What to plant under a hedge?

Julia_G

Hello! New member here.

We have a very shady, damp garden and some very small hedges around a shed. We keep them neat and high off the ground.

I would like to plant some nice flowers underneath or some other plant, keeping in mind it's very shady. I was thinking alyssum, I planted some today in a corner to see how they get on. Ideally, it would be a flowering plant that can carpet the whole area. One consideration is that it will only flower for a short time once a year, so what will it look like the rest of the year...

Another school of thought in the house is to put some nice pebbles underneath and move on...

Not into bulb flowers for that area, as some online article suggest.

Any suggestions? Do you do anything with that area underneath the hedges?

looksee

I'd be inclined to go with the pebbles/mulch approach. Alyssum will not flourish in shade - presumably you mean the yellow perennial one? (Alyssum saxatilis), the white one (lobularia maritima) is a short lived annual, in both cases they need sun.

In that kind of shady spot you would be better with ferns - obviously no flowers, Berginia - tends to be a bit large and sprawly, Heuchera, flowers are a bit insignificant but the leaves more than make up for them, very reliable in shade. Pansies will grow in semi-shade but they don't really last from year to year even though they are theoretically perennials. Yellow Archangels (dead nettle) are ok in shade and have pretty leaves and flowers. Bit of a weed in easy spots but in a difficult area they work well.

Julia_G

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121901728#Comment_121901728

Thank you, these suggestions are great. I just want to maximise all the space in the garden for plants, it's very difficult as everything is so shady.

The main patch in the garden is going through a lot of experimenting. Last year, we planted a huge variety of a native flower mix, which looked stunning, but then of course left a lot of work and not such a pretty sight behind. We did plant some ferns this year, a lovely mix from Mount Venus Nursery, so we'll see how they get on. They're not much to look at right now... and I'm trying to get an echium going, it grew so rapidly, but then got destroyed in one of the recent storms, hopefully it'll bounce back.

But yes, under the hedge, I'll look into your suggestions and see if I can save that patch or resort to pebbles.

paddylonglegs

Anemome is good for shade and I believe will spread. I have found hellebore are also happy enough in some shade so that could be an option for spring time.

I imagine shadyplants (dot) ie would be a good source for advice.

Griffin47

What are the hedging plants? Some, like privet, are gross feeders, and would out-compete anything planted under them, while the latter would impoverish the hedge. Just go for pebbles or mulch if weeds are a concern.

Julia_G

Thanks, everyone, lots to research!

looksee

Hellebore is a good suggestion! I have one growing in total shade and others in various situations through semi-shade to full sun and they are all happy. The ones with faces upwards are the best imo, the smaller greenish white flowered ones look bright in shade.

OscarMIlde

Cyclamen do really well in the shade, particularly if they have other plants about to shelter them from the elements. The house we moved into has lily of the valley under some trees/bushes and it comes back every year. Primroses will also do really well and will flower for about 4-6 months and reflower the following year, although aesthetically may not match a border scheme with hellobore and cyclamen.

looksee

I once, as a child, saw a huge mass of lily of the valley growing under a formal hedge, never forgotten it, but never managed to recreate it.

The Continental Op

OP if you don't mind spending the money on some very very expensive hard to get plants then Trilliums do well in damp shade. coolplants.com seem to have a few and I think they will supply to Ireland.

SuperBowserWorld

Winter Heliotrope, it's running rampant all over the place. Will grow in shade and all over your garden and everywhere else too. It was once an imported plant too. 😆

"Winter heliotrope, a native plant in the Mediterranean, was introduced to Ireland in the early nineteenth century and is now an invasive alien species, having escaped from gardens. As with all invasive alien species, the problem is that winter heliotrope crowds out our native Irish biodiversity." teagasc

Remember that when you are randomly buying crap for your gardens. 😆😆

looksee

I thought for a minute you were suggesting planting winter heliotrope! Absolutely do not.

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121962210#Comment_121962210

Definitely do not plant or spread winter heliotrope.

Just making a point about how crap we import into this country can have huge unintended consequences. Not just the plants themselves but other bugs and diseases that come with them. And it's still happening, even in 2024.