Plants for damp shade with fronds & blooms

Plenty of plants in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours thrive in damp shade, so it’s possible to create a full and attractive border, even in these sometimes challenging conditions

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Candelabra primulas and ferns combine well in damp shade
Candelabra primulas and ferns combine well in damp shade

Quick facts

  • Damp soil may be more common on clay soils or near natural water bodies
  • Shade may be caused by surrounding plants and trees or by structures and buildings
  • Fern fronds add interest in spring as the new growth unfurls

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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 fronds and blooms 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 fronds and blooms

© James Lawrence

Choosing plants for damp shade

These 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 bistort, fern and primulas will provide groundcover, helping to reduce soil erosion and loss of soil moisture through evaporation from bare soil.

While plants are establishing and filling the space it would be beneficial to mulch the bare soil, preferably with homemade compost, as this can also help maintain soil moisture and suppress weed growth.

1 – Osmunda regalis
2 – Onoclea sensibilis
3 – Deutzia × hybrida ‘Strawberry Fields’
4 – Rodgersia pinnata ‘Superba’
5 – Bistorta affinis ‘Superba’
6 – Primula Candelabra hybrids
 1 – Osmunda regalis is a deciduous fern forming a large clump of fronds, with rusty-brown spore-bearing leaflets at the tips. The foliage turns attractive red-brown in autumn. 
2 – Onoclea sensibilis is a herbaceous fern with broad, light green fronds and narrow, shorter, almost black spore-bearing fronds.
3 – Deutzia × hybrida ‘Strawberry Fields’ is a deciduous shrub with conical clusters of flowers, crimson on the outside and pale pink within, opening in early summer.
4 – Rodgersia pinnata ‘Superba’ is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial, with large, bronze-green palmate leaves and feathery heads of pink flowers in summer.
5 – Bistorta affinis ‘Superba’ is a semi-evergreen perennial forming a wide mat of dark green leaves and compact spikes of small pale pink flowers that deepen to crimson with age.
6 – Primula Candelabra hybrids are herbaceous perennials with tiered whorls of flowers in shades of pink, red, purple, yellow, orange, or white in late spring and early summer, above a rosette of green leaves at the base.

About damp shade

Damp shade can be common on heavy clay soils with naturally high water tables or 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 of 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.

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