Plants that love living in the shadows.

Plants that Love Living in the Shadows

Most of us have an area of our landscape that doesn't quite get as much sun as most plants need or prefer. Try as we may, we can't quite get things to grow and look beautiful in these areas. It seems that most things that are visually appealing thrive in full sun. Most of us will feel defeated after a long arduous search. However, it does not have to be that way. There are some very attractive options available to brighten up your darkest corners. Let's begin by looking at tried and true favorites.

Hosta

These beautiful plants vary widely in size and color, from dwarf that grows only a few inches high to giant varieties that can grow to a whopping 3 ft. or better and in shades and colors that range from nearly white to blue with variegated or solid color leaves. Hosta will bloom with a flower spike that hosts several bell-shaped bloom along the upper length of the spike in colors of white to purple that may be fragrant.

The biggest issue that homeowners have with hosta is the fact that deer tend to love these tender plants. There are several ways to deter them from feasting on the beautiful foliage but a few of the most common is to- 1.) Use deer repellent spray. The downside of this method is the fact that you must reapply periodically. 2.) Use swatches of human hair around the area where your hostas are planted. The human scent will often steer deer away. 3.) Get a dog! This option is obviously not an option for everyone and does not prove effective if your dog decides he needs a new friend more than you need hostas. 3.) There is a product called Deer Scram that comes in granular form and will keep deer and many other nibblers away from everything that you put the product around. You can find this product at most larger garden centers and home improvement centers.

If you can keep the critters off of your plants, they will add a lot of beauty and dimension to your area


Ajuga

Ajuga or Bugleweed is a very dense groundcover. Growing only 6 inches tall makes it a wonderful companion plant for other shade dwellers. The ajuga offers beautiful evergreen foliage that varies from a deep purple to a silver-green in a variegated leaf and early summer purple flowering spikes that grow about 3 inches above the foliage. This groundcover is nibbler resistant. Rabbits and deer tend to not bother their tender leaves.










Astilbe

Now here is a star performer. These beautiful plants offer some stunning blooms that sit above their glossy green foliage. Colors vary from white to red with shades of pink and purple in between. When the blooms are finished you may trim them off and you will be left with the attractive foliage until the first frost at which time you may want to cut them back to allow for new growth in the spring. These beauties are thankfully deer resistant.

Columbine

Columbine offers a wide variety of color for your garden with blooms that tower above the foliage in early spring into early summer. The attractive foliage makes it a go-to for edge plantings. This is a deer resistant and drought tolerant plant that does exceptionally well if mulched. A fact to bear in mind is that you may want to deadhead these beautiful flowers as they will go to seed and drain the plants' energy and may weaken it enough to die out in 3 or 4 years.

Helleborus ( Lenten Rose)

                







Lenten Rose is by far the hardiest of all the shade lovers. It is tough enough to withstand the cold winters and even bloom among the snow. The dark green or silver foliage adds interest to your landscape even after the blooms are gone. These are the best plants to have if you have a large deer population as they will not touch them! Blooms for these perennial plants vary widely in color from green to almost black. You would be hard pressed to find anything better suited for a difficult shaded area.