:
- ornamental (meaning flowering) shrubs;
- fruit-bearing (otherwise - berry);
- deciduous (shrubs, the decoration of which is their foliage).
With this classification in mind, we will choose shade-tolerant shrubs.
Ornamental shrubs for shady places
There are a fairly large number of shrubs that feel good and bloom in partial shade. If the corner of the garden is completely dark, of course, it is better not to plant them there, for such places there are coniferous plants and hostas, as well as ferns, but such shrubs feel very good in partial shade.
For such a place is suitable jasmine (mock orange), whose decorative effect does not suffer much from the lack of direct sunlight. Perhaps there will be a little less flowers on it than it would be in a sunny area, however, both the shape and color, and most importantly, the wonderful smell, will more than compensate for this shortcoming.
In addition, mock orange is unpretentious and looks great both in hedges and in single plantings. Accordingly, it can perform any of the above functions. In my area, jasmine bushes perfectly decorate a metal container for utensils standing in the corner.
Chubushnik - very unpretentious plant, which does not require careful care, pruning, feeding and shelter for the winter. This shrub will adapt to any conditions and will not lose either its beauty or wonderful smell. Therefore, mock orange is a leader among flowering shade-tolerant shrubs.
Rhododendron- Another way to decorate the shady places of your garden. It is very beautiful in itself, it has dark green small glossy leaves and a neat shape. However, large inflorescences, which are painted in various shades pink and purple.
There are many varieties of rhododendron, and they differ slightly from each other. However, almost all of its varieties feel great in partial shade, perfectly decorate the site, being a real find. for garden.
This shrub is not as unpretentious as the mock orange, but there will be no special problems with caring for it. Loosening, watering and weeding are the main components of such care. Rhododendron does not require pruning, although it is possible and necessary to form a bush, it is desirable to cover it for the winter, otherwise there is a possibility of freezing.
However, the hassle is worth it - the rhododendron is very responsive to care and will thank you with luxurious flowering.
Berry bushes for the garden
A lot of shade-tolerant shrubs look great in autumn when berries appear on them. For example, I love barberry very much. This low shrub, which is distinguished by its unpretentiousness, small round leaves and nondescript yellow flowers, so that in spring and summer it does not catch the eye.
But closer to autumn, when the temperature begins to drop, the leaves of the barberry acquire a rich yellow-red color, and in place of small flowers, medium-sized bright berries appear, which are a real decoration of the shrub. Clusters of oblong-shaped berries remain on the bush for a long time, sometimes until the very snow. Snow caps on red berries look very beautiful.
Barberry is unpretentious and reproduces very easily. It will perfectly act as a low hedge, while the branches of the bush are covered with needles, so it is quite difficult to get through such a living fence, as well as through a rosehip hedge.
The barberry does not have the correct beautiful shape, so if you make a hedge out of it, the shrub needs shaping pruning. At the same time, this culture does not require any care, except for weeding and loosening the soil. It winters well in the open air even in cold areas and does not require shelter.
If your barberry grows as a single planting, you do not need to cut it, except perhaps very slightly, it will grow and look very decorative in just a few years.
Very well suited for shady places in the garden, viburnum is a shrub that is quite common with us. Viburnum has white or pale pink flowers collected in dense rounded inflorescences, as well as bright red berries that look very beautiful and are a real decoration of the bush in autumn.
Kalina is not a whimsical shrub, it can be planted both in autumn and in spring, it quickly takes root and also grows quite quickly.
Viburnum berries are quite edible, in addition, they are used for medical purposes. Like barberry berries, viburnum berries remain on the branches until frost and serve to feed birds.
Deciduous shrubs for the garden
In the first place among such shrubs is the euonymus. It is a shrub that has variegated decorative leaves. Depending on the variety, the size of the euonymus can vary quite significantly, however, regardless of the height, all varieties are frost-resistant, beautiful medium-sized leaves of interesting colors and ease of care. Euonymus easily tolerates the absence of sunlight and will perfectly decorate the shady corners of the garden.
I have two types of euonymus growing on my site. I like Fortune's unpretentious euonymus with small glossy leaves. It is a low spreading bush and looks very decorative.
In addition, outbuildings at the very end of the site, in a fairly dense shade, are decorated with a variegated spindle tree. It is also called Japanese. It grows almost vertically, and requires pruning, because its shoots tend to stretch out a lot. It is also quite unpretentious, but for the winter it requires at least light shelter, otherwise the shoots in the lower part of the bush may freeze.
In addition, deciduous ornamental shrubs, such as forsythia, which blooms very first, are well suited for partial shade - its yellow flowers appear in April. A completely unpretentious shrub that can be cut for hedges or grown as a single planting. Forsythia looks good.
The only negative of this shrub is that it fades very quickly, and already in May only leaves are its decoration. However, it looks quite decorative even without flowers.
Coniferous plants are the best choice for a shady garden
And separately, I want to dwell on my favorite conifers. This, in my opinion, is the most good decision for dark corners. Almost all types of conifers feel great in such conditions, and the only disadvantage of these plants is that they grow for a very long time.
If you do not want to grow tall pines, larches, cedars and spruces on your site, there are a huge number of undersized conifers, for example, junipers.
Coniferous plants can be combined with each other, inventing compositions with junipers of different colors, sizes and shapes. Any conifers look great in stones, and you can create and Japanese garden stones with large boulders, and simply filling the area where the conifers grow with gravel of any size, these are equally winning options, it all depends on your taste.
Personally, I prefer big stones. irregular shape, covered with moss, among which a variety of conifers are conveniently located next to ferns and hostas. Hosta is my thing favorite plant, my garden is filled with a variety of species.
The darker the place you choose to plant the host, the brighter their large leaves will sparkle.
Conclusion
So, as you can see, there are a huge number of shade-loving shrub forms that will decorate your garden. Combining them with each other, diluting them with other shade-loving plants, you can easily achieve the most amazing effect, turning your garden into a mysterious and exotic place. Any, even the darkest corner, can be turned into a luxurious oasis with interesting and diverse plants, both flowering and evergreen. The choice here is yours. Think and create!
