How much is too much sun for shade lovers

19 years ago

This is probably the most basic and boring question for the expert gardeners here, so I apologize in advance but would appreciate any guidance. I've cleared and am about to plant some new beds under and around an old maple tree, and I've planned mainly epimedium, hellebores, geranium macrorhizum, asarum, tiarella, sarcococca (need a spell check) and towards the edges fothergilla and skimmia. Hmmm...I'm getting a little daunted as I write this, sounds like a lot, but anyway.. The area is very shady when the maple and the other trees leaf out, but now as I'm getting ready to plant I notice that there seems to be an awful lot of sun in the bed right now, and has been all winter, of course. It's pretty dappled even now, with the shadows of branches, etc., but still, do the shade plants adapt to this? This must be a basic situation in shade gardening, do you think the plants I've mentioned will be all right here, all other things being equal? Other areas in the property seem to be more definitely either sun or shade. Thanks for any guidance. It's sure beautiful here in Connecticut right now, after the deluge!

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Comments (3)

tjsangel
19 years ago
Hi,

I think you made some great plant choices for that spot. I have a shady front yard, that gets some sun in the morning before the trees leaf out (they are late trees too.) I have lots of shade plants there, including ferns, lily of the valley, hellebore and solomons seal, and also many spring bulbs and Hosta. Everything grows nicely all season long. Dont you just love spring? So much to plant, it's awesome!

Jen
waplummer
19 years ago
My epimedium, tiarell and asaru, do well in pretty dense shade. Have you considered ferns. they would do well especially Polystichum acrosithoides, christmas fern.
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layneev
Original Author
19 years ago
Hey, thank you, Jen, it's amazing how a few words of reassurance can warm the heart! I do hope it all works. I'd love to have hostas, but unfortunately that's the neighborhood deer favorite, I think they would eat a garden catalog PICTURE of a hosta if they got the chance.

I do have a spot for ferns, waplummer, and I'll look up Christmas fern. I don't know a lot about ferns, I should probably learn to make better use of them, thank you for the suggestion. I have a lot of planting to do this spring. Guess I better get off the computer and get outside! Thanks so much. Happy gardening.