I've a dark shady garden, but want flowers?

My garden is realtively shading, with two large trees. However, I'd like to beable to have a very pretty cottage garden feel, with lots of flowers. Any ideas other than cut the trees? (Which are also pretty!)

I've a dark shady garden, but want flowers?
Impatients do great in the shade. They can also tolerate sun. They bloom in early summer all the way up to the first frost and they are annuals but sometimes self seed. Begonias are another that blooms in the same manner. Astilbes bloom in partial shade and can get rather tall they range from 8-48 inches in height. They are perennial so you would not have to plant them each year and they have unique foliage as well. Of course you can plant Hostas as well ...not alot of flowers but beautiful folage with mostly purple flower spikes in the summer....Again these are perennials.


Lobelias are low growing but offer very pretty flowers and are annuals and they like flitered shade so you could use these as a border on the outside of your bed. Delphiniums are sometimes annuals and sometimes perennials they are the tall ones that all cottage gardens most have. They can tolerate partial shade so they might or might not be a good choice. They grow from 2-7 feet tall. Periwinkles are shade lovers but they have a tendency to take over. They are normally used as ground cover and will choke out other plants but if you only want one plant type then these would do. Perennial Lobelias do well in partial shade. They would grow to about 2-5 feet tall. Forget me Nots are shade lovers too but they only bloom in mid to late spring. They are perennials so you could plant them to enjoy next spring and let them just establish their root systems this fall and winter. They only grow to 8-18 inches so would be nice as a medium plant.


There are so many to choose from and I know you will love a shade garden....leave your trees. You can enjoy the best of both worlds.


Hope this helps.


~smiles~
Reply:You can also ask @ Lowes or Home Depot- in the garden dept. There are allot of shady loving plants out there and you can have the garden of your dreams! Also- check out the local library on 'shade loving plants'!
Reply:try bleeding hearts (there are different kinds with different flowers and leaves) or hostas which have flower and leaf variety.
Reply:DO NOT ask Lowe's! Nice people but hit or miss in the info dept. Check with your local Nursery they are trained in this area. Finally my lawn and garden are great. You would think they would be much more expensive. Really, that's not the case. Aside from that, the info you acquire is priceless.


Luck!
Reply:All walmarts,lowes(which i detest), home depots etc have a cardboard round shaker container that contains many wildflower seeds in it that grow SPECIFICALLY in shade....You will see them about a pint of them and very nice..i have used them many times... if your garden or shaded area has no grass..simply turn the soil a couple inches...then shake the seed container(has openings like a huge salt shaker) over the dirt..and simply rake over..they only need to be about a 1/4 inch deep is all and alot grow from the surface..keep well watered..here aree some links for different ones as an example..but you go to walmart ya can find them for ur area


http://www.americanmeadows.com/Wildflowe...





http://summitseed.com/shad.asp





http://greenwoodnursery.com/page.cfm/137...





http://www.wildflowermix.com/info/custom...
Reply:Try a Yahoo search for woodland shade plants. That should direct you to some nurseries. You will be surprised at the variety you can choose from. Some like dry shade others moist shade. Lots with flowers others are quite unusual but add a nice look. Also I saw that earlier Bleeding Heart and Impatiens were mentioned. Those are always pretty.


Good Luck!
Reply:Well, all kinds of lilies of course but in between and close to the trees HOSTA's all kinds, they bloom.
Reply:check out a reputable green house, there are many blooming plants that grow in shady areas. Ask at the green house, if you get that 17 year old that doesn't know anything, keep asking
Reply:Pulminaria, Astilbe, Epimedium, Dicentra, Asarum, Convalaria, Kalmia latifolia, Hydrangea, Arisaema, Aquilegia, Acanthus ,Caladium, Helleborus, Tradescantia, Trillium, Fuchia, Chamomile, Impatients, Primula, Vinca, Ferns
Reply:I agree with the previous posts that it's best to check with a retailer or someone in the know in your area, though I think it a safer bet to check with a garden center. You could also check with your local cooperative extension office too.





Typically in shade environments I would recommend impatiens or begonias if you want showy flowers. They're annuals and will die off at first frost, but they provide the best show for shade gardens. You would also need to care for them (keep them well watered and fertilized.)





In terms of perennials hostas tend to get the vote because of there ability to survive in most shade environments and they can take a good deal of abuse. They are not typically known for their flowers (though I've seen some nice flowering varieties in recent years.) The foliage is what sells them.





Others perennials to consider may be pachysandra (stays green in the winter), pulmonaira, and heucheras.





Hope this helps and good luck with your garden!