Sometimes it can be a little difficult to find plants that will survive in the shady areas of your landscape. Fortunately, there are a few plants that will do well there and will give you color. For ornamental trees try Red buds or dogwoods since they are quite often found growing wild in wooded areas. There are also shrub varieties that do well in shady areas. For areas with heavy shade, consider using Mahonia, Mountain Laurel, Rhododendron or Aucuba. In areas with less shade, (half-day or morning sun, or less) there are several good choices including Azalea; camellias; sasanqua; hollies such as Compacta, Soft-Touch, Dwarf Yaupon, Dwarf Burfordi, carissa, hoogandorn and Needle-Point Holly; Anise; Cleyera; gardenias; hydrangeas; yews; Otto Luyken Laurel; Schip Laurel; nandina; or viburnum.

Perennials that do well in shade include Hosta Lily; Astilbe; Jacob’s Ladder; ferns; Lenten Rose; Spiderwort; Heuchera and Digitalis. There are many good choices of groundcovers, which do well in shade including Vinca Minor; Pachysandra; Mondo Grass; English Ivy; Winter Creeper and variegated Vinca Major. Once these ground covers are established, they require very little attention. If you want to bring annual seasonal color into your shaded areas, consider using Impatience, Green-leaf Begonias, Coleus, New Guinea Impatience or Caladiums.

Always plant shade plants in a good soil mix, since they will struggle to survive in the local clay soil. Mix good soil amendments such as planting mix, mushroom compost, Natural Helper, cow manure or quality top soil with the existing soil. This mixture will give your plants a great head start in the growing season. When you are finished planting be sure to mulch with either pine straw; pine nuggets; mini- nuggets; or pine, hardwood or cypress mulch, to keep weeds out and moisture in.

Happy gardening.