Shade-loving flowers for the garden are perennial blooming. Shade-loving annuals

For some reason, there is an opinion that flower beds should be located in well-lit places. But it doesn’t always work out, and this is not at all a bad thing, because there are a huge variety of ornamental plants that grow well in the shade. Blooming shade-loving perennials often escape the attention of summer residents, they are remembered only when necessary, when you need to organize a flower garden in a shaded corner of the garden.

Perennial ornamental plants, blooming or pleasing to the eye only with their foliage, are the basis of most garden flower beds. The main purpose of a dacha and garden is to grow fruits, which is what most owners do, leaving little space and time for flowers or ornamental shrubs. Therefore, it is better to plant plants that grow more and more from year to year, and they need to be replanted every three or five years.

Having planted them in a flowerbed once, you don’t have to worry about annually decorating the flowerbed or planting new plants. If you have time and desire, you can always revive your flower garden with annuals, but if you don’t have time, it will still look beautiful thanks to overwintered perennials. And they most often spend the winter without problems, without effort on the part of the owners.

To decorate a dacha, unpretentious herbs are most often used, climbing plants, flowers, shrubs. All flowering plants can be divided into large groups according to flowering time. There are early bloomers that begin the garden flowering season back in May. Plants that bloom in June-July pick up the baton, and others continue, pleasing the eye from August until the coldest weather. But the most favorite among summer residents are those that bloom throughout the warm season. Among them we should mention phloxes, growing in almost every garden.

There is an opinion that even if all the flowers suddenly disappear and only phlox remains, they will be able to provide for the garden bright colors and a wonderful aroma from June to September. Phlox likes sunny areas, but can grow in partial shade. They bloom longer in shaded flower beds, but not as luxuriantly as in the sun.

They are undemanding to soil, but prefer light, loose, nutritious soil. They love moisture, but cannot tolerate stagnation of water at the level of their roots, and this is a depth of up to 15 cm. They reproduce perennial phlox seeds, cuttings, autumn (summer too) shoots, dividing the bush. Most often they are planted by dividing the bush, early spring or in the fall, after autumn planting, the stems are shortened by a third. The bushes overwinter well under snow cover; if there is no snow, then they need to be covered, otherwise the roots may freeze.

They bloom all summer and garden roses. People generally love roses, but anyone who has grown them before knows that they require time and trouble. Young roses can freeze in winter, they are susceptible to disease and capricious. Few among them shade-tolerant varieties. But you can choose zoned varieties that will grow in your area without any particular difficulties. Often planted near fences or buildings park roses, modern Dutch varieties are unpretentious and winter well.

Those who want to see flowering plants in the spring grow tulips, daffodils, primroses, crocuses, and irises in their garden. Tulips grow well on neutral or slightly alkaline sandy loam soil; it is better to prepare heavy soil by adding sawdust or river sand. It needs to be planted in the fall, when the temperature at a depth of 10 - 12 cm drops to + 10, this will be approximately mid-September. The plant will take root in 3–4 weeks, after which frosts will no longer be able to affect its growth. next spring. Most varieties are light-loving, but can grow in the shade.

But crocuses are quite shade-tolerant; they grow well in the shade of trees and shrubs. White, blue, yellow, lilac - they can bloom as early as April. These bulbous perennials are not capricious, tolerate winter well, and do not cause trouble to gardeners.

Primroses don't like straight lines sun rays, bloom in early spring, prefer temperatures no higher than + 12, when the temperature rises, they shed their flowers. Many varieties rebloom when temperatures drop again. They love moisture very much.

Irises are considered sun-loving plants, but they also bloom wonderfully in the shade. They are unpretentious, hardy, and tolerate cold and drought well – an ideal option for busy summer residents. There are low and tall ones with large or graceful flowers; after spring flowering, a lush green bush remains all summer. The most common are blue, purple, yellow, less common are white terry, brick and two-color.

Video " Shade-tolerant flowers for the garden»

Video selection of names of decorative shade-tolerant flowers for growing in the garden.

June - July delight us with the greatest variety of colors in the garden, when most flowers bloom. Chamomiles, cornflowers, calendula, multi-colored delphiniums - the eyes run wild. Majestic delphiniums can decorate any flower bed; they grow well in the sun and partial shade. Propagated by cuttings, buds, and root division. Best time for landings on garden beds– August – September, so that the plants can take root before frost. The bush is thinned out, breaking out weak or simply extra shoots so that the remaining 3–4 give luxurious flowering.

It's hard to surprise anyone with peonies. This is a convenient combination luxurious flower and all summer residents love this completely unpretentious plant. Red, pink, white flowers with an intoxicatingly sweet aroma, peonies do not tolerate shade and lowlands flooded with water, and do not like peat. Everything else does not affect their vitality.

Bluebells also do not like stagnant water; they need to be planted in elevated areas, well lit or slightly shaded, and they will delight with their flowering from June to August. Lilies bloom in July, some varieties later. This perennial is a shade-tolerant plant; it is not capricious and does not require special care. They like a lot of water during flowering and do not like the soil around their roots to overheat. If there is little snow in winter, it is better to cover the lilies.

The last month of summer brings the blossoming of dahlias and gladioli. Gladioli love a lot of sun and long daylight hours. They need moisture and air temperature from 10 to 25 degrees. Dahlias also love the sun; they are planted in light flower beds sheltered from the wind with humus-rich soils with good drainage. A tall plant (up to 2.5 m) with an incredibly diverse palette of flowering and odorless can become a decoration of the garden if grown in light or slightly shaded areas.

Exquisite chrysanthemums also love illuminated places. They bloom no earlier than September; housewives often transplant blooming chrysanthemums indoors to allow them to bloom. In the garden they can withstand temperatures as low as -7 degrees and winter well even in Siberia (where the roots with shortened stems are covered with peat and spruce branches).

Ideas for a shady flower garden

Plants that easily adapt to a lack of sunlight are considered shade-tolerant. It is they, along with the shade-loving ones, that should form flower beds in shady corners garden plot. Among them special place occupied by hosts. They look great from spring and develop in little sunlight, and bloom until mid-autumn. But they are valued not even for their flowers, but for the decorative nature of the bush.

Bright astilbe, blooming almost all summer and autumn, will perfectly enliven any flower garden in a shaded corner of the garden. Ferns, of which there are a huge number of species, will become an indispensable main background, shading the bright flowers of periwinkle, begonia, and frost-resistant petunia, which can bloom in the shade. Shade-tolerant plants do not produce long-term luxurious bloom, but they look great all season long, decorating the garden with their foliage and textured bushes.

The more valuable they seem beautiful flowers lily of the valley, bergenia thick-leaved, saxifrage, lungwort, foxglove and liverwort, violet and podophyllum thyroid. Doronicum (Yellow Chamomile) even blooms longer in the shade, iris and daylily will bloom long and luxuriously in partial shade, replacing each other. By creating a flowerbed in a shaded area, you can plant snowdrops, hyacinths, and primroses. They will bloom before the trees shading them have leafed out. Ivy and wild grapes, if there is room nearby, will provide lush greenery in the summer and incredible brightness in the fall.

Video for gardeners with a selection of photographs of perennial garden flowers that do not require special care.

Most garden flowers love an abundance of light and have a negative attitude towards stagnant moisture. But in a garden where there are many shrubs and trees, it is sometimes difficult to find flower beds open areas, which will be illuminated by the sun throughout the day. To the delight of amateur gardeners, there is a category of shade-loving flowers that grow well in the shady zone.

Shade-tolerant plants for the garden they love sunlight, but six hours in the morning or afternoon will be enough for them. You should not expect long-term flowering from such greenery.

They grow well in secluded corners where there is virtually no sunlight. Their distinctive feature is saturated green leaves.

Zones by degree of decorativeness

Depending on the significance of the flower garden, its location and degree of decorativeness, the design Plant groups are divided into three categories:

natural compositions;
classical compositions;
accent flower beds.

In places with an open perspective, that is, on small edges, along fences and paths, classical compositions are most often placed. These are shade-tolerant flowers for the garden, which develop and gain color over several years, and herbaceous varietal species with decorative foliage.

On the periphery there are natural areas, the main purpose of which is to fill empty spaces and prevent the appearance of weeds. Ideal plants for natural growth include:

Seating areas and central areas of the garden are often located in shady areas. You can choose accent plants for them, characterized by decorative foliage and beautiful flowering:

Japanese anemones;
elecampane;
astilbe;
Rogers;
black cohosh.

Perennials by season

The very first to appear at the beginning of spring modest, delicate primroses, delighting with their beauty throughout the month. Such shade-tolerant plants include various varieties snowdrops, European commonweed, woodlands. A little later, liverwort, jeffersonia dubious, and oak anemone appear.

At the end of spring, the flower beds are decorated with small soldanella flowers and ruby corollas of the common lumbago. Spring celandine creates a magnificent carpet of yellow, alternating with ferns. The brightness of the composition is given by creating a dense flower cover, saxifrage, phlox, and hybrid primrose.

They begin to bloom in early summer curly lilies and martagon. In the first year, the lily does not have luxurious buds, but in subsequent years it will look great. There are varieties of lilies that reach a height of one and a half meters. This nuance should be taken into account when planting it. Areas with low tree crowns are not suitable for these purposes. Excellent neighbors of lilies are Corydalis sinuosum and dotted bells.

Perennial shade-loving plants do not like the first cold, so only a few of them open their buds in the fall. Late garden flowers include Kirengeshoma palmate with flowers - bells and decorative large leaves.

Perennial flowers for shady areas of the garden

Few plants can grow in the shade of trees. Under these conditions, only species that are resistant to root pressure coexist, so they must have a shallow root system.

For the most part shade-tolerant plants They bloom in the spring, when there are no leaves on the trees yet and a sunny color is enough for them. Don't expect shade-tolerant plants abundant flowering and double, large flowers. The decorative effect of such plants is mainly provided by foliage.

Shade Garden Flower Bed Ideas

Using plants of different colors and heights, you can compose magnificent, original compositions. They, of course, will not be as lush and bright as rose flowers, but they can still charm with their delicate shades and modest charm.

Option No. 1 – combined flower bed

This is a composition of a non-standard sample, for which plants of different colors and heights are used. You will need a flower bed measuring 2m x 3m. Plants planted on it will reach full development and gain maximum color in 2-3 years, then the flowerbed will take its final form. For such a flower bed you can choose the following flowers:

Shade-tolerant plants are planted depending on size: cover and border flowers in the foreground, taller flowers in the background.

Plants bloom in different times, one after another. Thanks to this, the flowerbed looks presentable throughout the season. Plants such as shield grass and hosta play a special role. They decorate the flowerbed with leaf plates. The pinnate leaves of the shield plant have a scaly surface, and the decorative unique foliage of the hosta has a “waffle” structure.

Option No. 2 – bulbous plants with perennials

Bulbous plant varieties- tulips, daffodils, hyacinths - in a natural area shade-loving plants can be used as bright accent. They will decorate the site at a time when perennials have not yet bloomed. In the future, so that faded bulbs do not spoil the appearance of the flower bed, they should be dug up and planted again in the fall for wintering.

Tulips and blue forget-me-nots get along well with perennials. Using several varieties of these flowers against the background of shade-loving decorative perennials, you can create a multi-tiered magnificent composition. Marigolds also tolerate shade well and have a phytocidal protective aura, useful for tulips. They feel great both in the shade and in open areas, so they are loved by summer residents. They are used to decorate borders and shaded areas.

Option number 3 – grass lawn

Lawn grass mainly loves abundant watering and sunlight, so not every mixture is suitable for shaded areas. The most suitable for such flower beds will be numerous varieties of fescue. For each region, its own, more suitable types are recommended.

For example, red hard fescue It tolerates a lack of sunlight well, but does not like drought, even short-term. Therefore, such a plant should be grown only if provided frequent watering. In addition, it takes a long time to restore damaged root system and is susceptible to fungal diseases.

Another representative of this species - longleaf fescue, on the contrary, is not afraid of diseases and easily tolerates droughts. Therefore, it is excellent for sowing in hard-to-reach places that require minimal care.

In summer, the leaves on the trees fully bloom and the illumination decreases under the trees. However, it is enough for the flowering of plants such as hosta, aquilegia, and periwinkle.

Khosta

Hosta or Funkia belongs to the genus of herbaceous perennial plants of the Asparagus family. Thanks to its versatility, this plant easily fits into any garden composition. The main decoration of the flower are large leaves, which vary depending on the variety and type.

Hosta is unpretentious, drought-resistant and cold-resistant. It grows well in the shade, providing an excellent background for other plants. The plant reaches its peak beauty in the fifth year of growth.

Numerous hosta species are herbaceous stemless plants. The roots of the flower are compact, thickened, short-branched with many cord-like roots, with the help of which it is firmly anchored in the ground.

White, bluish, purple and pink flowers double and simple plants effectively rise in clusters on tall, almost leafless, peduncles above a leaf rosette. This plant, unlike other shade-loving representatives, has really beautiful flowers. They are funnel-shaped or funnel-bell-shaped, collected in racemose, one-sided inflorescences.

Aquilegia

Aquilegia is also called catchment or orlik. This plant belongs to the genus of perennials, herbaceous plants of the buttercup family. Aquilegia flowers have a two-year development cycle. In the year of planting, a renewal point appears at the base of the shoot. After flowering at the end of summer, a basal rosette is formed from it. In spring, the leaves of this rosette die and the next generation of leaves appears, forming a new rosette, from which a peduncle with stem leaves and flowers then appears.

Aquilegia has single flowers. They vary in color and size depending on the variety and type; they can be crimson, white, yellow, blue, purple, and even a combination of several shades. Flowers of many species have spurs - hollow outgrowths of sepals or petals in which nectar accumulates. Spur species of aquilegia:

alpine;
Olympic;
glandular;
Canadian;
blue.

Periwinkle

Periwinkle is an excellent ground cover plant., used as decorative foliage in shady squares and parks. It is capable of forming a homogeneous dense carpet and once, having captured a “bridgehead”, it will not yield it to anyone.

Periwinkle fits perfectly with shrubs, flows around dense needles and can act as an hanging plant, hanging from the supporting wall.

Variegated forms of this flower can become colorful spots in the foreground of a flower garden, soloing together with perennial flowering shrubs and creating a background thicket at the foot of tall plants.

Compatibility factors for perennial flowers

Before you take a flower, you need to think about how compatible it will be with the old-timers of the flowerbed. Some shade-loving garden plants cannot grow in the neighborhood, they oppress each other and, as a result, illness, lethargy and even death.

When choosing flowers, it is important to consider the ability of plants to adapt to the climate of a particular region. The best option There will be native plants. Distant relatives require more careful care and their productivity may be minimal.

Shape flower arrangements necessary in accordance with the general style of the site In order for the result to please you, you should plan, considering all the details:

determine the number of tall, medium and low-growing flowers;
correctly arrange flowers in the neighborhood, maintaining the required distance between seedlings;
choose a color scheme. This could be a projection of a rainbow onto a flowerbed, a wave transition from tones to halftones, tenderness in pastel colors or bright contrast;
creating a psychological zone: a background for activity, relaxation, self-immersion;
study the flowering periods of plants in order to admire the rich palette from spring to late autumn.

Varieties must be chosen in such a way that they replace each other, while maintaining the main strategy. If the garden is multi-tiered, plants should be planted in alternating strips from early to late blooming. If this is a “live” drawing, then it must be “painted” at the same time. Then the effect will be sustained throughout the season.

Correct fit

Planting plants is a responsible step. It determines how active the plants will be and how long they will bloom and reproduce.

Prepare the soil in the fall. It is loosened, fertilized and saturated with moisture. The favorable time for planting flowers with an open root system is the end of April - beginning of May.

Shade-loving perennials unpretentious, bloom beautifully and reproduce easily. These are their main advantages. They delight with the variety of shades, shapes of foliage and inflorescences, and options for filling buds. In photos of garden flowers you can often see exactly perennials.

When choosing seeds of shade-loving flowers for the garden for planting, you should focus on a reliable manufacturer, carefully read the characteristics of the plant on the packaging: flowering period, planting time, size, shelf life of the seeds and care requirements.

When choosing seedlings you need to consider: The stronger the leaves, the denser the light will be. Yellowness of the sprout may indicate a deficiency nutrients, and drying out indicates chlorosis. It is important to thoroughly inspect the seedlings for the presence of insect pests. The seedlings should be firm and fresh. A dry substrate is a signal that the root system could be damaged.

In order for a flower to grow easily and delight you with its beauty for many years, it is very important to choose a healthy, strong plant.

Shade-tolerant plants for the garden

My garden is partially in dense shade - this shadow falls from a high fence located along the perimeter of the site, part of the ground is shaded small house, and the tall spreading trees, which I don’t allow anyone to cut down, cover the grass underneath with their branches.

At first I was upset that I couldn’t plant my favorite roses and clematis everywhere I looked.

Plants are shade-loving and shade-tolerant. Shade-loving plants prefer not to be exposed to the bright rays of the sun at all, while shade-tolerant plants thrive both in partial shade and in sunlit areas.

Therefore, before deciding what plants you will plant, be sure to decide what kind of shade is on your site. If this is the north side of the house, and even shaded by tree branches, you need to choose shade-loving plants that can grow with virtually no sunlight.

If this is the eastern or western part of the garden, or areas where the sun shines through trees that form partial shade, the choice of plants should be different - you need shade-tolerant plants.

It is best to plant unpretentious perennials in the shade that do not require frequent replanting and overwinter in open ground without problems.

Shade-loving plants

Plants that do better in dense shade than in open sunny areas are shade-loving plants. And the first place among them is occupied by ferns.

Ferns

There are such a variety of species of ferns (there are more than 10,000 of them in nature), which differ in color, shape, size, height, pattern carved leaves that only these plants can decorate all areas of your garden where sunlight does not reach.

Unpretentious ferns look elegant in single plantings; they look good among stones that imitate rocks, tall views ferns x can be planted as hedge or along the paths.

The leaves of ferns grow directly from the roots, they are carved, openwork and always very lush. The only disadvantage of this plant is that it does not bloom. but the decorativeness of the foliage more than makes up for this shortcoming.

This perennial grows quite strongly, and this circumstance should be kept in mind when planting the plant in open ground. For a garden that is in the shade, fern is indispensable.

Hosts

Next on the list of shade-loving perennials that are a real decoration of the garden are the magnificent hostas, which are rightly called “dark queens”.

Hostas, like ferns, have the most different shapes and size, but they also differ in the color of the leaves - large leaves These plants are green, yellow, gray, blue and even multi-colored.

Also, unlike ferns. Hosta blooms with small flowers resembling bells in shape.

The size of this unpretentious plant varies from 10 to 80 cm, and hostas look great in group plantings, in combination with ferns, or planted as a single bush on the lawn. Hostas are often planted as a frame for paths in the garden.

Hosta goes well with this shade-tolerant perennial, like astilbe with its shaggy multi-colored inflorescences in the form of panicles.

By the way, the hosta will also grow in sunny areas, but in this case its leaves will turn green. The variety of shades of this plant is achieved by planting them in the shade.

Lily of the valley

Another shade-loving plant, unpretentious and not requiring complex care, is the magnificent lily of the valley, which will not only decorate your shady garden, but also fill it with a magical aroma.

This perennial is not picky about the soil composition, loves shady and moist areas, grows well, blooms profusely, and at the same time is a rare species of flowers.

Lily of the valley can be planted under trees, along a fence, on the north side of the house - it is in such conditions that it will feel good and delight you with abundant and decorative flowering throughout May.

It should be taken into account that lilies of the valley grow quickly and have a powerful root system, so in a few years the area of the garden where you planted a couple of these unpretentious plants will be covered with them like a carpet.

Therefore, it is better not to plant these flowers near the garden; they will choke out your cultural plantings. Digging up the soil after lilies of the valley is quite difficult due to the large number of roots.

Shade-tolerant plants

Astilbe

Astilbe can grow in the shade, but if this plant receives at least a little sunlight, it will bloom much better, and astilbe flowers are very decorative and have a wide variety of colors, from white to dark purple. Therefore, it is better to plant astilbe in partial shade, on the western or eastern side of the house.

Astilbe, which blooms all summer, goes perfectly with hostas; this is a classic combination of plants for shady garden. Astilbes love moist, fertile soils; in such conditions they will thrive.

Siberian irises

Another real decoration for a shady garden is irises, which are rightfully considered one of the most exquisite flowers.

Just don't get confused bearded irises, which prefer well-drained sunny areas, with Siberian irises, which grow well in shaded, moist areas.

Bearded iris, even if it grows in partial shade, will either not bloom at all, or flowering will be rare and short-lived.

It’s a completely different matter - shade-tolerant Siberian irises. Siberian irises are non-bearded irises; they are very diverse and numerous.

The flowers of Siberian irises are smaller in size than the flowers of garden irises, and not so interesting in shape, for which bearded irises are called “northern orchids”, but Siberian irises bloom much more abundantly, longer, and simply enchant with exquisite flowers with narrow petals.

Some varieties of Siberian irises produce buds at the same time, and look like a “cap” of flower stalks, and some bloom for a long time, releasing one flower after another.

The colors of Siberian irises can be very different - the flower petals can be yellow, purple, white, blue, pinkish, or they can be combined (yellow-violet irises are very common).

Siberian irises look very elegant white, which will look beautiful in combination with ferns and hostas.

Siberian irises will also look great near bodies of water. Reflecting in the surface of the water, the flowers will look even more decorative and natural.

Coniferous plants

And finally, the real decoration of the gardens - conifers. At the same time, tall Canadian spruces, thujas, and low-growing junipers creeping along the ground feel great in the shade.

Preference should still be given to unpretentious junipers, since they require significantly less maintenance than coniferous trees.

Junipers feel great in both sun and partial shade, they are not very demanding on the soil (the main thing is that it is not clayey or too heavy), some varieties tolerate full shade, but do not really like excessive moisture, not to mention swampiness. You should remember this when decorating your garden with junipers.

Junipers go well with ferns and look very beautiful among stones, especially if the stones are covered with moss (this effect can be easily achieved by first watering the stones with diluted kefir and then crumbling forest moss on them.

After two to three weeks, your stones will look like moss-covered northern Scottish rocks.

To enhance the effect, you can plant several wild rosemary bushes there). Just keep in mind that moss loves thick shadow and moisture. Therefore, the stones need to be watered or sprayed with water periodically.

Juniper can be planted between large stones, or you can simply fill the area around it with pebbles (medium-sized or small, angular or rounded - this is entirely a matter of taste for the garden owner, in any case the juniper will look great).

Stones and coniferous plants are a great combination that is very often used in landscape design.

Junipers grow quite slowly, but gradually occupy a fairly large area, and this circumstance must be taken into account when planting.

If you decide to decorate a shady corner of the garden with junipers, then the distance between them should be at least half a meter. Then the bushes, growing, will not interfere with each other.

It must be remembered that junipers, up to about five years of age, categorically cannot tolerate the spring sun - if the plant is not shaded at the end of March - beginning of April, it will simply turn yellow and die.

Therefore, if your juniper grows in partial shade and is exposed to sunlight, be sure to take care of its shelter from the bright spring sun. Even adult junipers burn in the sun, and for young plants this is fatal.

If you follow all these simple rules, choose suitable plants, correctly combine them with each other, the sophistication and beauty of your garden will simply be impossible not to envy.

A garden is a composition of trees, shrubs and flowers. But often it is the latter who get only the remnants of the sun. Fortunately, there are many plants that can or want to fully develop even in heavy shade. By skillfully using these properties, you can create a shady garden with your own hands, masterfully filling “ dark spots» luxurious or exquisitely restrained compositions.

Do you know your land

To make the plants feel comfortable and please the eye with lush foliage and bright colors, you need to know the type and acidity of the soil, the degree of shade. Perhaps these are the three fundamental elements for the successful growth of your green pets.

Clay or loam: what's the difference?

Don't judge soil by its color. It depends not only, as is commonly believed, on the amount of clay, but also on the incoming minerals. You can literally find out about your mother earth by playing.

Moisten a small lump of earth and roll it into a flagellum or sausage - whoever you like, roll it into a ring. The thickness of the product should be a little more than 3 mm, and the diameter should be 2–3 cm. Now we carefully look at what happened and find out the type of soil.

Sandy soil will not succumb to either rolling or curling. It is poor and requires the addition of compost and powdered peat.
The fragile ball is sandy loam, which also needs enrichment.
A ring that easily falls apart if you try to pick it up - light loam.
The ring with cracks and fractures is medium loam.
Solid cord, but the ring is cracking - heavy loam.

Pay attention!
Loams are “warm”, hold water and fertilizing well, but require constant application of compost and mulching.

A ring without flaws is clay, very difficult soil for roots. Rain makes it an impenetrable swamp, and drought makes it rock-solid. Green manure, compost and mulch will gradually saturate the clay with “vitamins” and make it looser.

Pay attention!
If you really want to plant lilies, but there is only space in partial shade on clay, it’s not a big deal.
Experienced gardeners guarantee that there will be fewer flowers, but they will please the eye longer.

Dig a hole that will hold a 5-liter bucket of sand-peat mixture or black soil. The poured mound should rise 15–20 cm above the ground. Seat ready.

Sour, not sour - guess by currants

From school curriculum It is known that there are several levels of soil acidity:

highly alkaline (up to 9 pH);
alkaline (8–8.5 pH);
neutral (6–7 pH);
slightly acidic (5–6 pH);
acidic (from 4 to 5 pH);
strongly acidic (less than 3.5 pH).

Avoid acidic environments earthworms, it reduces the activity of bacteria. As a result, the soil becomes compacted and does not allow air and moisture to pass through easily. Information in general outline, but it gives an idea of what the root system of your pets will develop.

Many crops prefer neutral and slightly acidic conditions. Although such gourmets as rhododendrons, camellias, and heather cannot live without “sour” flavors.

If you decide to grow plants for a shady garden seriously and for the joy of your descendants, you should buy litmus papers - pH tests - at a farm store.

Your next steps:

Take a lump of earth from a depth of about 10 cm.
Clear of foreign objects.
Air dry.
Place the dried material in 30 ml of distilled water.
Mix.
When the ground settles, lower the test into the water.

The paper strip will gradually change color. The instructions on the package will explain the acidity level.

Other testing methods will be almost alchemical.

Acetic. Drop a little onto a handful of soil. Bubbles will hiss like when extinguishing soda - normal soil, there will be no reaction - sour.
Currant. Steam 3-4 blackcurrant leaves.
Once cooled, stir the solution and add soil into it:

a reddened solution will indicate strong acidification;
pink – medium acidic;
green – neutral,
blue – alkaline.

Shades of shadow

Depending on the time of year, the foliage of trees, the length of daylight hours, and lighting activity, the degree of shading of garden plots depends.

Garden flowers for shady areas may require:

partial shade - 3 hours of direct sunlight in the morning and evening with shade during the hot afternoon;

full shade - approximately 3 hours of direct sun in the middle of the day and shade the rest of the time;

diffused light - throughout the day.

Old deciduous trees do not allow precipitation to pass through well, and their roots intensively draw moisture from the ground. A dry shadow forms under them, where the bulbous plants can take root.

In the spring these will be dear pearl snowdrops and blue scillas, multi-colored columns of hyacinth inflorescences with an indescribable aroma, white and yellow daffodils with a sunny center, and primrose mats.

In partial shade, flowers up to 5 cm in diameter, oak anemones, look spectacular. It blooms from April to May. A miniature blue-white-pink anemone blanda appears from under the snow all at once - both leaves and flowers.

Autumn melancholy will be enlivened by pink and blue flowers colchicum (autumn colchicum) and crocus. Colchicum is an amazing flower. The bulb sleeps and develops underground, shooting out delicate flowers on a leafless stem up to 20 cm high only in autumn.

The headache is in areas with persistent dampness, where flowers for a shady garden are in danger of rotting. This usually happens in places with a high horizon groundwater And clay soil or near bodies of water.

In damp partial shade, regardless of the soil, Houttuynia cordifolia grows well. With a height of 30 cm, the perennial is attractive with decorative foliage - a green center and a yellow-red edging. winter middle zone tolerates it well.

The perennial loosestrife provides good sodding shady places. Bright yellow flowers against the background of light round leaves they look like a scattering of sunspots. The price of your efforts will pay off in a couple of years with the formation of a dense jacket.

Less is better, but more beautiful

A sense of proportion should also be present with. Agree, a chaotic accumulation of even rare beautiful flowers will not make the right impression. Colors and volumes will “argue”, and in attempts to express themselves they will only get lost in the motley chaos.

The design of your garden can be:

continuation natural area, when they are in an already created world order and look natural for a particular place. This is a periwinkle with shiny leaves and abundance blue flowers, fragrant lily of the valley, shaggy lungwort with multi-colored inflorescences, spreading bushes of Siberian brunnera - discreet, but full of quiet charm.

decorated with flower beds that accentuate the attention. For this purpose it is impossible would be better suited hosta, which attracts the eye with leaves of fantastic colors - orange, yellow, blue, light green, with a border, a contrasting pattern, spotted, speckled. With a height of 20 to 60 cm, hostas are suitable for rockeries and borders, in compositions with tall plants or as ground cover;
in deep shade there are no equals to ferns, which look interesting in a duet with hostas. common ostrich with an elegant bunch of brownish leaves in the middle, male shield with leaves up to 1.5 m long, stop-shaped adiantum (loves milder climates);

with the inclusion of classical compositions. These include plants for shady corners of the garden, which have a constant decorative look– colored leaf, beautiful habit ( appearance) and it is desirable that they be perennials. The open perspective favorably emphasizes the advantages of these plantings;
As an option, try planting thin-leaved mock orange. Its subtle aroma will successfully replace a cup of expensive Chinese jasmine tea. At the time of flowering, it literally boils with snow-white foam, spreading over the lush greenery. Another winter-hardy perennial is Campanula lactiflora, tall bush with a diameter of up to 0.5 m, it blooms so luxuriantly in mid-July that it is almost completely hidden under the blue-lilac and white color.

Summing up

An ornamental garden is painstaking work and a pleasant relaxation. Secluded shady corners become fabulous shelters under the canopy amazing plants. By listening to the “wishes” of your green friends, you will be able to bring your most daring projects to life.

Almost every site has places with insufficient light where it is difficult to grow any plants. Shade can be created by residential or outbuildings, as well as the crown of tall fruit trees.

That is why gardeners are so fond of shade-loving perennial flowers for the garden, which do not require constant lighting and can bloom profusely even in conditions of constant lack of light. From the article you will learn which flowers can be planted in the darkest place of your site, their descriptions and photos are given.

The most extensive and widespread group of shade-loving flowers. They are best suited for decorating flower beds in places where there is a lack of sunlight. In addition, they are often planted for decoration. pedestrian paths or at the foot of tall fruit or ornamental shrubs and trees. They have a relatively short length and varied petal colors.

Khosta

It is considered the most common and popular shade-loving plant for decorating personal plots. Among the wide variety of varieties, there are flowers not only with different colors and shapes of petals, but also with different flowering times. More than 3 thousand varieties of cultivated hosta have been bred, which are usually divided into 5 groups depending on color range foliage and bush length.

Khosta - unpretentious plant, which is suitable even for beginners. Gardeners fell in love with them precisely for their elegance and unusual appearance of the leaves, as well as for their racemose inflorescences, consisting of many funnel-shaped flowers.

The flower loves moist and dark areas, but can tolerate short-term drought. IN wildlife It is found near bodies of water, so it is often used to decorate water bodies on the site. In Japan, hostas are considered a sacred plant, and the petioles of their leaves are considered a prized delicacy.

Umbilical

This is a whole type of perennial herbaceous plants that tolerate unfavorable climate, drought and lack of light. Today there are about 16 varieties, differing in flowering period, bud color and leaf shape. The umbilical cord has average height bush up to 30 cm, on which oval leaves and simple five-petal flowers with a diameter of up to 1.5 cm are formed.

Flowering lasts up to 40 days, in mid-latitudes - from the beginning of May. The plant can only be planted in the shade, since exposure to sunlight causes the leaves to burn out.

Primrose or primrose

This unpretentious ground cover plant can be found in almost every corner of the world. There are more than 550 species in total, not counting artificially bred varieties and hybrids.

Primrose is usually propagated by seeds, which have a unique germination rate. The plant is able to adapt to any external conditions, blooms profusely and for a long time even in arid climates, in shade and partial shade. The bush is squat, with small fleshy leaves on it. Flowers, depending on the variety, can be painted in a variety of shades, with a diameter of up to 1.5 cm. Flowering in some species can last from late April to mid-summer.

Hellebore (Helleborus)

This evergreen the Ranunculaceae family, known since ancient times due to its healing properties. Suitable for growing in the darkest areas, since almost no sunlight is needed for growth and formation of ovaries.

It begins to grow in early spring, when there is still snow on the site. Gardeners love hellebore flowers unusual shape and coloring. The petals can be colored red and white, purple or even black. Each peduncle produces up to 3 buds that bloom for several months.

When growing hellebore, you should remember that it has a rigid root system that does not tolerate transplantation well.

Periwinkle

An unpretentious evergreen cover plant. It is a small shade-loving shrub that takes root in any area. Flowering begins at the end of April and can continue until the first frost.

The bush produces characteristic shiny and dense leaves, as well as single five-petaled flowers, usually lilac in color. When growing, it is important to prune in the fall to ensure new growth next season.

Medium and tall flowers

This is a small group of shade-tolerant flowers, but they can be found almost everywhere. They are used to create shady flower beds and rockeries, grown under cover garden trees, bushes or in the shade of a house.

Rogersia

The plant has a spectacular appearance, which is why it is loved by many gardeners. The flower belongs to the Saxifraga family and tolerates shade and unfavorable climates. Rogersia is classified as exotic plants, however, it is unpretentious in care and cultivation.

The bush, depending on the variety, can have a length from 70 to 130 cm. It bears large and powerful dissected leaves that are green in color, changing color towards the end of the season. The peduncles are collected in a complex panicle, and the petals have a white or cream tint. Flowering continues from mid-July to late summer. Rogersia is often used to decorate flower beds and mixed borders, but the plant grows best near water, as well as in rocky garden conditions.

Aquilegia

Unpretentious herbaceous plant of the Ranunculaceae family, popularly called Vodosbor. In nature, there are more than 100 species, differing in the length of the bush and the color of the petals. In mid-latitude conditions, it is best to grow hybrid varieties that have greater resistance and immunity.

The leaves grow directly on the stem and do not have petioles. The bush reaches up to 1 meter in height. Flowers can be painted in a wide variety of shades depending on the variety, and the petals are arranged in two layers, 5 pieces in each.

During the flowering period, this delicate plant can decorate any garden. Aquilegia is often used to decorate flower beds and rockeries. The flower looks especially advantageous in gardens English style. The formation of the bush takes place over 2 years, so timely pruning is required to obtain abundant flowering.

Anemone (Anemone)

From Greek, the name of the plant is translated as “daughter of the winds,” since the petals of anemone flowers are sensitive to even minor gusts of wind. Belongs to the Buttercup family and is found almost everywhere in the central regions.

Anemone is a herbaceous plant up to 1 meter long, but varieties with a shorter stem are more common. The serrated leaves are arranged vertically. During flowering, an umbrella of flowers is formed, containing a large number of petals of various colors. The diameter of one flower can reach 7 cm, and also have an elegant relief texture. Anemones bloom for a long time and are practically not susceptible to disease.

When choosing a variety, it is important to take into account the characteristics of the root system, on which care largely depends. You can find tuberous or rhizomatous anemones on sale.

Heuchera

A tall plant of the Saxifraga family, widespread in landscape design. Heuchera has gained great popularity not only because beautiful flowers, but also because of the unusual large leaves having different colors and texture depending on the variety. This is very ornamental plant, with which you can decorate any garden from the beginning of spring until the onset of the first frost.

The height of the stem does not exceed 50 cm, the bush is formed by dense and leathery serrated leaves, which are located on long cuttings. Flowering continues almost all summer, the flowers are small, collected in simple panicles. The color of the petals can be red, cream, white or pink.

For the home garden, it is advisable to choose decorative deciduous varieties of heuchera, among which there is a wide variety of shades and leaf shapes. In addition, they are more unpretentious and easy to care for.

Flowering and seasonality

In order for the plants in the garden to delight you with their flowering all season long, it is advisable to select them depending on the season. This combination allows you to achieve abundant and constant flowering, regardless of lighting conditions and climate.

Spring flowers. This early varieties and plant species that do not require large amounts of sunlight to form inflorescences. As shade-tolerant spring flowers Snowdrops, dicentra, lilies of the valley and scilla are recommended for the garden. Brunnera feels especially comfortable in the spring, and with the help of their miniature and delicate flowers you can create entire decorative compositions. In addition, spring-blooming flowers include some varieties of hostas and azaleas;
Summer. This is the largest group of shade-loving plants, flowering during summer time. Among them, phlox, astilbe and aquilegia are especially popular. Primrose, heuchera and mantle are often used to decorate outdoor areas in the summer. Plants that bloom in summer are usually the brightest and most expressive in a summer cottage;
Autumn. Their flowering begins when other flowers are already forming fruits. As a rule, these are frost-resistant and unpretentious varieties, capable of growing even in cold conditions. The most common fall perennials are some varieties of hostas, common ostrich, goldenrod and tiarella cordifolia.

Experienced gardeners and professionals landscape design are able to create entire compositions consisting of different groups plants, which is especially important when planning mixborders. Taking into account the characteristics and time of formation of ovaries makes it possible to achieve almost year-round flowering on personal plot. To do this, it is recommended to create a list or table indicating the growing season of each plant.

Garden - complex system, in which all elements must complement and combine with each other. Therefore, it is advisable to plant annual and perennial plants that are not only different in height and volume, but also in the specific location. Thus, shade-loving perennials are very popular among gardeners, capable of blooming where other plants do not even take root. With their help you can create various garden compositions, as well as design a flower bed, mixborder, rock garden or alpine slide.