After seven years, the garden is finally less of an empty canvas and more about masses of foliage. The soil has receded into the background and finally, the plants have come into their own. Two groups of plants have brought about this radical transformation: ground covers (spreaders) and fillers.
While still a novice shade gardener, I planted stuff that really wasn’t up to the challenge of living in the shade with minimal watering in the Summer. By trial and error, I’ve learned which plants thrive, which struggle, and which just plain die out. Plant labels are helpful to some degree, but I’ve noticed plants which will do well in the shade labeled with a sun requirement. What’s up with that? It’s almost as if the nurseries/plant tag makers are playing it safe by listing sun, because they don’t really know if the plant will grow in shade. (Plant tag information is a whole other conversation that I just might get to, one of these days.)
So, in this post and a follow-on, I’d like to share my top 20 or so spreaders and fillers that have worked well in my garden in the shade.
Plants are not listed in any particular order.
Lamium maculatum “Gold Nugget”
Light Requirement: Works well in partial and full shade.
Water Requirement: Not thirsty but will need some water in a Summer drought.
Spread: Well behaved, forms tidy clumps.
Other: Easily divided, can be sheared after flowering to promote fresh new growth.
Galium odoratum (Sweet Woodruff)
Light Requirement: Works well in partial and full shade.
Water Requirement: Not thirsty but will need some water in a Summer drought.
Spread: Fairly well behaved.
Other: Easily divided; dig up a clump and replant anytime in Spring or Summer. Dies back in the Winter.
Lysimachia nummularia “Aurea” (Creeping Jenny)
Light Requirement: Works well in partial and full shade.
Water Requirement: Not thirsty but will need some water in a Summer drought.
Spread: Vigorous. Will spread most rapidly in wet or water-logged soil. Easily controlled as the roots are surface-level.
Other: Easily divided; the stems root very freely.
Lamium galeobdolon “Herman’s Pride” (Herman’s Pride Dead Nettle)
Light Requirement: Works well in partial and full shade.
Water Requirement: Not thirsty but will need some water in a Summer drought.
Spread: Well behaved, forms tidy clumps in my garden. The species is considered invasive in certain counties in Washington state, British Columbia, but not Oregon.
Other: Has pretty yellow flowers in April/May/June. A favorite of slugs.
Bergenia crassifolia? (Heartleaf, Elephant Ears)
Light Requirement: Prefers partial shade.
Water Requirement: Not thirsty but will need some water in a Summer drought. Does not like water-logged soils.
Spread: Well behaved, forms tidy clumps.
Other: Can be divided with a shovel. Divisions take some times to get well rooted.
Viola labradorica (Labrador Violet)
Light Requirement: Works well in partial and full shade.
Water Requirement: Not thirsty. Will survive without Summer watering.
Spread: Well behaved.
Other: Easily divided.
Impatiens omeiana (Hardy Impatiens)
Light Requirement: Works well in full shade. Can deal with partial shade if kept well watered.
Water Requirement: Needs Summertime watering. Does not like drought.
Spread: Fairly well behaved, forms a significant sized patch over time.
Other: Easily divided. If roots are left in the soil, plants will re sprout. Insignificant yellow flowers in August/September.
Ajuga reptans (Bugleweed)
Light Requirement: Works well in partial and full shade.
Water Requirement: Not thirsty but will spread rapidly if planted in wet or water logged soil.
Spread: Well behaved in dry soil; vigorous but still controllable in wet soil.
Other: Easily divided, stems root quite freely. Lovely blue flowers in early Spring.
Carex morrowii “Silver Spectre”
Light Requirement: Works well in partial and full shade. Will grow almost anywhere in my garden.
Water Requirement: Will survive Summer drought with little or no watering but looks better with some watering.
Spread: Well behaved, forms solid clumps which will spread over time.
Other: Easily divided; roots very easily. Can be raked in Spring to remove dead material.
Tiarella cordifolia (Heartleaf, Foam Flower)
Light Requirement: Works well in partial and full shade. Can grow well in very low light situations.
Water Requirement: Needs minimal watering in Summer.
Spread: Well behaved. Spreads by runners.
Other: Easily divided.
Lamium maculatum “Beacon Silver”
Light Requirement: Works well in partial and full shade.
Water Requirement: Not thirsty but will need some water in a Summer drought. Grows better in persistently moist soil.
Spread: Well behaved, forms tidy clumps.
Other: Easily divided, can be sheared after flowering to promote fresh new growth.
Gaultheria shallon (Salal)
Light Requirement: Grows almost anywhere but grows strongest and blooms best in part shade.
Water Requirement: Drought tolerant.
Spread: In part shade, will spread quite vigorously, but can be easily controlled by pulling.
Other: The berries are edible and beloved by corgis.
