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Evergreen grow in shade


17 Shade Tolerant Evergreen Trees For Shady Garden Spaces

Do you have a shady spot in your garden or home landscape that’s just begging for a tree? And do you want that tree to keep its green foliage year round? Well, you are in luck! There are a number of different shade tolerant evergreen trees that can grow in a wide variety of hardiness zones.

Yes, many evergreens prefer to grow in an area with ample sunlight. But if you have a garden space in deeper shade, or even dappled shade, there are plenty of trees that can thrive in these conditions and keep their green leaves all year.

We’ve hand-picked our favorite evergreen trees that can thrive in the shade, with names and pictures of each in the article below. You’ll also find preferred hardiness zones, as well as their approximate growing sizes. Ready to learn more? Let’s dig in!

Contents

American Holly

American Holly produces dark green spiky leaves and bright red berries.
Scientific Name:
Ilex opaca

American holly, also known as Christmas holly, has dark green spiny, non-glossy leaves, and the female plants produce bright red berries. With less sunlight, it may grow in a short, multi-trunked form with light gray bark.

To have berries on your holly, you must have both a male and female plant of the same holly species unless there is a wild male plant growing nearby.

While the berries attract many birds and mammals, they are toxic to humans if ingested, so be aware of the potential for children to access the berries if you plan to plant holly in your garden.

The thick branches of American holly grow very slowly. The plant prefers slightly acidic soil that is well-drained and with a high amount of organic matter. Holly is also valuable for honey bees.

Boxwood

Boxwood is a fast-growing evergreen plant widely used to create curly hedges.
Scientific Name:
Buxus sempervirens

Named for the four-sided branches, boxwood is a relatively fast-growing evergreen that can grow well in partial shade. Boxwoods can be pruned into a tree, but are more commonly grown as an evergreen shrub or used as hedge plants.

Though boxwoods can grow in full sun, these conditions can make them lose their green color and turn orange. They prefer dappled light coming through other foliage or a limited amount of direct sunlight in the morning or evening. The hybrid “Green Mountain” can grow in full shade, though it may not grow as dense as if it had at least partial sun.

Boxwoods can withstand heavy pruning and have long been used for shaped hedges and topiaries in formal gardens.

When planted in shade, boxwood can be more susceptible to disease, but this can be mitigated through thinning excess foliage to allow light and more air circulation in the interior of the boxwood.

Well-drained and neutral to acidic soil is ideal for boxwoods, and taking extra care with mulching will help them thrive in shadier areas. In areas with a high deer population, boxwood is a great choice for a garden since it is one of few evergreens varieties that deer find unappetizing.

Colorado Blue Spruce

Colorado Blue Spruce is a slow-growing plant that has a pyramidal shape.
Scientific Name:
Picea pungens

If you want to grow Christmas trees in your shady garden, the Colorado Blue Spruce can fulfill that wish. Though it can grow to be a large tree when in shady conditions, it will not reach its maximum height or diameter. It is also slow-growing, so you don’t need to worry about it overwhelming your garden anytime soon.

The Colorado blue spruce has the pyramidal shape Christmas trees are known for and silvery-blue needles. It is a popular ornamental tree due to its eye-catching color and shape and is also common in windbreaks or small stands.

Deodar Cedar

Deodar Cedar has bluish-green or grayish-green needles.
Scientific Name:
Cedrus deodara

Deodar cedars are the national tree of Pakistan and the Royal Horticultural Society gave the tree the Award of Garden Merit. They are often seen in parks or lining streets.

Their 1 to 2-inch long bluish-green or grayish-green needles form whorls, and the branches droop gracefully.

Deodar cedars are a low-maintenance tree with pruning only necessary if there are branches that have died or become diseased or damaged. It has the highest tolerance to heat and humidity of all varieties of cedars.

Mature deodar cedars are quite drought tolerant, though young seedlings require ample water. Good drainage is necessary because these trees do not like to have their “feet” wet. Beyond the drainage, deodar cedars are not fussy about the type of soil they grow in.

Eastern Red Cedar

Eastern Red Cedar tolerates shade, resistant to heat and cold.
Scientific Name:
Juniperus virginiana

The eastern red cedar is not a cedar at all. It is a relative of the juniper. It grows readily in fencelines, abandoned properties, and pastures that are not mowed. States like Oklahoma and Kansas have documented it as a threat to the prairie.

However, the eastern red cedar can resist just about anything nature throws its way – heat, cold, drought, wind, a range of soil types, and any amount of light except full shade. It can also tolerate shade relatively well compared to most junipers. It is also a significant source of shelter and food for birds and wildlife.

Eastern red cedars have scale-like foliage that is fragrant and sticky to the touch. It can vary in color from dark green to blue-green and even gray, and it tends to become more bronze during the winter. The female trees produce whitish-blue berries, and the male trees have brown cones on the tips of their branches that disperse pollen.

Emerald Arborvitae

Emerald Arborvitae grows well in the garden in partial shade.
Scientific Name:
Thuja occidentalis

Emerald arborvitae is one of the species of arborvitae that can thrive in partial shade. It may grow more slowly and not be as lush as if it had full sun, but it will still do well in a garden with partial shade.

Since it can be pruned into various sizes and shapes, arborvitae is a popular choice for living fences and privacy hedges. It does not require pruning, however, and will also grow nicely when left alone.

Emerald arborvitae prefers soil that is moist but also well-drained so that it is not soggy. It also likes a pH range of 6 to 8 and loamy soil, but it can tolerate a variety of soil conditions.

Giant Arborvitae

Giant Arborvitae is a shade-loving tree that produces tiny, scaly leaves.
Scientific Name:
Thuja plicata

Giant arborvitae is one of the more shade-loving trees among arborvitae varieties. They are an evergreen with tiny, tightly packed, scale-like leaves that are glossy green in spring and summer and turn darker and bronze in winter.

These trees grow quickly and maintain their shape without pruning. They are often planted singularly as accent trees or in groups to create natural wind and sound-breaking fences.

Giant arborvitae is a hardy tolerant plant that can withstand different soils, insects, wind, drought, and disease. In ideal growing conditions, they can live up to 40 years.

Golden Irish Yew

Golden Irish Yew produces decorative gold and green variegated needles.
Scientific Name:
Taxus baccata

Also known as “common yew,” golden Irish yew has ornamental gold and green variegated needles that turn to chartreuse in the fall and winter. It also features red berries. It is a narrow tree with a low canopy that is often only 2 feet above the ground.

Yews tend to be shade-loving trees, and this one is no exception. Though it can also be planted in full sun, it does not like hot, dry locations with direct afternoon sunlight. It also can’t tolerate standing water and does best in average to moist soil, though the soil type and pH don’t matter much.

Parts of the common yew are toxic to humans and animals, and care should be taken if planting it in an area frequented by children or pets.

Hemlock

Hemlock is a shade tolerant tree that prefers to grow in moist and well-drained soil.
Scientific Name:
Tsuga

Hemlock is considered the most shade tolerant tree and can grow suppressed in an understory for 400 years. Hemlocks thrive in moist but well-drained soil.

Hemlocks grow slowly, especially in shade, and can take 250 to 300 years to reach maturity and live for 800 years. The oldest recorded hemlock tree is 988 years.

Historically, hemlock was important for its bark, which contains high amounts of tannins. Used for treating animal hides to preserve them, the term “tanning” was derived from the word “tannins.” It is known for giving the leather a dark red-brown color.

Numerous songbird and owl species focus on hemlock, so depending on the birds in your area, planting these shade-loving trees could attract birds to your garden.

Japanese Yew

Japanese Yews prefer fertile soil and plenty of moisture.
Scientific Name:
Taxus cuspidata

Japanese Yews have dark green needles with rounded tips that are not sharp or scratchy like many other conifers. The female plants produce bright red berries.

Yews are quite tolerant of moderate to deep shade, though they do require some sunlight in the spring. They are often planted as a foundation plant on the north or east sides of homes and make good natural or formal hedges. The many dwarf varieties are commonly in rock gardens.

Yews require plenty of moisture, fertile soil, and shelter from strong winds. They don’t like to compete with other shallow-rooted trees. When growing in deeper shade, they may require more pruning to compensate for a more open growth pattern.

Longstalk Holly

Longstalk Holly grows well in shady gardens and tolerates pruning in late winter.
Scientific Name:
Ilex pedunculosa

While the longstalk holly prefers some sun, it can also be grown in partly shady gardens. It likes moist soils but can tolerate drought once it is established. Holly is very tolerant of pruning, which is best done late in the winter. It is also one of the most cold-tolerant species of holly.

Longstalk holly is a hardy evergreen with showy, spineless foliage. It produces small flowers that have a pleasant aroma before producing red berries.

Holly plants are either male or female, and both are required within 200 feet or so in order to produce berries. The flowers of the plants attract bees, and the berries attract birds, although they are mildly toxic to humans.

Serbian Spruce

Serbian Spruce produces gracefully hanging branches and prefers full sun.
Scientific Name:
Picea omorika

The Serbian spruce is an attractive tree that is narrower than most other spruces with branches that elegantly droop. Its green needles feature white bars underneath, giving it a shimmering glow similar to snow that is backlit by the sunset.

Like most spruces, it prefers what sun it can get and regular, adequate moisture. It is a hardy tree and smaller than many of its native spruces.

Shore Pine

Shore pine is a sprawling tree that grows pine nuts, which feed on birds.
Scientific Name:
Pinus contorta

Shore pine, also known as lodgepole pine, is a small to mid-size tree with darker-colored bark and leaves. It has short needles compared to many related species. It is a sprawling, irregular-shaped tree, seldom growing straight up to its full height.

Birds enjoy the small pine nuts produced by shore pines, though deer tend to avoid the tree. It does not take well to pruning, but it makes some of the best-unpruned hedges compared to other pines. Shore pines tend to look better planted in groves or rows than singly.

Shore pines are more adaptable to soil moisture than many other pines and can thrive in full sun to partial shade.

Southern Magnolia

Southern Magnolia blooms with fragrant creamy white flowers.
Scientific Name:
Magnolia grandiflora

The evergreen magnolia is tree that produces fragrant creamy-white flowers. Their blooms can grow to 8 inches in diameter. They flower from late spring until fall. The evergreen leaves are shiny and dark green on top and copper or tan underneath.

The tree grows quickly but is long-lived. It provides food and shelter for many birds, such as woodpeckers, doves, quail, and small mammals.

Magnolias can tolerate a variety of soils from sandy to heavy clay and acidic to neutral, but it does not do well with either extreme drought or excess moisture.

Strawberry Tree

Strawberry Tree produces edible red and orange fruits.
Scientific Name:
Arbutus unedo

The strawberry tree can be grown as either a small tree or a shrub. It has dark green oval-shaped evergreen leaves. This flowering tree blooms with white to pinkish flowers from October to December, and red to orange edible fruits that ripen in the fall.

The fruits are often used to make wines, liqueurs, and preserves and are also an important food source for birds and animals.

Strawberry trees are slow-growing whether planted in partial shade or full sun. It likes well-drained, acidic clay soil. Once established, they can tolerate some wind and drought.

Wheel Tree

Wheel Tree blooms in spring with clusters of green flowers in the form of stars.
Scientific Name:
Trochodendron aralioides

The wheel tree is the only surviving species in its genus, and it can be grown as either a tree or a shrub.

It has glossy leathery leaves which grow in whorls around a bud, giving it an umbrella-type shape. In the spring, it produces clusters of greenish flowers shaped like stars. The stamens of the flowers spread out similar to the spokes of a wheel, giving the tree its name.

Wheel trees can grow in a variety of soils and prefer dappled shade. It needs moist but well-drained soil and cannot tolerate drought.

White Spruce

White Spruce is an excellent plant whose smell will keep deer away from your garden.
Scientific Name:
Picea glauca

If you’re concerned about deer predation in your garden, white spruce is a great choice. When its needles are crushed, they give off an unpleasant scent, which deer do not like.

White spruce don’t have a more irregular shape than a traditional Christmas tree, and they are a truer green color. They prefer acidic, well-drained soil and are often found near streams and other sources of moisture.

You Have Options for Shade-Loving Trees

Finding the perfect evergreen tree that can tolerate shade shouldn’t be a chore. There are many different options to choose from, and most of the trees on this list can tolerate a variety of sun & shade planting conditions. Many of them can also double as a shrub, if you prefer to keep them a bit on the smaller side.

Ultimately, any of these popular options should be a fantastic fit for your garden. Remember to double-check your hardiness zone, and provide plenty of TLC for best results!

Taxus Yew Shrubs - How To Grow Yew Bushes

Yew is a great shrub for borders, entranceways, paths, specimen gardening, or mass plantings. In addition, Taxus yew shrubs tend to be drought resistant and tolerant of repeated shearing and pruning, making yew shrub care a relatively easy endeavor. Keep reading for more information on growing yews in the landscape.

Taxus Yew Shrubs

The Taxus yew shrub, belonging to the Taxaceae family, is a medium sized evergreen shrub native to the areas of Japan, Korea and Manchuria. The yew has green foliage with bright red berries. All portions of the Taxus yew are toxic to animals and humans, with the exception of the fleshy portion of the arils (the name for the Taxus fruit). The fruit lays hidden amongst the foliage of the female plant until September, wherein the short lived arils turn a striking red shade.

Taxine is the name of the toxin found in the Taxus yew shrubs and shouldn’t be confused with taxol, which is a chemical extraction of the bark of the western yew (Taxus brevifolia) used in cancer treatment.

Taxus x media is notable for its dark green, one inch (2. 5 cm.) long evergreen needles. Although an evergreen, the yew’s foliage may winter burn or turn brown in its northern range (USDA plant hardiness zone 4) and melt out in its southern range (USDA zone 8). However, it will again return to its green hue in the early spring, at which time the male yew will shed dense pollen from its small white flowers.

Types of Yew Shrubs

Many cultivars and types of yew shrubs are available to the gardener, so those interested in growing yews will find a variety to choose from.

•If you’re looking for a Taxus x media that’s rounded when young and spreads with age, ‘Brownii’, “Densiformis”, “Fairview”, “Kobelli”, “L.C”, “Bobbink”, “Natorp”, “Nigra” and “Runyanii” are all suggested varieties of yew shrub.

•If you’re desirous of a yew shrub that spreads more rapidly from the get go, “Berryhillii”, “Chadwickii”, “Everlow”, “Sebian”, “Tauntonii” and “Wardii” are cultivars of this type. Another spreader, “Sunburst”, has golden yellow spring growth which fades to chartreuse green with a hint of gold in summer.

•”Repandens” is a slow growing dwarf spreader of about 3 feet (1 m.) tall by 12 feet (3.5 m.) wide and has sickle shaped, dark green needles at the ends of its branches (hardy in zone 5).

•”Citation”, “Hicksii”, “Stoveken” and “Viridis” are excellent choices for upright column-like specimens of the Taxus yew plant. “Capitata” is an upright pyramidal form, which can attain a 20 feet to 40 feet (6 to 12 m.) height by 5 feet to 10 feet (1.5 to 3 m.) width. It is often limbed up to reveal striking purple, reddish brown bark, making a stunning plant at entranceways, large foundations and in specimen gardens.

How to Grow Yew Bushes and Yew Shrub Care

Growing yews can be achieved in zones 4 through 8. While this evergreen shrubs flourishes in sun to partial sun and well drained soil, it is tolerant of most any exposure and soil make up, with the exception of overly wet soil, which may cause root rot.

Yews mature to a height of 5 feet tall by 10 feet (1. 5 by 3 m.) wide and almost exclusively pruned into the size desired for a particular location. Slow growing, they can be heavily sheared into a variety of shapes and are often used as a hedge.

As mentioned above, the Taxus yew can be susceptible to root rot and other fungal disease brought on by overly wet soil conditions. In addition, pests like black vine weevil and mites are also issues which may afflict the shrub.

Generally speaking, however, the yew is an easy-care, drought tolerant and highly adaptable shrub available in many areas of the United States.

Evergreens in the garden: options, types, care secrets (21 photos)

Evergreens are a large group of plants that retain the same species throughout the year. Among them are not only conifers familiar to the inhabitants of the middle lane, but also creeping plants, and shrubs, and herbs. Many of them are frost-resistant, most are shade-loving. They are great for a garden in a country house or in a country house due to a number of advantages:

With imagination and funding, evergreen ornamental plants can be used to make the site look festive and beautiful in winter.

Evergreens in an English garden Flower garden with evergreens

Use cases

Evergreens for the garden can be used in the design of the site in a variety of ways.

Landings

The simplest of the possibilities is to plant the plants so that they set off different corners of the garden. If you combine different heights and different shades of foliage, even in winter some diversity will remain on the site.

Hedge

If you make it from deciduous plants shedding foliage, in winter it will lose all meaning, turn into an interweaving of dull black branches, through which what is happening on the site will be clearly visible. If you use evergreens for hedges, even in winter it will retain impenetrability and a chic look.

Garden decor with evergreens

Living sculptures

Sculptures made from shedding plants become quite unsightly in winter. Made from evergreens, they will retain their shape and chic even under snow.

Borders

Territory zoning is one of the best functions of undersized shrubs. They can separate the plantings from the paths, the paths from the lawns and the lawn from the house. In addition to the aesthetic function, they can also perform a protective one: do not let the wind through, do not allow weeds or grass to grow from the lawn.

Decoration of fences, arbors and any lattices

Evergreen climbing plants are best suited for this, which will make the house or gazebo look like ivy-covered castles even in winter.

Spruce in the garden

Depending on the purpose, you need to choose suitable plants - each of them is good for achieving certain goals.

Evergreen species

Evergreens are numerous and varied. Their household classification is quite simple. According to the type of foliage, evergreens are:

Moss lawn in the garden

Evergreens are classified differently in shape. Among them are:

In each sub-clause there are plants that can be used in the garden. The main thing is to figure out which one is suitable for what.

Evergreen hedge

Trees and shrubs

Trees and shrubs can be used for both hedges and simple gardening. Usually these are coniferous varieties, not only beautiful, but also fragrant.

Spruce

The most popular and familiar tree is found in three versions.

European

A giant spruce that can grow up to 30 meters in height and spread branches no less than 5 m. The first decade after planting grows slowly, then it can add more than half a meter in height in a year. In gardens, its decorative varieties are more often used:

Stone rose in the gardenPorch decor with evergreens

Prickly

Can grow up to 25 meters. The crown is low down with a bluish tint. The spines are long and sharp. It also has decorative subspecies:

Evergreen bushesArt Nouveau garden with evergreens

Serbian

The most frost-resistant spruce, which calmly tolerates frosts up to 30 degrees. Easy to care for, tolerates wind well. Has decorative varieties:

Spruce does not tolerate close proximity to other trees - its roots grow over a large area close to the surface and it makes no sense to plant any other plant closer than 3 meters away. Also does not like abundant watering, like many other coniferous woody plants. The ideal watering scheme is once every 10 days, little by little.

Likes light and grows well in full sun. Seedlings are best planted in summer, in dry, loosened soil.

Moss in the gardenJuniper in the garden

Fir

Fir is a coniferous evergreen plant with a grayish, pleasant shade of bark and soft needles. Its roots go deep into the ground, the cones do not fall off, but open right on the tree. Among decorative and popular varieties:

Fir loves light places and moist, loose soil, therefore, in dry times, it requires watering. It does not tolerate severe frosts; in the first year, the roots need a warm layer of spruce branches that will cover them.

Pieris in the gardenFir in the garden

Boxwood

Boxwood is a low-growing ornamental plant that is excellent for landscaping. With it, you can form a hedge or border, use it for garden zoning. Likes sunny or slightly shaded areas, well-loosened soil, frequent timely watering. It does not tolerate too shaded places, cold - in the fall, its roots should be covered with dry needles or sawdust.

Boxwood is a perennial plant that grows rapidly and chaotically in height and requires periodic pruning. Can be very effective with proper care.

At the same time, although boxwood is beautiful, it is poisonous. It is best to take care of him with gloves.

Ivy in garden decorWatering evergreens

Juniper

Juniper is one of the most popular evergreens. It can reach up to 12 meters in height, it has a pleasant smell and beautiful cones, which eventually turn from green to gray and begin to resemble berries. It has several decorative varieties:

Juniper grows for a long time and practically does not need care - it needs to be watered only during a drought and occasionally loosen the soil. Sometimes you can apply fertilizer.

One of the exotic advantages of juniper, which herbaceous evergreens cannot boast of, is cones. They can be used as a seasoning for meat or fish. They give the finished dish a pleasant fresh aroma.

Rhododendrons in the gardenEvergreen garden

Creepers and mosses

May be grouped as less popular than trees and shrubs. However, when used correctly, they can look no less impressive and at the same time much more original.

Ivy is a climbing evergreen deciduous plant. He loves warmth, loose acidic soil, an abundance of garters that can be braided. Its leaves reach a quarter of a meter in length, their color is greenish, yellowish or grayish. In autumn, flowers appear on the branches - small, green and similar to umbrellas - which by spring become large black berries with a pleasant nutmeg smell. They can be used as a spice.

Boxwood in the garden

Bindweed - evergreens that do not lose their attractiveness in winter. Leaves are silvery gray and bloom all summer, producing pink buds that open into white flowers. It needs supports, it can easily braid a fence, a hedge, a lattice, arbor pillars. During severe frosts, it is better to cover it from the cold.

Evergreens

Moss - garden varieties of moss look very impressive and can replace the lawn, because they easily overwinter under a layer of snow. They grow well in the shade, where the soil is acidic and humid. They do not require any special care, they can actually grow on their own.

Japanese Evergreen Garden

Evergreens are easier to care for than most. Periodic watering, a little care before the winter period, an interested observation of how things grow and spread - and even in winter the garden will look completely magical in summer.

Shade-tolerant and shade-loving deciduous and perennial garden plants

Starting gardening of the site, many owners are faced with a frequent problem associated with the selection of seedlings. When choosing species and varieties, it is necessary to build on not only the appearance of plants, but also their whimsicality. Knowing the characteristics of their growth, we can properly plant them on the site. For example, the well-known hydrangea prefers partial shade, and by planting it in the light, we simply create uncomfortable conditions for the plant, which can seriously harm the decorativeness of the seedling.

If your site is located in an open area and a sufficient amount of light enters it, you are unlikely to encounter a problem in selecting seedlings, since there are much more light-loving plants than those that can tolerate shading. Today we will talk about what plants grow in the shade.

First, let's understand the concept of shading. As the name implies, shade-loving garden plants are those that are able to grow in dimly lit areas, feeling quite comfortable and do not lose their decorative qualities in the absence of light. A shaded place is an area where the sun's rays fall less than 3 hours a day. In full shade, many seedlings feel unfavorable and in such conditions grow mainly herbaceous plants that grow in our forests.


Shade-loving perennials

When choosing plants for planting in the shade, pay attention to all kinds of forest geraniums, gravel, lilies of the valley, pachysandra, brunner (and a beautiful variegated form too) aquilegia, columbine, volzhanka, astilba, dicentra, tiarella, geyhera, periwinkle, fern, hosts, survivor and much more. Such plants can be planted together at a certain distance from each other. After 3-4 years, the "clearings" will close up and you will get a very interesting picture in shady areas.

If the projected place has more than 3 hours of sun a day, here you can already talk about mixborders - compositions not only with planting herbaceous plants, but also with the use of woody representatives. Such places are usually formed in the forest part of the site or near the bay window on the east or west side of the house.


As we discussed above, shade-tolerant plants with a dying aerial part, or in other words, shade-loving perennials are able to create whole litter in the forest. With such plants, there will be no problems when creating a flower garden. But what if you still want to use not only herbaceous, but also woody and shrubby plants?

Top 10 shade-loving garden shrubs

1. Canadian hemlock is a slow-growing coniferous tree, reaching a height of 5-7 meters. It has a broad pyramidal and slightly weeping shape. It has very interesting needles: it is flat, dark green, with small young growths of a light green shade. If you want to create an undergrowth, or, for example, you don’t want to look at the fence from the north window, Canadian hemlock can easily close it. In our garden center there are beautiful and interesting varieties, for example "Gentsch White" - needles with white stripes, or "Golden King" - a seedling with a golden color, which is also very unusual for conifers.

2. Continuing the theme of conifers, it is impossible not to mention the cross-pair microbiota. A seedling already at 10 years old reaches 1.5 -2 m in width, and is able to create plantations that are not inferior in beauty to the perennials presented at the beginning of the article. The microbiota easily endures strong winds, frosts down to -40, forms insurmountable curtains two meters in diameter. It has a decorative appearance: scaly dense green needles create a spectacular backdrop for flowering plants.


3. Yew berry - no less interesting coniferous species. It is a dioecious plant (that is, a female and a male are needed to set those same fruits), it grows slowly. At the age of 30, it reaches only 3-3.5 m in height. The yew has very dark needles, which allows you to create contrasting compositions with it. Numerous yew berries are attractive: bright red, unusual shape. Unfortunately, they are not edible and it is strongly not recommended to use them for food or preparations, but they look great against the background of emerald needles! Landscape designers appreciate the berry yew not only for its decorative effect, but also for its good tolerance to all kinds of haircuts. From it you can form a topiary even in shady, hidden corners of your garden. In "Romashkino Park" there are creeping and columnar varieties, and new arrivals with berries are among the first to be sorted!

4. Smoothly moving on to deciduous plants, we will start with the winged euonymus. A slow-growing shrub, reaching only 2 meters in diameter. From such a shade-loving plant, beautiful forms are also created: umbrellas, balls, and even deciduous bonsai! The plant has a small leaf, which gives it a noble appearance. And just imagine, in the fall, when all the plants have already faded, the euonymus turns bright crimson - from a distance it seems that the plant is only blooming on the eve of frost. I would like to note the unusual shoots of a chic shrub: they are faceted, with growths, because of which, in cross section, the branch resembles a diamond shape. Even in winter, thanks to this unusual feature, the euonymus will decorate your landscape.


5. No less popular for planting in the shade is turf. It is a shrub up to 4 meters in diameter, but its growth can be restrained at any level with the help of regular haircuts. It has an unusual variegated, white-green leaf. When looking at a derain bush, one gets the impression of an ever-flowering tree. It grows in any conditions and requires only top dressing and pruning, thanks to which it acquires a magnificent shape.

6. Rowan ordinary and viburnum ordinary.

We don't just give one place to two different species. We did this, because in terms of care and growth, they are very similar to each other. These shade tolerant garden plants will look great anywhere without requiring much maintenance. If the sun illuminates the area where you are going to plant them for at least 5 hours, you can take a closer look not only at the species representatives, but also at the varieties. So, modern mountain ash has many varieties: Titan, Pomegranate, Liquor, Scarlet Large and others. All of them are crossed with aronia, or hawthorn, and the taste with the first frosts is revealed in every berry!

Kalina without light will grow only ordinary, but she also has a variety of "Sargent", which feels great in the shade. Also in our garden center there are standard forms of viburnum, which are lantern-shaped shrubs that bloom in spring, turn orange-red in autumn, and stand with red berries in winter.


7. Crown mock orange (or garden jasmine) feels great in the shade and does not lose bloom due to lack of light. The second name was due to the aroma, similar to real jasmine - a liana growing in the tropics and subtropics. Mock orange grows up to 4 meters in height and slightly less in width. Regular pruning can and should be restrained in any form, otherwise it is able to quickly stretch in height, and lose in diameter and be “bald”. It is important to do this within 2 weeks after flowering, otherwise the bush then lays flower buds for the next year. A lot of varieties have been brought out, and even if you already have jasmine, try planting terry varieties, or strawberry jasmine - a plant with a characteristic aroma during the flowering period.

8. Holly mahonia - a low, slow-growing shrub up to 1-1.2 m in height with unusual shiny leaves covered with thorns. One of the few evergreen deciduous plants that can grow in the Moscow region. It blooms with yellow racemose inflorescences, then it forms dark blue, completely edible fruits. And in autumn, the leaves are painted in bright red-cherry shades. If you decide to choose mahonia for your shady area and enjoy its fruits, you must select at least two seedlings - this is the only way it will bear fruit.


9. Rhododendrons are truly spring garden kings! The thing is that the inflorescence of these evergreen shrubs consists of several bell-shaped flowers. And, when in the spring they bloom, it seems that the "bouquet" bloomed immediately. They require acidic soil, so they must be planted either in a special soil mixture for heather (rhododendrons belong to the heather family), or using acidic peat. Starting from the next year after planting, it is necessary to purchase fertilizers for rhododendrons. Such kings of the garden also require frame shelter. But not from the harsh climate of Russia, but from wet snow, which falls 2-3 times during the winter. At first glance, it may seem that the plant is too picky, but believe me, when you see it bloom in the spring, it will become your favorite in the garden.

10. Hydrangea paniculata is a stunning shrub that begins to bloom in the second half of summer, when lilacs, mock oranges, viburnums, rhododendrons, budley and others have already blossomed. A large selection is now underway to develop new varieties: they are small (Bobo, Little Lime), there are rich red (Diamond Rouge, Frize Melba), there are varieties that change color - first they bloom white, then they turn into raspberry shades, and many others worth noticing. All of them take root perfectly in our climate, but paniculate hydrangeas have one small feature - they wake up later than all other plants in your area. Therefore, you should be patient and wait for the awakening of the leaves.


An example of a corner mixborder near the path leading to the house

The concept of such flower beds is quite simple. You choose one, two or three woody plants (they will also be dominant in your mixborder), and line up the rest of the place with flower crops. Pay attention to the fact that a flower garden with variable flowering will be more interesting, which means pick up seedlings that will bloom one after another.

Very often there are situations in which it is necessary to resort to landscape tricks, which we decided to also mention in this article.

If you need a liana that can quickly close an inconspicuous corner, pay attention to the five-leafed girlish grapes. This is a magnificent plant that can grow under the canopy of the forest and wrap around the inconspicuous trunks of tall, two hundred year old spruces. In autumn, the leaves turn into all shades of red, and quite unusually: with the first frosts, the upper leaves turn red, and (when the wind moves) fresh green ones are also visible under the red leaves.

Beech forest "Dawyck Purple" (Davik Purple) - has a columnar shape with purple leaves. A plant for places where the sun appears at least 4 hours a day. Leaves turn light brown in autumn.

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