Plants for dry shade with splashes of yellow
With careful choice there are plenty of plants that can thrive in dry shade, creating a full and attractive border even in these sometimes challenging conditions
Quick facts
- Dry shade can be caused by large trees and shrubs or by buildings, walls and fences
- Choosing plants suited to the conditions will promote good establishment, growth and display
- Using the right plants can reduce demand on unnecessary watering once the plants are established
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The planting plan
This planting design with splashes of yellow provides a range of plants that, once established, will thrive in dry shade while still providing varied interest throughout the year.
Choosing plants for dry shade
The waxy surface of the Aucuba helps reduce moisture loss due to heat or wind stripping.
The Euphorbia and Geranium provide some groundcover and help to prevent erosion of bare soil. Groundcover plants can also help to reduce soil surface moisture evaporation and suppress weed growth.
Additional organic mulching, preferably with homemade compost, assists with soil moisture retention and weed suppression.
2 – Polystichum polyblepharum is an evergreen fern forming a ‘shuttlecock’ of spreading light green fronds, which darken through the season.
3 – Viburnum x hillieri ‘Winton’ is a semi-evergreen shrub with leaves that are tinted bronze in spring and copper-red in autumn and winter. Small white flowers are borne in early summer, followed by small berries that are red at first, darkening to black.
4 – Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae is a spreading evergreen perennial with rosettes of deep green leaves, from which large, rounded sprays of bright yellow-green flowers arise in spring.
5 – Geranium ‘Orion’ has lobed leaves and masses of large, lavender-blue flowers with purple veins and a white centre, which are produced over a long period during summer.
About dry shade
The challenge of growing in dry shade
Why choose a sustainable planting combination?
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