Zone 5: Planting in full shade?

20 years ago

Hello, all. I'm in Chicago and have a section of garden that is in full shade, all day long. Garden design is not my strength, and I would be grateful for any suggestions regarding plants that do well in these deep shade conditions. (The soil seems fine, but the light is just terrible.)

Thanks in advance for your help and your thoughts. It's a wasteland back there, and I'd love to get something - anything - planted this summer!

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Comments (8)

gardenbum
20 years ago
I just purchased a very large leafed, tropical looking plant called Japanese
Aralia. I guess it gets 5-8 feet tall and about 3-5 feet wide. It tolerates full
shade, which is where I am going to plant mine. It can also be used as a house
plant. I think will tolerate temps to 10 degrees F. Will be my first time with it, so we'll see how it goes. I did read peoples comments on them and they appear
to be pretty easy and reliable and do not like hot afternoon sun!
janetr
20 years ago
There is shade and there is shade. If it is relatively bright shade you have a lot of options. For instance, if it is shade cast by a wall, but the space is quite open on all other sides, the light levels are still pretty good. In that case, almost any shade friendly plant should do well. There are many lists in this forum.

If it's hemmed in by tall evergreens on several sides and it looks like a cave, it will be a bit trickier.

In any case hostas should do OK, especially blue ones if the shade is deeper. Epimedium is also good. For instant colour, it's hard to beat impatiens and begonias, and they are very undemanding as far as light is concerned.

As far as design is concerned, think contrast. A hosta next to a bleeding heart is nice, for instance, because the contrast between the leaf size, shape and colour is pleasing. Put in a variety of heights, leaf shape, plant shape, and it will be hard to go too wrong.
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ImaHockeyMom
20 years ago
I had good luck w/ the following in shade last year. I'm just on the other side of The Lake from you, along I-94 in the mitten.

Hostas
Monk's Hood
Hydrangeas
Foxglove/digitalis
Impatiens
Caladium
Torenia/wishbone flower -- I *LOVED* this one! Looks like a mutant cross between a snapdragon and a violet. My favorite color is purple, so I got the purple/yellow and lavender colored ones. My MIL (also a purple freak) is hooked on these now, too.

This year I'd like to try bleeding heart, fuchsia, maybe some ferns, and some heuchera.
roshani
20 years ago
Hi
I am in downtown Chicago too, and have had great results with hostas...there are so many beautiful types...i love the "middle ridge" one on the bluestone website, code=HOMRP.
this year i am going to experiment with bleeding heart, lots of astilbe, lily of the valley, heuchera,cyclamen, brise d'anjou, forget-me-not, alchemilla, tiarella, tricyrtis.
impatiens are beautiful annuals that remind me of roses...
i tried hydrangea but i guess it was too small and didnt survuve but maybe i bought it from a bad website.
joy4me
20 years ago
Hi

you have been given some very good choices above. Might also include ferns for variety. Good luck and have Fun!!
reball517
20 years ago
Just to add a couple of things to the already great suggestions:

Epimidiums - there are a number of different types that do well for me in full shade
May apples
A lot of the wildflowers

You might want to get a catalog (or go to the website) from nurseries that specialize in shade and woodland plants. These are really useful for lists of plants that grow in shade.
organicshadegardener
20 years ago
Hi, I ordered some pre-packaged "shade gardens" from Michigan bulb last year. It was a great deal for about 30 plants for $20. You might want to check it out.

I got, fern leaf bleeding hearts (get to be about 3 feet x 3 feet) and have heart shaped flowers that hang from ferns. Lady ferns, day lillies, astilbes (featherish flowers) and widows tears.

Last year, the collection did not look too good, but in its second year it is great!

Also, hosta hosta hosta. You can't beat them, you can get a lot of color variation so it makes the shade more interesting. Also, I would try some white pea gravel or red mulch in your shade garden to brighten up the area overall.

HTH, Good luck!
saisson
20 years ago
We're in a new home and spent quite a bit on landscaping.
Our backyard faces south and is in full shade. We wanted to block a large shed in the back and the landscaper suggested everygreens-Norway Spruce and White Pine. We did not know that evergreens required sun and the Spruces are dying but the pines are doing OK. I'm afraid of replacing the spruces with pines as I thought that pines required sun as well

We need a screen of at least 15 ft in order to block the shed-preferably year round. Will Canadian Hemlock thrive in full shade?

Are landscaper suggested the following choices:

Some possible options that can be used in the back border would be
Witchhazel, Blackhaw Viburnum, Serviceberry and Cornelian Cherry Dogwood.
The plants all grow to around 10-12' at maturity and are multi-stem.

I look forward to your comments and suggestions.