Brighten up a shady garden with white flowers & berries & silvery leaves, which will really shine out against a background of dark foliage.
- Convalleria majalis (Lily of the Valley) – Fragrant waxy bells. Height 6”. Grown in pots near a favourite bench you can enjoy the fragrance without the risk of it taking over the border.
- Helleborus orientalis – Hardy perennial flowering from late winter to mid spring ideal for shade or semi shade in moist soils.
- Galanthus (Snowdrops) – These plants are better when bought ‘in the green’ in February.
- Vinca difformis – Periwinkles make great ground cover under shrubs, in mixed borders & in wild gardens. They tolerate most soils.
- Hedera helix ‘Green Ripple’ – Scrambling ivy. Good climber, or excellent ground cover. Buy a large plant for quickest coverage. Makes a wonderful backdrop to shade loving clematis.
- Lillium regale ‘Album’ – Do well in light shade in pots or borders, in dappled shade under trees.
- Primula denticulate alba (also available in red & blue) – Looks best when planted in clumps, best in humus rich moist soil.
- Lamium ‘Beacon Silver’ – Excellent ground cover in any soil, under planted with spring bulbs to grow up through the silver grey mass.
- Pieris japonica ‘Debutante’ – Compact evergreen shrub with masses of white flowers & bronzy new foliage. Needs acid soil, but is tolerant of shade & dry conditions. Grow in woodland with brightly coloured Azaleas.
- Pachysandra terminalis – Creeping evergreen. Weed suppressing ground cover for lime-free soils in deep shade. Look outstanding when grown under the pale stems of Silver Birch.
- Betula pendula – Ideal for a shady corner, create a strong vertical design element which stand out in shade
- Pulmonaria saccharata – Striking foliage suitable for shade.
- Hosta (wide range of varieties suitable) – Best grown in containers in shade. Cover top of pot with gravel, & spray the top of the pot with WD40 to prevent slug attack effectively.
- Digitalis – Tall spires of white foxgloves enhance effect.
- Meconopsis – Round blue blooms add contrast & colour.


The following plants are ideal for a north facing corner or border (Permanent shade).
SHRUBS
- Aucuba japonica – Evergreen shrub, attractive foliage, with red berries. Will tolerate fairly deep shade, even dry shade once established. Height 1m – 5 years.
- Buxus sempervirens – Suitable for dry shade. Height 1m – 5 years.
- Camellia – Evergreen spring flowering shrub. Prefers acid soil.
- Cotoneaster – all varieties – some evergreen. Heights vary according to variety. White flowers in spring, berries in winter.
- Euonymus fortunei – Evergreen, attractive foliage, dry shade.
- Fatsia japonica – Evergreen, attractive foliage, tolerates fairly deep shade.
- Forsythia – Yellow Flowers in spring. Height 2m – 5 years.
- Hydrangea macrophylla – needs adequate moisture at all times. Flowers from July onwards.
- Hypericum – Yellow flowers. Provides excellent ground cover.
- Ilex (holly) – Evergreen, best for green leaved varieties. Although variegated leaved varieties will stand dappled shade.
- Lonicera pileata – best grown as a hedge or specimen for Topiary.
- Mahonia – all varieties – Evergreen shrub, tolerates dry, deep shade. Most attractive in winter.
- Paeonia – Tree peony, flowers in a range of colours.
- Prunus – Laurel – Evergreen shrub, dry shade, also capable of providing excellent shade. Height up to 4.8m.
- Pyracantha – all varieties, evergreen, creamy white flowers in April, followed by berries in winter red, orange or yellow. These spiky plants are a good deterrent against burglars.
- Rubus tricolor – This ornamental bramble provides excellent ground cover & acts as a defensive plant against invaders of the human kind.
- Sarcoccoca – absolutely brilliant evergreen shrub with the most intense perfume from white winter flowers. Dark green shiny leaves. Needs adequate moisture.
- Skimmia japonica – Another beautiful evergreen winter flowering shrub followed by red berries. Needs adequate moisture to start then will tolerate dry shade.
- Symphoricarpos – Tolerates fairly deep shade. Best grown as a hedge.
- Taxus baccata – Evergreen conifer tolerates deep shade.
- Viburnum davidii – Evergreen, needs moisture attractive foliage.
- Viburnum tinus – Attractive all winter long flowering evergreen shrub. A must for every garden.


COTTAGE GARDEN PERENNIALS
- Bergenia – Evergreen attractive foliage, suitable for dry shade. Pretty pink/red flowers.
- Euphorbia Robbiae – Evergreen attractive foliage, suitable for dry shade, will tolerate fairly deep shade. Bracts, not flowers in spring.
- Ferns – Evergreen (some) & perennial with attractive foliage, they all tolerate fairly deep shade & need adequate moisture at all times.
- Geranium sylvaticum – All varieties of herbaceous geraniums are suitable for deep dry shade, have particularly attractive foliage & flower for many months in summer.
- Helleborus (in variety) – Evergreen, attractive foliage on all varieties. Suitable for dry shade. Flowers in a wide range of colours.
- Hosta (in variety) – need adequate moisture at all times. Attractive foliage. Lilac flowers in summer.
- Pachysandra – Evergreen attractive foliage. Suitable for dry shade. Small white flowers on this low growing perennial.
- Saxifraga – Evergreen spring flowering spreading perennial.
- Vinca major – Evergreen, suitable for dry shade. Attractive blue flowers when you least expect them.
- Vinca minor

The following plants are ideal for an east facing border or under small deciduous trees (dappled or partial shade).
TREES
- Acer (Japanese) – Attractive foliage, needs adequate water supply.
- Arbutus unedo – Evergreen, attractive leaves with flowers & berries.
- Cotoneaster – Evergreen (some) with flowers in spring followed by flowers.
- Ilex (green leaved) Evergreen with attractive foliage & (some) berries.
- Salix hakuru nishiki – Attractive leaves. Needs copious amounts of water.
- Trachycarpus fortunei – Attractive palm leaves.
- Some half standard grafted shrubs may also be suitable e.g. Forsythia, Pyracantha, Viburnum or Euonymus.

SHRUBS
- Bamboos (various) – Evergreen, attractive leaves. Needs adequate water supply.
- Amelanchier canadensis
- Cornus
- Daphne
- Escallonia (species)
- Forsythia
- Fuchsia
- Osmanthus heterophyllus
- Pernettya in variety
- Rubus species (ornamental bramble)
- Weigela species
- Yucca species

These plants need morning shade or light shade to protect from the sun in winter.
SHRUBS
- Camellia
- Chaenomeles
- Choisya ternate
- Hamamelis
- Hebe in variety
- Magnolia species
- Philadelphus
- Pieris in variety

