Low~Maintenance Plants for Shady Areas~!!

If your looking to add some beautiful colour and flavour to your garden's shadier areas, then these five plants are sure to help out with your gardening woes~!!

Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum')

The beautifully coloured, low~lying plants grow between 30 ~ 60 cm high and wide.  They have deep burgundy leaf stems with olive~green arching fronds which are lit with silver.  Every single plant has its own unique design and colours.

This plant was originally native to Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan and does well in zones 4 to 9.

Because of its ever~changing colour forms, it is best as an accent for edging and works well in all shaded areas.

Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum comutatum)

These beauties like dry shade and are very elegant and graceful in their design.  

They grow up to 60 to 70 cm and work best in zones 3 to 9.

In late Spring, white bell~like flowers bloom and are self~cleaning and will drop off on their own.  

This plant spreads out slowly, creating a blanket of foliage that turns golden yellow in the Fall.

Epimedium (Red ~ rubrum, Yellow ~ suphureum and White ~ niveum)

This plant loves shade and it is a dependable ground cover plant.  Works best in any shade.

Flowers come in white, pink and yellow and bloom from May to June.

It is slow~growing, consistent and can live forever.

Typically grow about 20~25 cm high with a 15~30 cm spread in zones 4 to 9.

Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum)

These ornamental focal points provide interest year round to any garden.

The exfoliating bark comes in shades of cinnamon red and brown, peels in thin sheets and looks polished smooth in others.  

In early Spring, small yellow flowers bloom.  

Ideal for city lots and as an understory tree.  Slow growing, climbing up to 7m which could take up to 50 years to complete.

Require little pruning and is insect resistant.  It can be planted in full sun to partial shade.  

Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum)

Very versatile plant in that it can survive in extreme heat and cold, as well as, soil lacking nutrients and in the deep shade beneath trees.

Grows to 30 ~ 60 cm high and wides.  Has rounded clump of fan~shaped fronds with light green lacey leaves on purple~black stems.

They have a natural water~repellent and even when immersed in water, the leaves remain dry.