Almost every yard has that one shady corner or spot. The one that rarely, if ever, sees any sunlight. It can seem hard or pretty much impossible to grow anything in this spot, but there are ways to bring a beautiful landscape design to the shady spot in your yard.
What Plants Work Well in the Shady Corner of Your Yard?
Yew
The yew is a large, tall, skinny shrub/tree. This is an Evergreen plant, so it is going to stay green and lush all year long. For a shorter version, choose the T. baccata version of the plant. If you want a tall version, that is much more tree-like, the tallest variety is. Hicksii, which can grow up to 15 feet tall. Evergreen plants are a great choice for the Pacific Northwest weather.
Mountain laurel
If this shady area of your yard is truly shady all day long, then a mountain laurel is going to flourish nicely in the spot. This is a plant that can handle deep areas of shade, but it does like a little bit of sunshine once in a while. If the soil is not too soggy and does not have a bunch of clay, you can plant it directly into the ground. Otherwise, it works well in a planter.
Rhododendron
Rhododendrons are popular in the northwest for good reason. They can flourish and grow very well in the area. They also come in a variety of amazing colors from the popular periwinkle blue through fuchsia-like purples and bold yellows. These plants bloom in shady spots from spring through the fall, depending on how cold the temperatures get.
Camellia
The Camellia comes in as a popular flowering plant that provides the benefit of both shrubbery and flowers. These plants can get up to 12 feet tall and are beloved for their low maintenance as long as the soil is consistently moist.
Canadian Hemlock
This is one of the handful of trees that grow in shade. It is a great way to add some height and interest to the tricky area of your landscape. It can grow fairly slowly, but once it is fully grown, it can get up to 70 feet tall, becoming a stunning showpiece in your yard
Fiddlehead Fern
This is also known as the ostrich fern, with fluffy fronds that love wet, dark areas, which makes it great for the Pacific Northwest. The unique curled ends of the fronds and bright green color bring some visual interest to the shady area of your yard.
Boxwood
The boxwood shrub is very easy to grow and is seen in a large number of landscapes. If you like the well-groomed, topiary type of look, this is an amazing plant to stick in the shady spot in your yard. They do prefer to have at least a little bit of sunlight, so don’t stick them back in that super dark corner. They are a lot of fun to shape and prune.
Bleeding Hearts
The bleeding heart is a very beautiful flower that looks like a row of miniature bells hanging off a branch. They can add some volume and height interest to your yard as they grow 3 feet tall. They love to be in the ground in a planter or in a pot with well-drained soil. It is good to know, however, that aphids love to munch on these flowers, so you need to make sure to have a good pest control strategy.
Japanese Maple
If you like a little color and variety in your garden, this is an amazing plant. This is a smaller tree that grows up to 25 feet tall over several years. It is an amazing plant to bring those gorgeous orange hues during the fall to your landscape. If you want a shorter variety, there are some dwarf varieties.
If you want to take your yard and garden from great to amazing, contact the landscape designers at First Fruits Landscaping. Let’s get started turning your yard into a work of art that not only looks great but also functions well for your lifestyle. We provide landscaping services in Snohomish County and King County.