Shrubs for shade
Most gardens have at least some shady spots. In fact, beds and borders cast into shadow for part or all of the day, perhaps by buildings or the canopies of trees, are increasingly common as gardens get smaller. This should not be seen as a problem as there are a plethora of shade-loving plants to choose from for any site, situation and style of garden. Shrubs provide the main framework and backdrop in most gardens and can help brighten up dark corners. There are plenty of shade-loving ground cover varieties for under larger shrubs and trees too. A few of the most popular flowering shrubs for shade are Pieris, Camellia and Skimmia. Pieris are acid-loving evergreen shrubs with beautiful oriental, lantern-shaped flowers. Camellia is another stalwart for shade on acidic soils with its distinctive, fragrant semi-double or double flowers set off against glossy evergreen foliage. Skimmia is a showstopper for smaller spots with scented flower panicles that are attractive to wildlife, glossy red berries and a compact habit.
White flowering hydrangeas can work really well to provide beams of colour in shaded areas and a leafy foil to other plants through the rest of the year. For foliage colour and form consider Lonicera Baggesen’s Gold with its small but perfectly formed bright yellow oval leaves; Fatsia Japonica with its large, unusual, intricate leaf shapes, small white flowers and black fruits; or Aucuba Crotonifolia, also known as spotted laurel, with evergreen leaves speckled yellow and red autumn berries. Pachysandra is a useful ground cover for dry shade offering dainty panicles of white flowers while Daphne is the best choice for fragrance in the shade with its pinkish-white blooms delivering a powerful perfume in the spring. Alternatively, Chaenomeles is unfussy and will delivery spring flowers on bare stems and can be trained as a wall shrub. For hedging, both Portuguese laurel will do well in shade and for low hedges or knot gardens, common box plants.