Plants for damp shade ​with flower & foliage interest

This sustainable planting combination provides inspiration for planting in damp shade conditions to enjoy year-round colour and interest from flowers, foliage and stems

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<i>Thalictrum</i> ‘Black Stockings’ thrives in damp shade
Thalictrum ‘Black Stockings’ thrives in damp shade

Quick facts

  • Damp soil can be common on heavy clay and in soils close to natural water bodies
  • Choosing plants suitable for the conditions promotes good plant health
  • An effective planting plan can help create depth, interest and environmental benefits

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The planting plan

James Lawrence, RHS Principal Horticultural Advisor, has designed this simple, attractive, and most importantly, sustainable border design for you to try at home with plants that are easy to grow, widely available and look good together.

This flower and foliage planting design provides a range of plants that, once established, will thrive in damp shade, while still providing a variety of interest throughout the year.

Damp shade flower and foliage interest

© James Lawrence

Choosing plants for damp shade

The plants have been selected because their preferred conditions are damp soil in partial shade. By using plants that are naturally adapted to these conditions, we can reduce the potential problems that are more likely to occur when using plants that are not so well suited.

The Primula will provide some ground cover and prevent erosion of bare soil. The ground cover can also help to reduce soil surface moisture evaporation and suppress weed growth.

Additional organic mulching, ideally with homemade compost, assists with soil moisture retention and weed suppression.

1 – Aruncus dioicus
2 – Cornus sanguinea ‘Magic Flame’
3 – Thalictrum ‘Black Stockings’
4 - Deutzia x hybrida ‘Mont Rose’
5 - Primula denticulata
6 - Actaea simplex ‘Pink Spike’
1 – Aruncus dioicus is a herbaceous perennial with broad, light green leaves and arching plumes of tiny cream-white flowers.
2 – Cornus sanguinea ‘Magic Flame’ is a deciduous shrub with green leaves that turn shades of yellow, orange and red in autumn. Bare winter stems are orange-yellow with bright red tips. Flat clusters of cream-white flowers in summer are followed by blue-black fruit.
3 – Thalictrum ‘Black Stockings’ is a herbaceous perennial with lacy foliage and upright, near-black stems bearing generous sprays of fluffy, bright purple-pink flowers in mid- to late summer. 
4 –  Deutzia x hybrida ‘Mont Rose’ is a deciduous shrub with green leaves and conical clusters of purple-pink flowers in early summer.
5 – Primula denticulata has dense, rounded heads of pale or deep purple flowers with a yellow eye, borne above rosettes of green leaves in spring.
6 – Actaea simplex ‘Pink Spike’ is a herbaceous perennial with palmate purple-green leaves and scented, pale pink bottle-brush flowers in September. 

About damp shade

Damp shade can be common on heavy clay soils, on soils with naturally high water tables or soils close to streams or ponds. By choosing plants that are adapted to damp shade you can keep your border looking good and growing well, and reduce the costs associated with using unsuitable plants that may struggle or fail. Plants not adapted to shade may lack flowers or fruit and be more prone to diseases, disorders and other issues. A simple planting plan helps create depth, interest and good coverage in a border.

The challenge of growing in damp shade

Too much moisture in the soil can have a detrimental effect on plant roots, leading to damage and poor growth and development. Shade can deprive some plants of enough light if they are not suited to the conditions. This will often mean they lack flowers, have pale leaves and may grow sideways to ‘seek’ the light.

Why choose a sustainable planting combination?

Using the ethos of ‘right plant, right place’ to create a sustainable planting combination is great for the environment. It helps avoid waste and the use of products and practices needed to try and help ailing plants, such as the application of fertiliser. It also creates robust, long-lived planting that benefits soil health and garden biodiversity. For more information about sustainable gardening, please see the RHS Sustainability Strategy.

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