Filling Shady Areas With Woodland Plants

Nothing is more frustrating to a gardener than finding the proper woodland plants for shady parts of the yard. Either they are not getting enough sun, or sometimes even the shady area is too much sun for certain ornamental varieties. It helps to do some research and understand the part of the world where the plant is from.

As a rule, those items sold as a house plant come from tropical climates that see very little sun. If placed in a particularly shady area, they may survive a summer, but will die away in winter and will need to be replanted. Occasionally these tropical varieties will not even survive a whole summer.

Hosta and ferns are often great options for those areas of extreme shade within the yard. There are dripping heart ferns which have a lovely pink flower, and Hosta can have flowering stalks in white, yellow, and lavender. If covered during a freeze, Hosta can sometimes stay green all winter.

Those flowers which are often seen hanging in pots from balconies and decks also make good shady ground cover. Impatiens and African violets are two such examples that love those yard areas that get nearly no sun at all. As with many shade loving flowers, they do not survive the winter and must be planted yearly.

Most vegetables or large flowering varieties do require a great deal of sun in order to thrive. For parts of the yard which have sandier and less nutrient dense soils, in full sun, are sometimes ideal for growing a variety of cooking herbs. Any good gardener learns to work within the conditions that their yard provides.

For anyone who wishes to have their gardens come back each year with minimal effort, utilizing the woodland plants which are native to the region is an excellent idea. It is important to do some research before planting, however. One does not want to put poisonous wild foliage where children or animals might get to it.

Learn more about our woodland plants. Stop by Munchkin Nursery & Gardens where you can find a wide selection of shade plant options for your garden.