In the Garden with Pat Rubin

Bee garden writer Pat Rubin writes about everything that grows, from flowers and trees to vegetables and lawns. Pat volunteered for several years as a Placer County Master Gardener and has written about gardening for many national and regional publications. In addition to gardening, she spends time raising and showing miniature horses and miniature donkeys.

In the Garden will include news, events, advice and other gardening tidbits. Pat will also answer reader questions.

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February 25, 2008

Has shade; needs plants

Q: The front entry to my house faces north, and doesn't get any sun, no matter what the season. What can I plant that's green all year and flowers?
Sandy Wright, Sacramento

A: Shady spots can be as difficult as those in full sun. Both are extremes that require plants that love those particular conditions. It seems sun lovers get all the press, but there are fabulous shade-loving plants that can brighten up a dark corner, surprise you with luscious flowers and soothe your soul with their cool, green foliage.

I suggest a combination of evergreen and deciduous or herbaceous plants for your shady garden. That way, there’s always something interesting happening. Plus, you'll have plants growing and blooming at many different levels.

Evergreens: My top choice would be the camellia. They come in a wide range of sizes and flower colors. Choose them in bloom. Now is the time to find camellias you’ll love in the garden. Azaleas make good companions below or in front of camellias, and revel in shady nooks. Gardenias are another possibility. They come in sizes that range from a foot tall to five feet, have beautiful deep green foliage and wonderfully scented white flowers in the summer. Other good choices include viburnum and euonymus (‘Emerald & Gold’ and ‘Silver Queen’ have variegated foliage that can add some light to shady areas.

Another good choice is dogwood, although they loose their leaves. They flower while the branches are bare, and it’s a stunning sight.

I’d underplant the shrubs with primroses, ferns, coleus, hostas, heuchera, hakone grass (brilliant yellow foliage that flows in one direction like a waterfall), hellebore, Japanese anemones (watch this one: it can spread) or pulmonaria.

There are also many California and Mediterranean natives that prefer shade, and some of them even thrive in dry shade. Ribes malvaceum, the chaparral current, appreciates quite a bit of shade, and Ribes viburnifolium makes a low ground cover in dry shade.

Last suggestion: find yourself a book on shade gardening. One of the newest ones I've seen is called “Shade, ideas and inspiration for shady gardens” by Keith Wiley (Timber Pres, 2007, 176 pages, $19.95).

Photo Camellia 'Lady in Red' by Florence Low, Sacramento Bee photographer.

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