  Alliums do well on the northwest side of this shade garden. Apparently a few hours of sun is enough for them even though they are supposed to be full-sun plants. I enjoy their ball-shape flower heads and onion-like scent. Alliums attract both butterflies and bees.Caladiums are wonderful in the shade or as houseplants. They are tender bulbs that need to be dug each fall (or left in containers). Slugs love these plant. I surround them with a layer of diatomaceous earth. Another year, I'll ring them with chicken grit (finely crushed granite). Another way to protect them would be to plant them in four-inch pots and partially bury them. Then surround the pot with something to deter slugs. I find their unusual flowers fascinating.  Daffodils bloom reliably in this garden and manage to avoid being eaten by our neighborhood squirrels. Their bright colors perk up the spring garden. They do tend to lean toward the light and can get straggly looking if we have a cloudy spring. Dahlias grown either from tubers or seed are excellent container plants. I have to be careful to keep them on the northwest side rather than the northeast side or they just put out leaves and no flowers. By growing them in containers, I can move them to the south side for a vacation if I need to encourage flowering. New varieties are introduced every year. Some, like Park Princess, have been developed for container gardening.  
 Lilies are so reliable they threaten to take over the garden. I had to dig the bulbs and move them to my perennial beds. They proved very faithful bloomers throughout July, but by August, all I had left were tall green plants. Be sure to grow both Asiatic (June/July blooms) and Oriental (July/August) varieties to have flowers all summer long.I've also grown tulips and crocuses in the shade. However, there is a continuing battle with the local squirrels over who owns the plants. Apparently they are considered succulents for mid-winter snacking. Only grow these if you are in a squirrel-free area or if you protect them with various types of barriers such as metal cages, mesh bags, or plastic berry trays. This entire website is copyrighted by Diana Pederson, 1997-2012. Use of any page in this website is prohibited by law without the expressed, written permission of Diana Pederson. |