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The Master gardener : Many options for dry shade areas

The geranium Margaret Wilson prefers part shade. Courtesy of Pat Munts (Courtesy of Pat Munts / The Spokesman-Review)
Janis Saiki Correspondent
The geranium Margaret Wilson prefers part shade. Courtesy of Pat Munts (Courtesy of Pat Munts / The Spokesman-Review)

A lot is written about sun-loving, drought-tolerant plants, but did you know there are a great many plants, once established, that will grow in dry shade? Some of these are evergreen and can make the dry shade area in your garden lush, interesting and colorful all year round.

Acanthopanax sieboldianus “Variegatus” (renamed Eleutherococcus, 5-leaf Aralia) has thick, palmate foliage that has been splashed with creamy white. This Japanese native is extremely adaptable and will add interest in sun or shade. It slowly grows to 5 feet. Zone 4.

Ballota “Archer’s Variety” will brighten shade with its bright white splashed foliage. Height 24 inches. Zone 4.

Brunnera has beautiful heart-shaped leaves and gorgeous sprays of blue forget-me-not like flowers in spring. Try extraordinary cultivars like “Looking Glass,” with its almost totally silver leaves; “Jack Frost,” with green veined foliage, overlayed with silver; or “Variegata,” that flaunts leaves with wide creamy white margins. Height 12 inches. Zone 3

Dryopteris marginalis (marginal wood fern) can thrive in drier soils and is semi-evergreen. Height 2 feet. Zone 3.

Epimediums (barrenwort) have heart-shaped leaves that will stay green and take on a red cast during winter. Trim the foliage off before the delicate, small, floating, crown-like flowers appear in March. Height ranges from 8 to 24 inches depending on the cultivar. Zone 5.

Geranium phaem “Margaret Wilson” prefers dry shade and develops long blooming pale purple flowers in spring. Because the foliage is variegated, it adds light and interest to a planting.

Helleborus has lush, dark, evergreen, shiny, palmate foliage. In late winter, flowers are formed and are effective for as long as four months. Helleborus x hybridus “Red Lady” and “Grand Burgundy” both have dark red flowers while “Mrs. Betty Ranicar” is a double white cultivar.

A spectacular grouping of Heuchera (coral bells) “Obsidian,” “Peach Flambe,” “Marmalade,” “Magic Color,” “Lime Rickey,” “Midnight Rose,” would give you a rainbow of evergreen color all through the year. Height 16-24 inches. Zone 4.

Hostas flourish in dry shade and are available in a wide array of color combinations. Two outstanding cultivars are “Fire Island” with bright yellow leaves and “Hanky Panky” with foliage lined with white and margined with lime green. Zone 5.

Lamium is a lovely drought tolerant groundcover. L. “Orchid Frost” has frosty foliage and orchid colored, long blooming flowers. The white centered, bright golden foliage of “Beedham White” will give lasting color to a woodland garden. Height 12 inches. Zone 3.

Pulmonaria (lungwort) produces charming pink or blue flowers in spring. A new cultivar “Cotton Cool” has foliage that is entirely silver and will give an area depth. Height 14 inches. Zone 4.

Tiarella “Jeepers Creepers” (foam flower) is a stunning evergreen groundcover with burgundy-centered leaves and creamy white foamflowers in early summer. Height 12 inches. Zone 4.