Does a cottage garden work in partial shade? Or even in the shade?
I get this question all the time. And there are actually surprisingly many great flowers and plants that can make even a slightly shady garden bloom.
Photo: Syl Gervais
Before I dive into the colorful world, for the very impatient among you:
Would you also like a bed in partial shade and not have to worry about how to create it so that it looks beautiful 365 days a year and is also insect-friendly and easy to care for?
Together with Alexandra Lehne (known from the ZDF duel of garden professionals, garden and landscape designer, Oxford College of Garden Design) we have designed a bed that you can use one-to-one with normal garden soil and a partially shaded location. If you're wondering how to start, you can get started right away here
After my vole infestation forced me to completely redesign a bed and I was somewhat perplexed to discover that what was once a full sun bed had become a partial shade to shade bed (because shrubs, trees and bushes GROW ..., Mrs. Stiller!), I have been intensively researching beautiful flowering plants for shady locations.
Photo: Syl Gervais
And discovered that there are wonderful possibilities.
And here they are, my new shadow beauties:
And just as a bit of information for you: I have linked all the plants for you. You will go directly to the Horstmann nursery if you click on the links (affiliate link).
Three-flowered phlox "Bill Baker"
Bill Baker, the Phlox. It transforms flowerbeds, open spaces, borders - wherever it is - into flaming, bright seas of flowers. The three-flowered phlox absolutely needs several of its kind around it to have the right effect. Then nothing stands in the way of the flowering splendor from June to August. Bill thrives under light shrubs. The purple-pink flowers exude a wonderful summer scent, which also attracts lots of bees.
Important: Water well, it doesn't like dry soil at all. No blazing midday sun. Otherwise easy to care for and a real highlight in the garden. Long-lasting flowers and spread through rhizomes. Good cut flower.
Photo: Florapress
Ageratum-like Aster "Starshine"
It fills the autumn with the last of the summer light. With its daisy-like flowers, it brings lush abundance to the garden from August to the end of October. If you cut off the wilted flowers, it tirelessly produces more. The perennial grows up to 60 centimeters high and can be just as wide. It is beautiful in beds together with other late bloomers, but can also be planted to provide a delicate backdrop to shrubs and trees. "Starshine" easily tolerates partial shade, prefers well-drained and pH-neutral soil. Otherwise, it is undemanding, only needs a little protection from too much frost in winter. It will thank you next year with countless small flowers on which butterflies, bumblebees and bees dance in the late summer light. Good cut flower.
Photo: Baumschule-Horstmann
Ageratum-like aster "Asran"
With its simple, bright violet flowers, Asran enchants not only garden lovers but also all kinds of busy insects. The aster grows to a height of 70 to 80 centimeters, prefers sunny to partially shaded locations and is happy with well-drained, normal soil. Drought is also no problem for it. Late in the year, it delights humans and animals - only snails usually ignore it - with its abundance of flowers from September to October. Asran likes to form runners, and you can limit its urge for freedom by dividing it or just letting it run. Good cut flower.
Photo: Alexandra Lehne, Soul-Garden
Bulky Aster "Tradescant"
This bulky aster is an extraordinary lady. It lives up to its name: with its strong growth, it likes to spread out even in the shade and its slightly disheveled flowers brighten up even the darker corners of the garden. The Tradescant flowers very densely from the end of July to September - if you remove the faded flowers, it will reward you with more. It grows to around 60 centimeters tall and is easy to care for - it tolerates drought, shade and root pressure.
Photo: Baumschule Horstmann
Masterwort "Moulin Rouge"
This beautiful, ethereal creature transforms every flowerbed into a purple floral dream. The umbels with the radiant flowers are in full bloom from June to July and, as a native plant species, are also a source of food for many insects. "Moulin Rouge" grows between 40 and 50 centimeters tall and is also beautiful in tubs and pots. And if you can't get enough of it, you can also bring it into your home as a cut flower. It is very easy to care for and, you wouldn't believe it, extremely hardy. Please always cut off the faded umbels - then the masterwort will give you a wonderful second bloom.
Photo: Baumschule Horstmann
Masterwort "Star of Billion"
Unobtrusive and yet effective. "Star of Billion" is perhaps the quietest of the masterworts, whose beauty is not immediately apparent. But at second glance, you fall in love with its flowers, which shimmer between white, almost silver, pink and green. This light-footed lady can claim her origins from the East Lambrook Manor Garden, an English cottage garden. And conjure up a bit of this splendor in our gardens. The romantic masterwort flowers from July all summer long, and even into September after pruning. In a vase and as a dried flower, it also spreads its charm around the house. And: bees love it, snails avoid it.
Photo: Alexandra Lehne, Soul-Garden
Tall Umbelliferous Bellflower
No cottage garden is complete without bellflowers. And in the shade, it is the tall umbel bellflower. With its height of 90 to 110 centimeters, it is predestined for lush seas of flowers, even in partially shaded locations. It can be used flexibly, in beds, on the edge of woodland, but is also an insider tip for charmingly beautifying open spaces. With its light purple flowers, it enchants the garden from June to August, and can also be used as a cut flower indoors. It has no special soil requirements and is otherwise very easy to care for - an uncomplicated perennial that always enjoys admiring glances.
Photo: Baumschule Horstmann
thimble
Yes, foxgloves are poisonous. As are boxwood, ivy, lily of the valley and many other plants that naturally grow in our gardens.
Well, so much for that.
Digitalis (that's its Latin name) is sure to attract attention. With its height of up to one meter, it stands out confidently from the flower bed, its pink, funnel-shaped flowers make it a striking sight. It forms a wonderful border for a flower bed, but it also looks great at the back of the flower bed. Its main flowering period is in midsummer, June to July. Foxglove likes well-drained soil that is not too wet and attracts many insects.
Photo: Syl Gervais
Slender cranesbill "Sirak"
Colour in the bed! The slender cranesbill "Sirak" pops out of the bed in rich pink. This easy-care and undemanding perennial is an excellent ground cover. Sirak grows to 50 centimetres tall and relatively wide. The robust little plant shines from June to August, the flowers are streaked with the veins typical of cranesbills. It can cope with short dry periods, but you do it a favour with nutrient-rich soil. Cut it after the first flowering and you will get a second one.
Photo: Baumschule Horstmann
geranium "Dreamland"
Nomen est omen - this cranesbill conjures up a floral dream in the garden from June to October. The flowers shine in delicate white-pink to light violet, wherever you plant them - and that's where it feels at home. Cranesbill is the perfect ground cover, but also a wonderful companion plant in beds, in front of walls or woods. The cushion-like Dreamland grows up to 40 centimeters high and almost as wide. The robust little plant is extremely easy to care for and hardy, but it doesn't like wet feet. Bumblebees, bees and butterflies love it.
Photo: Baumschule Horstmann
ball hydrangea "Annabelle"
A perennial favorite in many ways - "Annabelle" never goes out of fashion and it enchants us with its large flower balls from the end of June to September, and depending on the weather, even into October (or even into November in mild climates). In locations with alternating light and shade, it enchants with initially greenish-white shimmering flowers ( that's where I like it best!) , which become whiter over the course of the summer. The optimal location is partial shade and sheltered from the wind, sunny is also fine, but you have to water it well. Absolutely beginner's plant :-)
Photo: Alexandra Lehne, Soul-Garden
Aster "Blue Star"
Blue Star almost looks as if daisies had accidentally drunk ink. This blue flower belongs to the genus of asters and spoils you with its romantic flowers from June to September. Don't be stingy with the Blue Star in the flower bed - the more you have, the better the effect. It looks beautiful in a vase, for example in combination with roses and gypsophila, and is absolutely easy to care for, just cut back the wilted flower heads in autumn - that's it. Incidentally, this perennial is also an insect magnet, it is a joy to see bees and butterflies buzzing and floating above the blue sea of flowers. The Blue Star aster grows to a height of 60 centimeters. And it is also a great joy in a vase.
Photo: Baumschule Horstmann
Aster "Madiva"
The "Madiva" aster enchants with basket-like flowers that start out in a very light violet in early summer and turn pure white in autumn. Its flowering period lasts the whole of the lovely summer, from June to September. This perennial with a height of 80 centimeters is perfect for the abundance of flowers in the cottage garden, either combined in the bed or, as it also tolerates partial shade well, at the edge of woody plants. This pretty girl is completely easy to care for, she needs nothing except a trimming of the dead stems.
Photo: Baumschule Horstmann
Chinese meadow rue "Album"
This delicate creature shines in pure white against a green background. The delicate flowers sway in the light summer breeze, along with the insects that love their nectar. This perennial bloomer flowers from July to October. In mixed beds or as an underplanting under shrubs, it enchants with its graceful appearance and 120 centimetres in height. When it flowers, a light herbal scent fills the air. You do it a favour by planting it in humus-rich, acidic soil and avoiding waterlogging. It is best to plant it in spring, then it has enough time to take root and withstand harsh winters (down to -18 degrees).
Photo: Florapress
meadow rue "Hewitt's Double"
The meadow rue Hewitt's Double forms a wonderful, delicate violet sea of flowers that shimmers decoratively between the green of trees and bushes. The perennial with an elegant growth of 120 centimeters is ideal as a background in flower beds. But the delicate flowers with their fine foliage also look beautiful in a vase. Hewitt's Double blooms from July to September and is actually made for the cottage garden. In very hot and dry weather, you have to look after it a little, it doesn't like that very much. And in the first few years, until it is well rooted, cover it well in winter. It will thank you with elf-like floral magic.
Photo: Florapress
lady's mantle
The lady's mantle - once planted, it is a loyal companion forever. Everywhere and always more. That may scare some order-loving people, but that's exactly how cottage gardening works. The more, the better. And when dewdrops trickle down the velvety leaves in the morning... It is excellent as a ground cover or for edging beds. Otherwise, it is extremely uncomplicated, everything is fine from sunny to shady locations.
Photo: Alexandra Lehne, Soul-Garden
AQUILEGIES
Of course, columbines should never, ever be missing. Hardly any other plant brings so much lightness to the flower bed.
This year, for the first time, I discovered one that is 100% in the shade, doesn't get a second of sun a day (right next to the house, north side) and is now about to bloom.
It grows and multiplies vigorously, but is so delicate that it never causes a nuisance or displaces other plants. The columbine follows the early bloomers, decorates the entire garden from the first warm days of May and gives it the charm of a wildflower meadow.
autumn anemones
I'll hold back on the autumn anemones here - you can read all about them in the specially written ode to the autumn anemone .
Photo: Syl Gervais
And in winter?
To ensure that the flower bed looks good in winter too, think about planting evergreens such as geranium spessart, shrub ivy, Ilex crenata or yew, for example in a ball shape. But rosemary and sage are also great. Oh yes... and speaking of winter. I have 14 more ideas for the wintry, dreary garden for you.
Photo: Janina Laszlo
Would you like a ready-made bed plan for your partially shaded garden areas?