PLANTS FOR SHADY POSITIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 5, 6 July 1939, Page 25

PLANTS FOR SHADY POSITIONS

Partially-shaded borders are often bare or uninteresting. There is no real reason why they should be, however, as there are many subjects that do well in such positions. There is one thing that is absolutely necessary for their well-being, however. The site must be properly prepared, being dug over deeply, manured, and improved in accordance with approved procedure.

It is also desirable to plant things rather more thinly tha*- usual for they will be inclined to produce more foliage in the shade and there will be few flowers if the foliage is too dense. Some of the most suitable plants are: Anemone japonica, anthericum, aquilegia, auricula, campanula, dielytra, foxglove, doronicum, funkia, helleborus, some varieties of lilies, peonies, pansies, Oriental poppies, primroses, polyanthuses, ranunculus, rudbeckia, spirea, solidago, thalictrum, trollius, violas, and lily of- the valley. Besides these, where space permits, several varieties of shrubs prefer a| shady place, notably hydrangeas, | rhododendrons, and azaleas. It is well to remember that very few plants, if any, will thrive in a cold, draughty place, such as a passage-way between two houses or a house and a fence. The only solution for such positions is to block up one end so that the wind cannot get through.

Any of the hardy native ferns are suitable for shady positions, always provided that there is a fair amount of moisture available.