If you live in an older Charleston neighborhood, you may be blessed with large oaks, magnolias and other trees that provide ample shade from the heat of the Lowcountry summer sun. But that also means taking time to select plants for your garden design that flourish in a shady spot. Plenty of shrubs, groundcovers and flowering plants do quite well in shade or partial shade areas so don’t worry you won’t have a good selection for your green space.
Although they don’t always love the shade, many shrubs will tolerate partial shade or a blend of morning sun and afternoon shade.
Some good choices that Charleston Landscape recommends:
Boxwood
Camellia
Sago Palm
Holly
Azalea
Rhododendron
Viburnum
Beautyberry
Witch Hazel
Hydrangea
Farkleberry
Yellowroot
Groundcovers, including vines, are an excellent choice for shade. They also provide a nice alternative for a shady area of your yard where the grass doesn’t grow so well. And vines can provide a nice accent to any outdoor shade structure or vertical gardening accent piece.
Some good groundcover choices for the shady part of your Charleston landscape include:
Wild Ginger
Leadwort
Lily of the Valley
Mondo Grass
Sweet Box
Periwinkle
For vines, try Violet Trumpet, Creeping Fig, Carolina Jessamine, English Ivy, Honeysuckle, Star Jasmine and American Wisteria.
Just because your garden is shady, doesn’t mean you have to forego colorful flowers and breathtaking blossoms. A vast array of perennials will do quite well in less-than-sunny conditions.
Some good options recommended by Charleston Landscape include:
Blue Star
Hardy Begonia
Golden Sedge
Hardy Cyclamen
Foxglove
Plantain Lily
Primrose
Japanese Yellow Sage
Violet
For a shady porch, gazebo or other shade structure, add some ferns in hanging baskets. Most varieties don’t mind the shade plus they bring some plants to eye level for added height and variety.
If you like planting annuals, keep in mind most varieties need at least six hours of sun to flower well. Many will tolerate afternoon shade if they have access to good morning sun. So if have an area of your garden with full morning sun, you might try the Begonia, Caladium, Larkspur, Impatiens, Forget-Me-Not and Pansy.
The key to creating a beautiful landscape that thrives in the shade is selecting the right mix of plants that will do well in your particular garden conditions. Check out the Clemson Cooperative Extension for more on gardening in the shade. And here’s a list of more shade-loving plants from its Home and Garden Information Center.
If you live in an older Charleston neighborhood, you may be blessed with large oaks, magnolias and other trees that provide ample shade from the heat of the Lowcountry summer sun. But that also means taking time to select plants for your garden design that flourish in a shady spot. Plenty of shrubs, groundcovers and flowering plants do quite well in shade or partial shade areas so don’t worry you won’t have a good selection for your green space.
Although they don’t always love the shade, many shrubs will tolerate partial shade or a blend of morning sun and afternoon shade.
Some good choices that Charleston Landscape recommends:
Groundcovers, including vines, are an excellent choice for shade. They also provide a nice alternative for a shady area of your yard where the grass doesn’t grow so well. And vines can provide a nice accent to any outdoor shade structure or vertical gardening accent piece.
Some good groundcover choices for the shady part of your Charleston landscape include:
For vines, try Violet Trumpet, Creeping Fig, Carolina Jessamine, English Ivy, Honeysuckle, Star Jasmine and American Wisteria.
Just because your garden is shady, doesn’t mean you have to forego colorful flowers and breathtaking blossoms. A vast array of perennials will do quite well in less-than-sunny conditions.
Some good options recommended by Charleston Landscape include:
For a shady porch, gazebo or other shade structure, add some ferns in hanging baskets. Most varieties don’t mind the shade plus they bring some plants to eye level for added height and variety.
If you like planting annuals, keep in mind most varieties need at least six hours of sun to flower well. Many will tolerate afternoon shade if they have access to good morning sun. So if have an area of your garden with full morning sun, you might try the Begonia, Caladium, Larkspur, Impatiens, Forget-Me-Not and Pansy.
The key to creating a beautiful landscape that thrives in the shade is selecting the right mix of plants that will do well in your particular garden conditions. Check out the Clemson Cooperative Extension for more on gardening in the shade. And here’s a list of more shade-loving plants from its Home and Garden Information Center.