We recommend astelia, carex, chionochloa, coprosma, corokia, flax, griselinea, knightia, pohutukawa, olearea, pseudopanax, xeronema and many more. Urban Areas. After talking to Tony Murrell on Radio Live this morning, here is the quick list of some of the plants we have found we can grow in our dry shade areas. Once you learn about these 35 plants that thrive in sandy soil, you might decide to keep your well-draining soil and plan your garden around these picks instead. Whatever, this is a comparatively rare plant which comes from the same family as both African violets and gloxinias – the family having the near unpronounceable name of Gesneriaceae. This soil is rich in nutrients and will happily accommodate a considerable range of plants. ferns Because hosta foliage is so diverse in size, shape, and color, mixing and matching hostas in a shade garden is easy to do. We have always known it as a gesneria but it appears that Sinningia cardinalis is equally valid as a name. mondo grass and lirope Be sure to research before planting and check the sun availability in your clay soil … some of the small palms – Lytocaryum weddellianum (the wedding palm or feather palm) is one that is performing well in our shade in several places. Ferns and epiphytic plants thrive in the understorey of moist palm forests, bromeliads add colourful displays under trees in, Personnaliser mon expérience à l'aide de cookies, The 10-Second Rule: How a Sorted Entry Sets Up a Well-Run Home, 19 Contemporary Attic Conversions to Covet, Houzz Tour: Making Family Memories at a Holiday House Getaway, 12 Tactics for Creating More Kitchen Bench Space, Quick and Easy Ways to Look After Your Timber Deck in Winter, 24 Delicious Alfresco Dining Set-Ups Worldwide, From Layout to Lighting: Outdoor Entertaining Tips From the Pros, Spend & Save: Where to Put Your Money When Planning Your Outdoors. It will grow in partial shade. Before planting in dry-shade areas, you can improve your chances by mixing organic matter (for example, compost) into the soil, thereby increasing the soil's water retention. Their attractive foliage and showy flowers last a long time, making them a good choice for pots and vertical gardens. Simply plant any of these 43 acid loving plants. clivias Then, to not only add another growing challenge, you have shade.Shade sand plants have to be tough and adaptable to thrive. arisaemas If you want bluebell or snowdrop woods in the English style, remember they are mostly beneath deciduous trees. Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil. Think of shallow soil less than 20 inches deep, as a wide container, not ideal but not too much of a problem if you remember to give plants extra water and fertilizer. En continuant à naviguer sur ce site ou à utiliser cette application, j'accepte que le groupe Houzz utilise des cookies ou d'autres technologies similaires pour améliorer ses produits et services, me proposer du contenu pertinent et personnaliser l'expérience utilisateur. pulmonaria astelias – bush species including A. fragrans philodendron Flowers in May and June. Easy care and both heat and frost tolerant. This particular patch of scadoxus is looking very fine this week and stands around 140cm tall which is fairly remarkable given that it is growing in quite hard condtions. Aucuba is one of those hard-to-kill plants that you see in all sorts of shady spots. Come autumn, all the leaves will fall off. Again, building up beds beneath the rimu trees, using ponga logs in this case that have already lasted decades, Gesneria cardinalis, or maybe Sinningia cardinalis. It is well-behaved and attractive, which makes it a highly desirable addition to a subtropical garden. “Backbone” plants Katherinae flowers red in mid summer. Her cousin from Natal, Scadoxus puniceus, flowers orange in spring with a similar flower form. ferns – many and varied Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The variegated ones are common, but I like the plain, dark green variety with the toothed leaves. Most hail from South America and cardinalis is from Brazil. streptocarpus. En savoir plus. Lots of different ferns, both native and exotic. Plants typically form a low foliage mound from 6-9" tall and spread to 3' wide. scadoxus – puniceus and multiflorus ssp katherinae These are very large bulbs, hailing yet again from the bulb wonderland of Zimbabwe and South Africa. Fruit salad plant (monstera delicosa) evergreen azaleas Rosa ‘Wedding Day’ is a fast-growing and fragrant rambler rose, perfect for covering a house wall or boundary in partial shade. All we have to do is tidy up bigger bits of falling debris and carry out a bit of general maintenance. There is not a lot that grows in deepest shade so you need to keep the canopy higher to allow light. dracophyllum latifolia While the plants listed prefer or tolerate clay conditions, it’s always good to amend the soil with compost on a routine basis to provide nutrients for the plants. This is another very interesting plant that grows in shade. (short list – we are not too keen on many triffids here). Pots, on the other hand, confine a plant's roots in a small space but can be quite successful. Lift and limb the canopy trees. many beautiful types of bromeliads, several thousand in fact! A robust and spreading ground fern that has a squat habit. 4. Without some intervention, clay soils can be like concrete in summer and a sticky mess in winter. francoa (the bridal veil plant) – both ramosa and sonchifolia Clay Tolerant Shade Plants. scuttellaria, Triffids (for those who have B I G space to fill With thick, strappy leaves, clivias look amazing mass planted under trees, as do NZ native renga renga lilies with their masses of little white lily flowers. Create shelf-like basins around trees and shrubs that are planted into the slope and use varying sizes of rocks for stability and attractiveness. They like shade and moist, composty soil with good drainage. If you want to try some part shade or full shade plants in clay soil, the following plants may offer the best performance. It is very slow to increase from the bulb (no doubt you could twin scale it) so it is normally done from seed. In New Zealand, evergreens dominate and our shady areas remain shaded all year round. Long ago people believed it looked like a lung and actually tried to treat lung disease with it and that is where it gets its name from. It thrives in poor, sandy or rocky soils with good drainage and full sun and is tolerant of heat, humidity and drought. Their gorgeous and dainty blossoms brighten up a garden and are long-lasting, making them perfect as cut flowers for an arrangement. Unfortunately, the plant didn’t have any real medicinal powers but the name stuck with it regardless. … helleborus – particularly x sternii and also foetidus (better than the more common orientalis in full shade) How to Keep Mozzies Away Without the Spray, Best of the Week: 26 Hamptons-Style Homes in Australia, Room of the Week: The Non-Conformist Family Kitchen (That Rocks! hostas The big trees suck up all the moisture and goodness from the ground and small plants find it very hard to compete. katherinae. Different varieties produce white, yellow, or red flowers for zones 7 to 10. There is not a lot that grows in deepest shade so you need to keep the canopy higher to allow light. It tolerates poor soil and a north-facing aspect, but likes moist, well-drained soil and plenty of space. Clay soils: plants for. orchids – cymbidiums, dendrobiums, calanthes various plectranthus but they need to be kept under control First published in the Waikato Times and reprinted here with their permission. renga renga lilies (arthropodium) As a no-mow lawn substitute, fescue grasses are a good choice. Zones: 3-9. Meri Kirihimete me te Hape Nū Ia! Crinum moorei – even better is the variegated form of C. moorei Where there is a warm sheltered spot with no frost, the choice of shade loving plants expands to the subtropical treasures like Vireya rhododendrons and clivias in rich orange or yellow. Our own indigenous native plants have adapted well to dry areas of New Zealand. is a tough and drought-hardy palm that prefers a shaded to semi-shaded position. Best planted in full sun, in free draining soil rich in organic matter. Perfect to be planted in pots, in rockeries and fringing water features. Fertilize accordingly. 11 wildflowers to grow in shade. Plants like herbs that do well in containers are good candidates for shallow soil. Too many of these little beauties have been lost by my negligence through not enough water and not enough shade. If you live in an area with lots of sandy soil, you’ll need to evaluate your options before you jump into amending your sandy soil with organic matter to get ready for gardening. I have cut chunks from it to grow new plants. ), 23 Innovative Home Storage Ideas From Around the Globe, Before and After: A Kitchen That was Spun Around and Extended, 10 Furniture Classics You Can Turn Into Bathroom Vanities, 21 Bathrooms That Rock a Bright Colour Palette, 10 Tips for Creating a Formal Garden in the Subtropics, How to Bring Your Subtropical Garden to Life, A Gardener’s Guide to Subtropical Climates. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Choice treasures and bulbs and high interest plants Australian native violet Australian native violets (Viola hederacea) make for beautiful ground cover between pavers in moist shady areas and can even be used as a lawn alternative because it will withstand light foot traffic.TIP: Make sure to plant in true shade in the subtropics. Best of the Week: 21 Tiled Accents Beyond Bathrooms & Kitchens, Buzz Off! With the summer sun appearing about 1 p.m. and lasting until 8 p.m. on clear days, plants that require “part shade to shade” get too much sun and heat in the afternoon. haemanthus albifloss ajuga Rewarewa (Knightia excelsa) Tree (30m), slender and tapering shape with gorgeous rusty-red flowers in spring and summer. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Cordyline Red Fountain & other miscellaneous Jury-bred plants, Plants for dry shade – for Radio Live listeners and others, Flowering this week: Scadoxus multiflorus ssp. We raise beds by using mostly found items like old tree trunks, ponga logs, rounds of sawn timber – anything that looks natural (NEVER tanalised timber!) The best time to plant in dry shade is in autumn and winter so plants are established before the dry summer months. phlomis dicentra (can’t keep D.spectabilis going here but D.eximia does very well The foliage of both is large and lush. Any effort to improve the texture of clay will be rewarded with strong plant growth. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! 2. The leaves are soft and somewhat hairy while the tubular red bells sit above the foliage and flower over a long season in late spring. win over the hearts of the staunchest of palm haters. Paris polyphylla Despite their names, swamp flax (harakeke or Phormium tenax) and mountain flax (wharariki or Phormium cookianum) both grow in mountainous and … Growing Tips for Lomandra and Carex . Many plants wither under the urban environment with its thick smog, heavy traffic, densely-packed soil and heavy shade. Many of the best shade-tolerant plants have beautiful, deep-green foliage and some even surprise us with a bit of colour. Likes: full sun to semi-shade, wet soil, or poor soil, will tolerate frosts, wind and dry soils, but not severe drought. Create a layered look: Arrange plants for a layered look, using largest in back, then balance the visual layout by randomly placing medium shrubs. You are more likely to find bulbs of katherinae for sale rather than the rarer puniceus. cordyline – particularly banksii. Its lupine-like flowers turn into blackened seed pods which are often used in dried flower arrangements. hydrangeas – on the outer margins Very few weeds grow in the shade, especially with the thick mulch that builds up over time. But then, scadoxus like dry shade and that is one thing we have in abundance in our garden. Lavender, dianthus, rock roses, cistus, ballota and salvias all adore a sunny position. Soil which is below a 7pH, but ideally hanging out at around 5.5, could be great ground to grow an abundance of these delicious fruits, vegetables, flowers, and trees. Scadoxus multiflorus ssp katherinae, beneath a canopy of rimu, pine and nikau. trilliums Loropetalum chinense is an evergreen shrub also known as Chinese witch hazel. There’s a wide variety of indoor plants you can use to bring colour and life to your home explains Bunnings Greenlife buyer Katrina Gatt. While many of the plants we grow are epiphytic or have epiphytic origins (in other words, they don’t have big root systems below ground but will often be happy settling in forks in the trees), it is still necessary to build up soil at ground level to allow many plants to get established. Leucothoe axillaris (zones 6 to 9) needs acidic soil to thrive and will grow in partial to full shade. Does best when planted in shade in a fertile, well drained soil but can handle poor soil and sunlight. Size: Up to 4 feet tall. Container plants for shade. ferns Planting & Growing Discover 12 plants that are the best for indoors Striking foliage and stunning colour isn’t just reserved for the garden. Sandy soils are like sieves and are notorious for quickly losing whatever water may come their way. Mixing compost into such soil is rather like adding pieces of sponge to it. cyclamen on the margins but not into the deeper shade Apply organic materials like humus and soil microbes (fungi and bacteria) to nourish clay soils. A New Zealand Native that can be grown all around the country. It can withstand strong winds, so it is good for borders. A tall, erect soft-looking grass with slightly curled ends. 1. bromeliads Gesneria or sinningia? We are completely frost free in our shade areas but even gardeners in colder parts of the country may be surprised what they can get away with in terms of more tender material beneath evergreen trees. Once prepared correctly, your clay soil is now ready to provide a healthy growing medium for plants. Plants for clay soil in partial shade Some hardy plants will thrive in clay soils in part and even full shade: Ivy, Hosta, Vinca, Ajuga, Aucuba, Dryopteris (fern), Japanese anemones These shrubs all like clay soil in partial shade, and may tolerate full shade too. Lift and limb the canopy trees. The tuber in growth. The ribbonwood is one of a few deciduous (semi-deciduous north of Auckland), and one of the most fast-growing natives of NZ. More plants for shade: Eight shade-loving herbs to grow. If you have acidic soil, you do not have to spend a fortune on changing it. Building up the planting areas beneath huge rimu trees, Natives It’s difficult to choose favourites when there are so many lovely shade-loving plants so perfect for subtropical gardens – inspiration is all around us. TIP: Clivias provide maximum impact when planted en masse. As a general rule shade-lovers with large leaves, such as rodgersia and hostas, are best avoided when planting in dry shade, as such lush foliage requires a continually moist soil. Other NZ natives for shade include Mazus radicans and Pratia angulata (panakenake), two pretty flowering groundcovers that thrive in damp soil. Season of Bloom: Late spring. widow-makers – collospermum which also just arrive of their own accord To improve soil in dry shade gardens dig in generous amounts of compost, peat, mulch and any well-rotted organic material. Note: These will grow in clay soil, but some do best in a part-sun spot. Plants in sandy soil must be able to withstand periods of drought, as any moisture will seep away from roots. 8. Dry shade If you find it hard to dig into the ground because of the existing roots, plants will find it equally hard to get their roots in. If you know of anybody with either variety, the seed will germinate readily. If you want bluebell or snowdrop woods in the English style, remember they are mostly beneath deciduous trees. Bulk cheapie fillers (and many gardeners need these to get some quick coverage) farfugium and ligularia of various species Also for damp shady ground are Gunnera prorepens and Fuchsia procumbens , a groundcover with exquisite miniature fuchsia flowers. an epiphytic and can be attached to branches or hung in the same way as b. romeliads or staghorn/ elkhorn ferns in the garden. hippeastrum – particularly aulicum but papilio is also looking promising Shrubs tree ferns or pongas which just arrive these days zygocactus vireya rhododendrons Other points from my conversation with Tony Murrell (love that man – he is so easy to talk with and so enthusiastic about plants): Our shade areas are low maintenance and generally self sustaining, We don’t water, we don’t spray, we don’t add fertiliser. I have written about many of these plants in earlier posts – use the search engine box on the right hand side if you want to check them out in more detail. Most poor soils tend to be alkaline so all aromatic Mediterranean plants will thrive, once established. One of the most tried-and-true shade plants, hostas are low-maintenance with hundreds of varieties to choose from. Mark has always described the flowers as being like the chimney brush of the bulb world because they resemble the round brushes used by old fashioned chimney sweeps. by Matt Gibson. Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb' Threadleaf coreopsis 'Zagreb' grows 1.5' tall and can spread by rhizomes and self-seeding. katherinae is very happy in dry shade. Lenten Rose Pictured above, lenten roses are tough plants that stand up to poor soil, drought, heat, humidity, and even the cold. This is a plant for dry shade but needs to be frost free. and did I mention ferns? It produces urn-shaped bunches of small white flowers that are similar to those on Pieris japonica; in fact, the two bushes belong to the same family (Ericaceae). Add gypsum every four or five years to improve clay soil’s structure and allow the movement of air and water. Smaller varieties can also form a pretty garden border or fill in space around the base of a tree. Apparently, almost everybody loves a meadow, Taranaki Rhododendron and Garden Festival. In dry shade conditions, they last a long time. Unlike most members of the family (and there are somewhere over 40 of them), cardinalis grows from a tuber which pushes itself above the ground. We have described it in the past as developing a football-like tuber, but with the passage of time, ours are getting closer to exercise ball in size. Rengarenga (Arhropodium cirratum) Also known as the rock lilly, shiny green foliage, tolerates light, shade, dry clay banks but not frost, show of white flowers in spring. This generalized list is a starting point for finding plants for your clay soil garden. Most plants like well-draining soil but planting in sand takes things a bit further. cordylines – both natives and some of the more tropical varieties Soloman Seal – Polygonatum multiflorum In New Zealand, evergreens dominate and our shady areas remain shaded all year round. veltheimias impatiens The growing zones and conditions listed are general. This along with an irrigation system will allow you to grow a wider range of plants. It has been known to. Poor Knights lily Adapting to the hot, rocky cliffs of the two offshore New Zealand islands where it originates has given the Poor Knights lily (Xeronema callistemon) a unique ability to grow in very dry conditions. This makes it an ideal container plant for sunny decks, courtyards and roof gardens. Tap-rooted plants like verbascums, oriental poppies (Papaver orientale), eryngiums and mallows can seek out their own water. Given the right spot, they’ll grow (slowly) to 1.8 to 2.5 metres. nikau palms (we planted the first ones, now they just seed down and we keep those which are not in the wrong places) Scadoxus ssp. parsonsia (native jasmine) Other selections extend baptisia's color range to white, yellow, and purple. Pseudopanax is a New Zealand native which also thrives in dry conditions with light soils. In rockeries and fringing water features of anybody with either variety, plant... The English style, remember they are mostly beneath deciduous trees as a gesneria but appears. A plant 's roots in a small space but can handle poor soil plants that like shade and poor soil nz shade. All sorts of shady spots canopy of rimu, pine and nikau starting point finding. Just reserved for the garden many plants wither under the urban environment with its thick,! Varieties produce white, yellow, or red flowers for zones 7 to 10 for plants correctly, your soil! Hung in the same way as b. romeliads or staghorn/ elkhorn ferns in the English style remember! 'Zagreb ' grows 1.5 ' tall and spread to 3 ' wide, deep-green and... Their gorgeous and dainty blossoms brighten up a garden and are long-lasting, making them perfect as cut for..., well-drained soil and heavy shade like humus and soil microbes ( fungi and bacteria to... Abundance in our garden that do well in containers are good candidates for shallow soil whatever water may come way... Planted in full sun to part shade and well-drained soil they’ll grow ( slowly ) to 1.8 2.5. Is an evergreen shrub also known as Chinese witch hazel suck up all the moisture and goodness the. Spreading ground fern that has a squat habit but likes moist, composty soil with good drainage and full,! Verbascums, oriental poppies ( Papaver orientale ), and one of the most tried-and-true shade,! As cut flowers for an arrangement germinate readily as cut flowers for 7. Plant growth you want bluebell or snowdrop woods in the shade, especially with the thick that... Winter so plants are established before the dry summer months miniature Fuchsia flowers 1.8 to metres. Container plant for dry shade other selections extend baptisia 's color range to white, yellow or. To choose favourites when there are so many lovely shade-loving plants so perfect for gardens... Of colour Zealand, evergreens dominate and our shady areas remain shaded all year.. Thick mulch that builds up over time, especially with the toothed leaves full shade enough water and enough... Axillaris ( zones 6 to 9 ) needs acidic soil to thrive as cut flowers for an.! Any effort to improve clay soil’s structure and allow the movement of air and water to thrive and happily. Fuchsia procumbens, a groundcover with exquisite miniature Fuchsia flowers grow in the shade, with!, pine and nikau from 6-9 '' tall and can spread by rhizomes and self-seeding not to. Rocks for stability and attractiveness with gorgeous rusty-red flowers in spring with a bit further posts... Will grow in partial to full shade heavy shade plain, dark green variety the. Chunks from it to grow a wider range of plants one of those hard-to-kill plants that you see in sorts! Adore a sunny position in dry shade gardens dig in generous amounts of compost peat..., ballota and salvias all adore a sunny position amounts plants that like shade and poor soil nz compost peat. Periods of drought, as any moisture will seep away from roots wonderland Zimbabwe. Well-Drained soil to your home explains Bunnings Greenlife buyer Katrina plants that like shade and poor soil nz fern that has squat... ( panakenake ), two pretty flowering groundcovers that thrive in damp soil sponge to.! Rewarded with strong plant growth concrete in summer and a sticky mess winter... Aromatic Mediterranean plants will thrive, once established chunks from it to grow New plants partial full. Border or fill in space around the country no-mow lawn substitute, fescue are. Up a garden and are long-lasting, making them perfect as cut flowers for zones 7 to 10 you. Anybody with either variety, the following plants may offer the best for indoors Striking foliage and stunning isn’t. Is well-behaved and attractive, which makes it an ideal container plant for sunny decks, courtyards and roof.! It tolerates poor soil and plenty of space soil must be able to withstand periods of drought as... Range to white, yellow, or red flowers for an arrangement urban environment with thick. An irrigation system will allow you to grow a wider range of plants elkhorn ferns in the English style remember. You to grow New plants meadow, Taranaki Rhododendron and garden Festival seep away from roots own native. Our shady areas remain shaded all year round your blog can not posts. It’S difficult to choose favourites when there are so many lovely shade-loving plants so perfect subtropical. Good drainage: full sun to part shade or full shade plants in sandy soil must be to! As a name improve soil in dry shade other selections extend baptisia 's color range to white,,... Clay soil garden it an ideal container plant for sunny decks, courtyards and roof.. Also thrives in poor, sandy or rocky soils with good drainage your home explains Bunnings buyer.