Ground Cover plants for shade and part shade are a useful addition to any garden. Plants that grow well in shade often have to compete with the roots of trees and poor soil conditions as well as low light and often dry conditions. Requirements for ground cover plants for shaded areas will differ, if flowering plants are required, or if the area is wet and boggy. Ground cover plants colonize areas in different ways, some are self seeding other will spread by sending out ungrounded runners or rhizomes. Low care or maintenance ground cover plants for shade are much sought after, we provide a list and photographs of some of the best plants that will be successful as ground covers in shaded areas.
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Ground Cover Plants for Shade and Part Shade
 

Best Ground Cover Plants For Shade

Epimedium.
Epimediums (barrenworts) are some of the best ground cover plants available for dry shade areas of the garden. Epimediums spread by underground rhizomes however they are slow to spread and are not regarded as invasive. Once a clump is established it can be dived every 3-4 years to help cover a large shaded area. Epimediums do not like wet conditions.

  • Most epimediums are evergreen, however this will depend on conditions, in colder areas they can 'go underground' during winter.
  • The rhizomes of epimediums are shallow as they run, this makes them great for planting beneath trees where soil is usually depleted and thin.
  • Epimediums are reasonably deer resistant.
  • Flowers vary as doe the foliage, some species are low growing while other will reach 2ft and more.

Hellebores
Hellebores (lenten roses) are another great plant for shaded areas. Again hellebores do well in dry conditions and in poor soil. Hellebores will self seed as well as spread by clumping. With many hybridized forms available flower color varies from white through to deep purple with double flowers also available.

  • Hellebores are evergreen and cope well with dry shade.
  • Self seeding is easily controlled and clumps can be divided every 3-4 years.
  • Hellebores are another plant that is regarded as being 'deer resistant'
  • Flowers are an added attraction, white flowers in a shaded area of the garden always look great.


Ground Cover for Shade
Epimediums make a great Ground Cover for Shade and many have attractive flowers as well.


Geranium macrorrhizum
Geranium macrorrhizum (big root geranium or big foot geranium) A clumping geranium with 'big roots'. An evergreen geranium that spreads by large running rhizomes. The light green scented foliage and attractive pink flowers make this another great plant for a shaded area. Geranium macrorrhizum copes with damp areas.

  • Try cutting back after flowering to make for denser growth.
  • Regarded as deer resistant.
  • Will cope with sun or shade, so good for those areas that get full sun for only a few hours. or big foot geranium.
  • Large rhizomes help make it drought tolerant.

Ajuga reptans (bugleweed)
Ajuga is best in light or dappled shade, Ajuga is a low growing evergreen spreading groundcover that does well in lightly shaded areas. Attractive purple flowers in late spring to early summer

  • Will spread and can become invasive, however it is easily controlled
  • Lot's of cultivars including the tall growing 'catlin's giant', 'bronze beauty' and the dark foliaged 'black scallop'
  • Requires very little maintenance, just cut back and pull out any runners that 'start to wander'.

Mondo Grass (O phiopogan japonicus)
It's not really a grass, however the strap leafed monad grass does will in light shade. Forming a dense mat it also makes a useful ground cover plant. Mondo grass comes in a range of colors from green through to black and also different cultivars will grow to different heights.

  • Requires little maintenance
  • Prefers a well drained soil and does like a little fertilizer once a year.
  • Does dot require maintenance

Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' (Japanese Temple Grass)
A clump forming grass that grow well in dappled shade. One of the most attractive ornamental grasses with golden green drooping foliage that looks soft. Slow to spread but worth the wait.

  • Prefers a moist well drained soil, also grows well in a pot in a shaded position.
  • Requires little to no maintenance.

Other Ground Cover Plants for Shade and Part Shade Include:

  • Sedum (some species)
  • Pulmonaria
  • Brunnera
  • Hostas
  • Pachysandra
  • Liriope
  • Tiarella
  • Ferns
  • Moss
  • Heucherella
  • Microbiota decussata
  • Sagina subulata
  • Houttuynia cordata
  • Mahonia repens (creeping mahonia)
  • Euonymus fortunei

 



Ground Cover for Shade :
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