10 shade loving plants to brighten up your garden
![fern](https://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/fern.jpg)
Along the front of my front garden, this rhododendron hedge (above) provides welcome privacy and also an opportunity to underplant a shady area. Although the front garden is south facing, the canopy of the rhododendrons can provide peaceful respite for shade loving plants. I aimed to create some highlights under the dark depths of the hedge which would also improve the view from my front windows.
I live amongst a lot of woodland and on my feeble but stubborn attempts at forest running, I’ve noticed the variety of plants that make their home in the shade such as: anemones, bluebells, ferns, primroses and so on. Observing these plants in the wild provided some inspiration for my planting scheme.
![woods woods](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/woods.jpg)
Legwork!
So the work began! First I dug up turf and weeds beneath the rhododendrons, following a string marker, then gave it a good turnover and composted the planting areas.
![Underpanting before](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Underpanting-before.jpg)
![underplanting measure up](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/underplanting-measure-up.jpg)
![underplanting after](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/underplanting-after.jpg)
Border Plan
I’m not a designer, but I have created the simple arrangement below as a basis for the underplanting, which I have repeated along the hedge 3 times. I inserted the remaining 5 plants (some of which I rescued from other parts of the garden) in the gaps between the 3 repetitions.
![Border Plan Border Plan](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Border-Plan.jpg)
A Fern
B Astrantia
C Anemone
D Thalictrum
E Hosta
My 10 plants for a shady spot
![fern](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/fern-2-150x150.jpg)
![Astrantia Astrantia](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Astrantia-150x150.jpg)
![Japanese Anemone](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Japanese-Anemone-150x150.jpg)
![Thalictrum](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Thalictrum-150x150.jpg)
![hosta](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/hosta-150x150.jpg)
Fern
Astrantia
Japanese Anemone
Thalictrum
Hosta
![pulmonaria#](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pulmonaria-150x150.jpg)
![astilbe](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/astilbe-150x150.jpg)
![heuchera](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/heuchera-150x150.jpg)
![primroses](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/primroses-150x150.jpg)
![alchemilla](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/alchemilla-150x150.jpg)
Pulmonaria
Astilbe
Heuchera
Primrose
Alchemilla
Before & After
The plants are in and I am so pleased I did it. Its a little shady area that I took no notice of before and now it attracts the eye and brightens up a once boring, shady and overgrown part of the garden.
![Before underplanting](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Before-underplanting.jpg)
![after underplanting](http://earthtoeden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/after-underplanting.jpg)
Watch the Instagram Reel
Get the look…..
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