Plants/shrubs for the Black hole....

[orangeandlemons]

area of my garden. Dark, dank shady. I have generally given up on it in the 10 years we have been here. I have tried everything, but nothing lives apart from a Periss (sp). Even this only grows about 1cm a year.

The area does get a bit of sun sometimes but is mostly shady. I have some stuff with sort of maroon-y leaves and yellow flowers which appears, but even that is stuggling.

Have tried astilbes which died. Oh have tried EVERYTHING.

I want something pretty and colourful and low maintenance, but not hostas.

Any advice

I have a similar area. The rear of my garden is north facing with a 10 feet brick wall behind.

Last year I dug out the soil, sloped it slightly covered it with ericaesious compost . Then I have planted it with low growing conifers bushes. I had no idea conifers had so many amazing shapes and colours.

They are very expensive to buy so I only bought a few but covered the gaps with ornamental bark. They have done amazingly well and so for Christmas I asked every one to buy me small ones, particularly yellow or white to brighten up the dark. Despite the torrential rain it is still looking amazing.

I have been in the house nearly 40 years and this is the first time that that end of the garden has look nice.

Good luck, please post again and let us know what you plant and how it is doing.

Fatsia is pretty maintance free and would grow well in shade. Not really colourful but the leaf shape is interesting.

www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/howtogrow/3295666/How-to-grow-Fatsia-japonica.html

Thanks for help so far.

I really want bright colour though. It's full of green weeds at the moment, which seem to thrive in it

Yep I can relate to that. The only problem is bright colours are rarely maintenance free and usually need the sun or they revert to green. How about laying a membrane down, graveling it over and buying bright coloured pots and filling them with marigold, calendulas and pansies and busy lizzie . Once they have finished chuck them away and fill the pots with bulbs and winter pansies

I have similar area. I tried a fatsia but although it hasn't died it's clearly not very well.
The weeds love it and there is a miniature privet.
The only things I've planted that seem remotely happy are a fennel - the lovely bronzey one (sorry not good with plant names) and a dark elder which is slow growing but is looking healthy.
I tried the idea of a woodland theme - cyclamen, bluebells etc but the weeds are so vociferous it's quite hard to find them...
I like the idea sixgran of gravel and pots.