Frankie Flowers is here to help your shady garden thrive! If you get four hours or less of direct sunlight a day, you should look into shade-loving plants for your garden. Having a variety of different plants and textures keeps a shady garden looking beautiful.
“Hostas are something that are always going to go in a shade garden” says Frankie. There are lots of different varieties of hostas, some with bigger leaves than others. Frankie warns, however, that one of the problems with hostas are slugs. “Remember to water in the morning!” says Frankie, because if you water your plants at night, you will get slugs.
For something with more colour, a Bleeding Heart is a great flowering choice. Another option to add more colour to your shady garden is to use plants with different hued foliage. Frankie loves the purple Shanghai Coral Bells plant. If you under-plant the Shanghai Coral Bells with pink impatiens, your garden will be gorgeous. Jacob’s Ladder is another great flowering option to add more vibrancy to your shady garden. The Stairway To Heaven Jacob’s Ladder variety will give you long-lasting colour even when it isn’t flowering.
To make your garden more dynamic, look for plants with different heights, dimensions and textures. A fern is a great perennial option to give you lots of height and texture.
For easy ground cover, look for periwinkle or Pachysandra. These are two sturdy plants that will grow in shady areas, and you can even cut them with a lawn mower! Frankie recommends staying away from grass because you’ll always be fighting it, look to plant clover instead.
For more shady garden tips, watch the clip below!