Plants that thrive in the shade are often overlooked by gardeners as it’s easy to be distracted by showier individuals who need sun to do well. Most gardens have shade in some form or another though, depending on the time of day or time of year, or the particular aspect of the plot. It’s always handy to have a few shade lovers up your sleeve for these spots, so that you’re getting the most out of every inch of space. Many shade lovers tend to flower earlier in the year, as they would in their natural woodland habitat, before the leaves of the trees overhead block out whatever sunlight there is. Here are some shady customers that are looking well right about now.
Tellima grandiflora: Also known as fringe cups, this is a small but useful evergreen with really pretty little bell- like green flowers in spring. Trim back spent flowerheads to keep it looking neat. There’s also a purple-leaved form, Tellima grandiflora ‘Purpurea’.
Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae: A shiny leaved evergreen with the vivid lime green flowers (really bracts ) so typical of euphorbias. This also comes in a purple leaved form and the vivid lime green makes a really good contrast with the darker foliage. This is great for ground cover under trees or anywhere that’s shady, and makes a good backdrop to show off brighter, showier blooms. Be careful with this one if your soil is rich, as it can lose the run of itself and spread out a bit more than it might in lighter soil.
Vinca minor: Lesser periwinkle, not to be confused with its relative Vinca major, which surprise, surprise is bigger, and is also inclined to get carried away in rich soil where there’s a lot of clay. Vinca minor is small and spreading, with shiny green, sometimes variegated leaves, and star shaped flowers of white or purple.
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