Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Perennials for dry shade
Many areas within the Garden Bite audience are suffering drought conditions. Some more than others. What plants can handle dry shade?
Hosta, of course, is one clear choice.
Foxglove is a gorgeous flowering biennial that digs part shade. It IS poisonous. Also known as digitalis, it’s used medicinally for congestive heart failure.
If you don’t have small children visiting your gardens, then give this very tall flower a chance. It grows to 5 ft tall and comes in shades of purple and pink. There are also cultivars in cream and peach.
Stella de Oro daylily is a breeze to grow. In fact I get kind of annoyed to see so many, BUT, it’s a great plants for part shade with those cheery yellow flowers. Do divide this one every few years to keep it looking good and give some away!
Spotted dead nettles, aka Lamium, are also great plants for dry shade. This low growing plant looks great in the woodland garden and there are a few cultivars to choose from.
Lenten rose is not a rose but a beautiful hellebore! Lenten rose blooms in spring in shades of purple, red, yellow, green and pink. It’s foliage is leathery and lovely all season.
Growing in part shade, the mature plants stand 18 to 24 inches tall. It IS toxic to people and pets!
