Advice please - plants for shady clay

skintnutta

Hi there everyone,

The left hand side of my garden faces east and is quickly in shade for the rest of the day and the soil is also heavy clay. Not much is growing there just now and I've just had a Weigelia die there . This is in contrast to the bottom and right border where I've had no problem growing things.

Does anyone have any advice about what larger shrubs might like the situation? I'd be very grateful for any help.

Thanks and regards

Fiona

amcluesent

Philadelphus
Mahonia
Aucuba Japonica
Chaenomeles japonica
Yew

all grow in my garden on clay, subject to more or less shade during the day.

Be daring and try a tree fern.

Joly_Roger

I have a similar aspect & soil conditions for our front garden, & I agree, Acuba Japonica does really well there. I also have lots of Arum Italicum doing really well there too. It's multiplying like a weed.

Ferns seem to be growing quite well in our shady clay too, but not exactly rampant. I think they find the soil a bit heavy going.

Good luck

Patchwork_Quilt

Wild or hardy geraniums

Money_maker

Philadelphus
Hellebores
Ferns
Red Hot Poker
Bamboo

Few of the bits in my spot.

Jake'sGran

We have quite a few plants growing in shade but not in clay soil. Would you believe that roses are said to do well in clay and some - the paler shades don't mind shade.

Chaenomeles japonica is a very nice plant especially after a year or so. It's evergreen and has pretty flowers too. Mine are pinky red in colour.

Spotted Laurel (Aucuba) will grow anywhere. I have some in a large pot to fill a dull corner under the flue. Our Mahonia is doing well under a Rowan tree. Yew is a great plant too - I love evergreen plants for the interest in the winter. And ferns - they are amazing. We have a lot and some are huge but I did not plant them so I don't know where they came from. Also, the largest one grows in deep shade. Hostas will grow in shade too but the slugs love them.

Dustykitten

Not a shrub but very nice is Darmera peltata which I grow in a shady clay soil - it is not too dry though.

Any other suggestions for drier shady clay but not shrubs.