Topic: Annuals for shady areas

[Nigella]

Any tips on easy annuals to grow in shady areas?  ;D

[simon404]

Busy lizzies (impatiens) can tolerate some shade.  :)

[Georgie]

I'm trying Woodruff this year.  Plants grow 12" high and have pretty blue, scented, edible flowers.  But I've found that lots of annuals perform well in shady areas so I'd encourage you to experiment!

Gxx

[Mrs Ava]

I find the fast 'weed' like annuals do the business anywhere and everywhere, things like poppies, love in a mist and the daisies.  The sorts of flowers you get in a wild flower mix. My forget me nots are all in flower now and some of those are in deep shade.  I think it is the half hardies that don't like the shade as much, but then it depends how deep the shade is.

[kenkew]

Nigella; Shade loving plants tend to be slower growing and therefore perennial. The list of perennials is a long one and well worth considering.

[pebbles]

baby blue eyes. little plant .bright begonias also like shade but thats no help.pansies and violas might be okay.

[Muddy_Boots]

Well, how about planting a perennial there!  How about a penstemon?  They do like sun but cope with shade and, if you aren't too overrun by slugs, you could try astilbes or hostas.

Sorry, not sure why you want annuals in shady area!  So apologies if suggestions are totally unhelpful.  My instinct in difficult areas is to plant perennials.

 :D

[Nigella]

We moved to our house in over the summer 2004 and are re-doing the garden (which had lots of concrete and gravel every-where.) We have about half of it dug - and wanted something to grow in the shady area just for this year (in new currently empty beds)- to give some colour - before we set out the master plan - for when the rest of the garden is dug.

But think will put in some perennials instead .... will they cope with moving - if we need to switch things round next year ?

[wardy]

In shade white and variegated foliage stands out.  Annuals which will grown in shade Lunaria, bizzy lizzy, pansy and viola, nastiurtium, begonia semperflorens, tuberous begonia, browallia, wallflowers, cleome, coleus, larkspur, chinese forget me not, foxglove, lobelia, sweet alyssum, mimulus, forget me not, nicotiana, geranium, schizanthus, cineraria, thungergia,

Some will cope with quite deep shade, eg begonia semper, bizzy lizzy, mimulus, and forget me not, oh and cineraria, torenia

So lots there to go at.  I love annuals as they're easy to grow and not fussy and they self seed around, so free plants which must be a good thing  ;D

[Nigella]

Wow .... lots to be getting on with Thanks  ;D