Whatton House: Plants for dry shade
Dry shade is regarded by many as the most challenging part of a garden. Plants need both light and water which are in short supply in this part of the garden. There are plants better adapted for theses hostile conditions but you do need to manage your expectations. A lot of energy is expelled simply trying to survive. Consequently, a plant in these conditions is not going to waste energy on extravagant blooms. It is possible to come up with a pleasing planting scheme but the aesthetic will be rather different to a full-on herbaceous border.
Bulbs for woodland conditions have adapted so they complete the growing cycle while conditions are favourable. They grow and flower in spring while there is adequate moisture and light before the trees come into leaf and shade them out. The bluebell (Hyacinthus non-scripta) is a good example. Other bulbs to try in a shady border include, Chinodoxa, Cyclamen, and Galanthus. You could try some types of Narcissus. The shorter, singled flowered varieties will be more likely to succeed. With the exception of Cyclamen hederifolium the above are all early-mid spring flowering.
Like many of the bulbs for dry shade, herbaceous plants tend to grow and flower in spring to early summer when conditions are more favourable. In early spring we have primroses (Primula vulgaris), Symphytum (Comfrey), Brunnera, Pulmonaria and Epimedium x versicolor 'Sulphureum'. You will notice that the flowers are generally small, to help conserve energy. By the same token it is best to grow the straight species primrose (Primula vulgaris) rather than the more colourful selections. Those bright colours require a lot of energy. Following on from theses we have a selection of geraniums. The main too are G. macrorrhizum and G. x oxonianum. The latter seems indestructible and has steadily spread to cover large areas here at Whatton House. It is worth thinking about the foliage of some of the perennials, to add colour and texture such as using ferns and purple leaved Heuchera.
For late spring and early summer, we hope to introduce a lot more Digitalis purpurea (Foxglove) and Lunaria annua (Honesty). Both are normally grown as biennials. They build up their strength in the first year so in the second they can wow you with a mesmerising display. They will self-seed, if happy, ensuring new plants for the following years. Lunaria annua var albiflora 'Alba Variegata' having white flowers and white variegated foliage is particularly useful for brightening up a shady spot.
Fatsia japonica is often recommended as a shrub for dry shade. It has bold architectural foliage to capture as much light as possible. We planted a variegated selection last year F. j. 'Spiders Web', which looked rather pathetic initially but they have settled in now and are looking more worthwhile. Other shrubs often recommended are Aucuba japonica and Berberis. At some point we will try a few Sarcococca (Sweetbox). They are generally small to medium evergreen shrubs producing captivating winter fragrant flowers. The flowers however are relatively inconspicuous. Some of the established Philadelphus in the garden are growing in dry shade. The less than ideal conditions do curtail their flowering, but it is better than nothing. Likewise, hydrangeas would prefer more moisture but in a bid for late summer colour we will try Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' and varieties of H. paniculata.
Along with the hydrangeas to finish of the season in September we have Japanese Anemones and woodland asters. Annoyingly the genus Aster has been split up into several new genera with unpronounceable names. Aster divaricata is now, Eurybia divaricata, and Aster 'Primrose Path' is now Symphyotrichum 'Primrose Path'. Fortunately, Aster ageratoides ' is still the same.
Hopefully that gives you some hope, in that something will grow in that dry shady corner. Here at Whatton we will continue to persevere and experiment to find the right plants for the right place.
William Stanger of Four Winds Horticulture is a local Garden Consultant and international writer. He is advising Whatton House on the garden’s regeneration. He has worked at various gardens in the U.K and New Zealand including The Savill Garden and Dunedin Botanic Garden. He has a M.A. in Historic Designed Landscapes and a BSc Hons in Green Space Management.