Shape Landscaping Recommend The Best Plants for Those Shady Gardens

A lack of light should be no barrier to creating a beautiful garden. Finding plants to put in the shadier parts of a garden can be challenging. Shape Landscaping has some tips on a stunning range of plants, which work well in low-light situations.  

 

Hosta are widely cultivated as shade-tolerant foliage plants, most loved for their pretty, variegated, pleated or plain leaves. The leaves vary widely in size and species and in wild species are typically green, although in some species they are known to have yellow-green leaves with leaf variegation in either cream or white on the edges and centres.   

 

Ligularia are an attractive clump forming perennial with large tractor-seat-like green foliage. They are a striking feature in any garden. They are a fairly hardy plant and whilst they can tolerate sun, they prefer to be sheltered from wind and cold and respond very well to being planted in shaded areas. They have yellow or orange daisy-like flowers, which rise above the foliage in late summer. Ligularia tolerate poor soil, but thrive in moisture retentive will drained gardens. 

 

Ferns are another plant, which will thrive in shade as long as there is sufficient moisture in the soil. One of Shape Landscaping’s favourites, native to New Zealand is the hen and chicken fern, or the asplenium bulbiferum. It is an attractive upright fern, with lush green foliage. Its long, delicate fronds are easily recognisable by the small bulbils which form on the upper surface of the fronds, which can be re-planted to form new plants. This variety is best suited to damp shady areas.   

 

There are few plants more capable of brightening up those dark, shady spots in your garden as the striking Clivia. Clivia thrive under the shade of trees and have stunning flowers with green strap-like leaves. Once established they tolerate dry shade and have the most spectacular flowers, in rich shades of orange, yellow or red. 

 

To improve soil in dry shade gardens, dig in generous amounts of compost. This along with an irrigation system will allow you to grow a wider range of plants. 

 

Shape Landscaping specialise in designing stunning gardens, which suit your landscape environment. Contact Shape Landscaping if you are interested in developing a landscape design well suited to your environment, resulting in construction of an amazing garden that you can be proud of!  

 

To find out more about Shape Landscaping and their landscaping services, please go to http://www.shapelandscaping.co.nz .