Flowering plant seeds for shaded edge of woodland

twopenny

I had a friend who passed away with no memorial and one place he loved was some woodland he'd worked in. He was also a keen gardener but without a garden.

It struck me that I'd like to plant some woodland type flowers on the edge of that area.

All I can think of is Foxgloves, I have lots of seed saved.

Can anyone think of something else tough enough to grow from seed?

It would have to be something easily available in the shops.

Mixed woodland edge in a steeply sided hollow lane so cool and mostly shaded.

Dustyevsky

You are talking about a similar situation to my north-facing stream bank, backed by a thin hedge of trees to the south. Always in some shade, except early in the morning in summer, and when the leaves are off the trees. It's not too inhospitable, just tricky.

Obvious choices are primroses and your foxgloves. I'd add Geraniums, especially phaeum (not the very dark, funereal ones!) and nodosum. Maybe Pulmonaria  (lungwort) would go well there. Iberian comfrey would definitely work, but it would probably take over too! For years, I kept a Brunnera in a cranny between tree roots, but it eventually gave up, probably due to lack of moisture. Other plants that are hanging in there include Tiarella, Geum, Helleborus orientalis, and I've popped in some Tete a Tete sized daffs which appear happy.

A few ideas to get you started. 

ArbitraryRandom

Sidling in to mention woodland edges are the common habitat of wild strawberries ... Wood Anemone (bulbs) and Wood Betony are also obvious contenders that tolerate shade. 

twopenny

Thanks folks, some great ideas   
To try and keep it natural primroses are on the other side of the valley so local if I can find some extras in my garden.
Wild strawberries grow at the bottom but I can't transfer. Will keep my eyes open for roadside stalls and ask around. Though if I could find any I'd probably keep them as they are the worlds greatest taste.
Tete a tete are in the green in Morrison......

Pulmaonaria is really hard to find for sale.
Keeps it low key.
I'll give it a go.

fatbelly

It's a good time for bulbs in the green.

Snowdrops?

twopenny

I had wondered about snowdrops Fatbelly.
They used to sell the wild ones at snowdrop valley but haven't since the pandemic. 
Maybe this year. That will be mid feb and the ground will still be soft enough.

I'm not sure I will be able to dig and plant at this spot so bulbs and plants are a bit chancey.

KajiKita

How about cyclamen? They kind of sit on the surface with their roots from under the tuber just in the ground. 

KK

Farway

ArbitraryRandom said:

Sidling in to mention woodland edges are the common habitat of wild strawberries ... Wood Anemone (bulbs) and Wood Betony are also obvious contenders that tolerate shade. 

A second for wood anemone, anyone mentioned bluebells?

twopenny

Lovely ideas. Thanks a lot 
Think it's going to take a while to collect all these goodies so maybe more a work in progress.

FreeBear

Farway said: anyone mentioned bluebells?

I was. But plant native species rather than the invasive Spanish variety.

Farway

Just remembered, celandine, very showy & bright, can be invasive, but the woods around here are a picture in spring