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candyshandy's Avatar
Catsey Senior
 
Cats owned: 3 persians
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Preston, Lancashire
Posts: 546
17-04-2006, 09:45 PM   #1

Shady suggestions please


There is a driveway which runs down the side of my house and is north facing. I really want to give it some colour this year - any suggestions what would do well??



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Hreow's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Abyssinian tear-aways.
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2,478
17-04-2006, 10:13 PM   #2

Re: Shady suggestions please


I've grown bleeding heart in the shade and lily-of-the-valley, but this page might give some more constructive alternatives?
http://home.clara.net/tmac/urgring/faqshade.htm



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dinahsmum's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 2 moggie boys; 1 grey 1 red striped
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: SW England
Posts: 12,761
18-04-2006, 08:37 AM   #3

Re: Shady suggestions please


I would suggest lily of the valley too - it seems to thrive on dark and neglect! You could always grow colourful things in pots and move them into the shady bit on a sort of rota basis, to brighten it up. Leave them a while but take them out and put them back in the sun and then pop some other pots in after a few weeks.



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Sadly Missed
 
Cats owned: Moggie
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 216
18-04-2006, 02:09 PM   #4

Re: Shady suggestions please


Crocosmias are worth a try, tough plants and lots of different shades from yellow thru to dark orange and red. We had some at a house when I was a child and I know they were planted years before my parents moved in - and they are still there, brightening up a very dark side passage. Logoes.



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candyshandy's Avatar
Catsey Senior
 
Cats owned: 3 persians
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Preston, Lancashire
Posts: 546
18-04-2006, 07:18 PM   #5

Re: Shady suggestions please


Thanks - will have a look at all the suggestions



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Kazz's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Non at the moment
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Planet Earth
Posts: 16,941
18-04-2006, 08:16 PM   #6

Re: Shady suggestions please


Hi Hosta's a brilliant for pots in shady area's. And they improve every year.

To plant out if you have the room a nice plant is Solomon seal a damp shade-loving perennial. same as cranesbill geraniums, if you cut those back after the first flowering it will flower again later in the year.

A nice shrub is Euonymous 'Emerald n Gold' which has bright variegated leaves to brighten up a dark corner and I am reasonably sure you can clip these into shape.
You could also give Astilbe's a go, the foliage is just as intersting as the flowers.

And if you want to plant a climber then try the hydrangea petiolaris, is to my knowldge a rampant climber. So beware

I will try to thnk of some more.
Karen



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dandysmom's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Leia: blue torbie
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Posts: 31,378
18-04-2006, 08:56 PM   #7

Re: Shady suggestions please


I was going to suggest all of the above, but you all beat me to it...5 hour time lag, drat!! No one mentioned caladiums or ferns, which thrive in the shade, also tuberous begonias which would give you some color, but they can be tricky...never had much luck with them myself. Let us know the choices!!



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Kazz's Avatar
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Cats owned: Non at the moment
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Posts: 16,941
18-04-2006, 09:15 PM   #8

Re: Shady suggestions please


Quote:
Originally Posted by dandysmom
I was going to suggest all of the above, but you all beat me to it...5 hour time lag, drat!! No one mentioned caladiums or ferns, which thrive in the shade, also tuberous begonias which would give you some color, but they can be tricky...never had much luck with them myself. Let us know the choices!!
There has to be some small benefit of being this side of the pond Dandysmum and I have no luck with begonia's either



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candyshandy's Avatar
Catsey Senior
 
Cats owned: 3 persians
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Preston, Lancashire
Posts: 546
18-04-2006, 09:41 PM   #9

Re: Shady suggestions please


I've already got coleus kong rose on order - I think these will be ok there??

Still want to plant others though



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dandysmom's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Leia: blue torbie
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Posts: 31,378
19-04-2006, 02:27 AM   #10

Re: Shady suggestions please


Quote:
Originally Posted by Kazz
There has to be some small benefit of being this side of the pond Dandysmum and I have no luck with begonia's either
He he he!!!



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