greenqueen
Full Member
Posts: 41
Joined: Sun Nov 14, 2010 9:09 am
Location: Chicago Suburbs

shade container suggestions please

I have a large front porch facing North, but it is open shade, so bright shade. No direct sun ever, tho. My house is an L shape, so the door is actually in the corner, so the darkest area. I did hostas, boston ferns, some rex begonias, sweet potato vines, and heuchera in pots last year, which looked good, then put a christmas tree in a large pot for the holidays, and now that I removed that it is BARE. Too early for anything but petunias, and that is not enough height.

Any suggestions? My porch is screaming for some nature.

cynthia_h
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 7500
Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 7:02 pm
Location: El Cerrito, CA

There may be some native, understory plants that will do well (or at least OK) with your northern, protected exposure. A locally owned/operated nursery would be able to help you in this regard, or a native plant society. I know that there are prairie preservation/restoration groups active in the American/Canadian midsections; maybe they'll have some suggestions, too.

I hope you find plants to make you happy, soon. :)

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

GardenNut101
Full Member
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2011 6:08 am
Location: England

Garden and patio container plants that you might try are Hardy geraniums - the blue one is good in shade. Ferns are good too.

You might try this website which specialises in plants for shade.

https://plantsforshade.co.uk

Hope that helps



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