What are some good shrubs or plants to plant on the north side of my house in central IL that is full shade?

Question

What are some good shrubs or plants to plant on the north side of my house in central IL that is full shade?

Answer 1

I'm about the same latitude as you and I'll tell you what works well in central Missouri. I work in a greenhouse where we sell lots of shade lovers, and I grow them, too.

Hydrangea (many varieties, in many sizes and blooming with different forms)

Viburnum (Snowball bush)

Tiarella (Foamflower) I love this stuff: low growing, lovely mounds of variegated, shapely leaves.

Heuchera (coral bells) come in lots of different colors and leaf forms. Hummingbirds love the old fashioned ones.

Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)

Astilbe: This comes in lots of colors, some of them fragrant.

Hostas of many types

Polygonium (Jacob's ladder)

Platycodon (balloon flower)

Pulmonaria (lungwart)

Aquilegia (columbine)

Convallaria (Lily of the Valley)

Many ivies

I have lots of plantings in shady beds, and some of my favorite are Hosta sieboldiana (Giant Blue) which comes up between Dicentra (Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart in white) and a thick bed of Baltic ivy as a ground cover around a collection of Heuchera (Palace Purple coral bells) and Pulmonaria (Lungwort: I can't remember the variety, but it blooms a shocking bright blue.). I also have a Fallopia which looks like a bamboo stem, but has lovely green and white variegated leaves.

Hey, a shade garden is also a great place for a little water feature of some kind. I keep a big (4 gallons or so) ceramic pot with a couple of water loving grasses in one shade garden. I keep a couple of feeder goldfish in there to keep down the mosquito wigglers and to entertain the cats.

Have fun!

Answer 2

Try a burning bush or a minature rose bush.

Answer 3

try gardenmessenger group on yahoo they will help you

Answer 4

Believe it or not, you can grow Azaleas! Just like those gorgeous bloomers in the southeast! Except, yours will be deciduous, instead of the "semi-evergreen" in the southeast.



I grew up near Champaign, Illinois. I now live in Coloardo. But, in between those two, I lived in North Carolina. When I got to Colorado, I just had to have some spring color!!!!



These are the varieties that are doing well in my yard.



SHADEY SPOTS - or partial shade to shade



Lady in Red is happiest in partial shade and in well-drained, enriched soil. Quite tolerant of heat and humidity, it makes a fine foundation planting, border knockout, or accent planting, with its compact, densely mounding habit and long bloomtime. Give it plenty of water, especially the first few seasons, for best growth and flowering. I have cited the websites so you can see the pictures.



Golden Lights Azalea - Zone 4 - Bred in Minnesota, this rough-and-ready shrub is prepared for the worst winter freezes!



Red, Pink, and Yello Azalea - Zone 4b or 5 - Exceptional Cold Tolerance and Lovely Colors!

Contains Yaku Princess, Capistrano, and Trinidad!



Enjoy your garden! An hour in the garden puts life into perspective!

Answer 5

Okay. I am not sure of the botanical plant name......yet, it's the "wandering jew"....so beautifully purple......seems like it dies in the winter...and comes back full force the rest of the year.

Answer 6

Hardy ferns are very attractive--and like lots of shade.

Answer 7

Why would you do that? The purpose of full shade is to keep the south side cool in the summer time. Cyprus.

Answer 8

holly

Answer 9

arborvitae and rose of sharon

Answer 10

:)

Answer 11

Examples of Plants for Dry Shade



1. Hosta Plants



Hosta plants present a choice that is quite distinct from the other 9 choices of plants for dry shade in this list. They have greater mass than the rest, standing a foot high or taller, with a slightly greater spread. Hosta plants form a leafy garden dense enough to choke out weeds. If planted in rows, they are impressive enough to serve as borders. For more on hosta plants, please see the following resource:



Hosta Plants



2. Liriope Spicata



Liriope spicata also has a feature that distinguishes it from the other plants for dry shade in my list. For liriope looks like a grass (its common name is "border grass", or "lilyturf"), even though it's actually a member of the lily family. But liriope also has a spikey flower, ranging in color from white to lavender. In autumn it bears a dark berry. To learn more about liriope, please consult the following resource:



Liriope Spicata



3. Foxglove Plants



Foxglove, like the next entry (daylilies), is distinguished by its showy floral display. It is also the tallest of the plants for dry shade discussed here. But don't grow foxglove around small children: it's quite poisonous!



4. Stella de Oro Daylily



While "Stella de Oro" truly is a "daylily," in the sense that its individual flowers last only a day, don't be fooled into thinking that you won't get much of a show out of this perennial. Another bloom will be along shortly to replace yesterday's departed beauty. In fact, its ability to re-bloom over a long period makes Stella de Oro daylily perhaps the most popular of the daylilies. Its popularity is also due to its ability to adapt to a wide range of planting zones and conditions, including dry shade. For more information on Stella de Oro daylily, please consult the following resource:



http://landscaping.about.com/od/plantsforshadyareas/a/dry_shade_plant.htm





Shrubs: Yews and Dogwoods

Answer 12

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

What are some good shrubs or plants to plant on the north side of my house in central IL that is full shade?

Answer 13

My rhododendrons do wonderfully on the north side of my house. I was told to plant them on the east side. Those aren't as vigorous as the ones on the north. Hmmm go figure. BTW I live in northern Pennsylvania. So, conditions should be relatively the same. Happy planting.

Answer 14

AS FAR AS PLANTS GO A LOT OF FERN TYPES ARE PRETTY. BLEEDING HEART IS ALSO BEAUTIFUL IN SHADE OR SUN. I HAVE THEM IN BOTH PLACES IN MY YARD. THEY WILL FADE BACK LIKE A TULIP SO YOU CAN PLANT STUFF AROUND IT FOR LATER. I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF HOMES IN MY AREA WITH SPIREA (BRIDAL VEIL) ON THE NORTH AND EVEN LILACS. COTONEASTER IS GOOD FOR ALL SIDES OF THE HOUSE. MY NEIGHBORS HAVE THEM EVERYWHERE AND THEY ARE VERY VERSATILE. I'M NOT SURE I SPELLED THAT CORRECTLY.