Hi Sven

We have a north facing garden, about 30ft by 30ft which slopes towards the bottom of the garden where there are 2 huge sycamores from our adjoining neighbour's gardens. They cast a lot of shade under which it is quite dry . What sort of plants would be suitable to grow? We would like it to be quite natural and we would also like evergreens

Thanks

Liz Schramm

Our Gardens Expert replies:

Hi Liz

Dry shade is deemed as one of the hardest situations in which to plant in the garden but there are many suitable varieties that will thrive in such a position. One of my favourites is Geranium phaeum which is not the showiest of plants but has blackish purple (hence its common name Mourning Widow) gorgeous little flowers and it is really useful ground cover. Pachysandra terminalis is a small dwarf shrub that is well know for ground cover under rhododendrons. It likes acid soil and will soon spread to create a green carpet under tress and shrubs in any acid soil. Polystichum setiferum is a great fern for dry shade and their lush green fronds add a verdant glow to a dry shady area. Lamium maculatum which is rather less attractively known as the dead nettle, is a really pretty looking nettle like plant with some invasive varieties such as ‘Beacon silver’ (white flowers) and ‘Pink pewter’. The plants will spread quite vigorously but can easily be stopped in their tracks by splicing with a spade. They have the added bonus of the fact that they will hold onto their leaves during winter making them a great foil for winter flowering plants such winter pansies and primroses.

Ruscus aculeatus or butchers broom, is a small family of evergreen shrubs that are really stiff in and almost spiky in their appearance. Funnily enough, butchers used to use the mature stems as a broom to clean their blocks. The flattened stems look like leaves and carry out the same function and they produce small red berries if a male and females are planted together. This plant is a tough as they come and thrive in pretty much in any position. Finally get a book called ‘right plant right place’ which has all the answers for any planting position in the garden!

Happy Planting

Sven