Native Plants for the Shade
Don’t let a little shade stop you from going native. A look at nearby shady natural areas and many of the new garden catalogues will provide lots of ideas.
Understory trees like Amelanchier also known as serviceberry or Juneberry, pagoda dogwood, redbuds, ironwood (Ostrya) and musclewood (Carpinus) provide seasonal interest.
Shrubs like viburnum, hydrangea and Diervilla add color with flowers and fruit. Cool Splash is a cultivar of the native Diervilla that brightens up the shade with its white variegated leaves.
And dress up the ground level with a nice mix of perennials. Start with early spring wildflowers like trillium and mayapple and follow them with columbine, wild geranium and woodland phlox.
Add a bit of texture with the native grass-like sedges and of course ferns.
A bit more information: Don’t add additional soil underneath and plant with care when working under and around established trees. Do mulch new plantings and water as needed.
Related
Categories
Upcoming Live Events
& Webinars
April 20, 2024
Pruning Hydrangeas and Other Shrubs
Pasquesi Home & Gardens, Lake Bluff, IL
April 27, 2024
Ridges & Rivers Book Festival
Viroqua, WI
April 28, 2024
Flowering Trees and Shrubs
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
May 1, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
Ornamental Fruits and Vegetables
Register now
May 4, 2024
Garden U 2024
New Richmond, WI
Register now
May 9, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
How to Plant Your Rain Garden
Register now
May 11, 2024
Ask The Plant Doctor Q & A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
May 12, 2024
Ask The Plant Doctor Q & A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
May 18, 2024
Ask The Plant Doctor Q & A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
June 1, 2024
Selecting, Planting, Pruning and Caring for Hydrangeas
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
June 5, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
Under-Appreciated Pollinators
Register now
WATCH ON-DEMAND WEBINARS
Learn More