I need some #garden #yeggarden ideas for a mostly shady/partly sunny flower bed. I'm working on amending the soil, but where it is, it doesn't retain moisture very well, so does get dry.
Currently has things like creeping Jenny, hostas, a bleeding heart, and some lilies that don't do well and are going to get moved. I usually plant some marigolds & violas, but they don't thrive.
I want to try some climbing flowers with some support posts. Ideas for zone 4, mostly shade climbing flowers?
I'm thinking along the lines of morning glory, black-eyed Susan, sweet peas, maybe scarlet runner beans? Or should I try more perennial like Honeysuckle? Not sure how each of these tolerates mostly shade/part sun. Would not plant all of these, it's not a huge bed.
What do you think?
@ECityMom Morning glory does not do well in shady areas. I've tried. Even if the soil is warm enough for germination, they don't get big. It was a wonder when I finally planted them in full sun last year! I can't see scarlet runner beans doing well in shade, either. Sweet peas you can try, if it does get at least a few hours of direct sun a day. They do at least prefer to stay cool.
And yeah, honeysuckle as I mentioned in my other post. Perennial means you get much bigger impact much faster.
@ECityMom For non-vines, if you can find Solomon's Seal (perennial, grows shoots 2-3 feet tall) it does well with dry shade.
The other flower in the photos yellow archangel (a type of dead nettle, taller and not as dense as Lamium maculatum), which will spread but is easy to pull. Lamium maculatum is another option, so pretty for something so hardy, but they will smother other small plants, even the creeping Jenny. Also some muscari bulbs & some periwinkle, although it doesn't thrive.
WanderingHuman 🇨🇦
KathyReid
Amelia Bellamy-Royds 