Shade gardens
 

I have a lattice fence in the corner of the back yard which hides the yard waste/compost heap. Once the deciduous trees leaf out it doesn't get but a couple of hours of full sun. The rest of the time it's dappled light. I've given up trying to grow plants with require several hours of full sun

I am looking for suggestions for a shade garden here. Ideally, it would contain planys which attract bees/butterflies/hummingbirds. But this may not be possible.

I'm hoping to hear from others how they tackle a less than sunny area.

I bought the trellises today because I liked them an thought maybe I could grow some vines that don't require a lot of sun. Suggestions?

Note: There's a mystery tomato over the lattice that's been growing there all winter.

I have a similar corner in my garden.
I planted the Lady Margaret and Inspiration Passion flowers in pots behind a shrubby Magnolia laevifolia. The Passion flowers grow up a chain link fence and into the neighbors weedy trees.
Next to the Magnolia is a group of Abutilon striatum and the hummingbirds use them often.

Behind the Abutilon is also a big pot of aristolochia fimbriata (another host plant) and I’m putting in one more.
Sarcococca confusa is another great shade plant.
You also might try Hamelia; mine flower pretty well in part shade.

I have some pinkish purple monarda(bee balm) growing in pure or nearly pure shade. I also have some pinkish white monarda that is a different species that is found growing at the edge of woods hereabouts. The pink-purple stuff likes sun but the pink-white stuff needs some shade and I've also seen it growing in pure shade. Both attract bumblebees. Sometimes the pink-purple stuff will interest a hummingbird if there's no red monarda around. I have some of what I think is the pink-purple; it is seed from this year I could send you. If you partook of the MMMM, maybe you received some. PM me if you'd like some.



Nan

Jane and Nan, thanks for the replies. Jane- I also have a passion vine "Inspiration" I grew last year in a pot and it did great. I cut it back about a week ago and it's putting on new growth already. If your vine is growing in partial shade, I can try one in my problem area. As for hamelia, I googled it and it was confirmed that in my area they can tolerate partial shade.

Nan- I read that certain bee balms can tolerate partial shade. Nice that this is confirmed by you. I'll PM you.

I also found that perennial phlox and astilbe can tolerate partial shade, so my list of potential plants is growing.

Viola Hederacea
 

I bought 5 of these tiny plants that grow in part to full shade. I wish I had bought more. The jury is out on whether these attract any pollinators, but they are pretty and are shade tolerant. I put them in a shady part of the butterfly/hummingbird garden.

What a difference 6 weeks makes
 

6 weeks ago this area looked like the first photo in this thread. This is it today.

Wonderful transformation!

What's growing
 

Things will look better as everything fills in. I still have caladium corms that haven't broken the soil yet. And the sedum I grew from bare roots is still small. Today I cheated and added a purchased pot of purslane in order to add vertical interest. Also, the gladioli In front of the pentas and torenia obviously still have a way to go. The blue passion flower will grow nicely and fill in the trellises and hopefully the latticework.

Looking really great! Can’t wait for continuing pictures...

I see a lot of work in those pictures. It's worth it if you enjoy it and good excercise, too. Nice choices of vibrant colours that should attract any butterflies and hummingbirds in your neighbourhood. Looking forward to watching your garden grow and seeing who your visitors are.

Caladiums love the things.