Shade Plants
Wondering what to plant in shady garden areas? Here are some suggestions from Monrovia.
Aucuba japonica makes a colorful accent in shady spots. ‘Picturata’ has foliage of deep green with bright yellow centers and ‘Mr. Goldstrike’ has variegated lime and yellow foliage. These slow-growing evergreen shrubs need regular watering and work well in deep-shade gardens with seacoast exposure.
It’s hard to go wrong with Clivia minata (bush lily). Huge orange or yellow flower clusters that show up in spring are stunning against deep green, strappy leaves. Planted en masse, they brighten otherwise colorless gardens.
Brighten up a partial-shade garden with Leucosceptrum japonicum ‘Golden Angel.’ This Japanese shrub with its bold and vibrant golden foliage is a great fit in an Asian-style garden. Soft yellow flower spikes appear in the fall when other perennials are fading.
The melding of yellow, lime and green leaves of Fatsia japonica ‘Variegata’ Camouflage (shown) provides an illuminating effect in the garden, especially if grown in dappled-shade conditions. Blooming in late summer and early fall with long panicles of white globular flower clusters, this evergreen shrub is primarily grown for its colorful and highly textural foliage.
For dry shade, try Acanthus mollis ‘Oak Leaf’ (Grecian pattern plant) as an eye-catching structural element for borders or background plantings. This easy-care, fire-wise and fast-growing plant has showy tall spires of whitish lilac flowers.
Garden Tip from Monrovia
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