Shade loving tall perennials

[Goldenbuzzer]

Hello!

I’ve googled so much my head is full up...

I’ve just cut a narrow border in front of a 6 foot fence. Just over 1 foot wide. Due to said fence it’s pretty much constant shade. I’d love some tall perennials in the border. I’m thinking about putting hostas in but then would like something taller - the fence has a clematis over the top of it , so things that would go to 4/5 foot would be perfect -

Any suggestions from you knowledgeable experts?

(I love the softness of cottage garden style borders...)

Any advice would be amazing... thank you

For year round interest Acatea is a llovely plant
Big almost black leaves followed by tall spikes of white fliwers. I don't cut mine as it makes great seed head. In the frost and snow it looks stunning . In spring when the new leaves appear I cut it back. I bought mine from crocus

Tiarella likes the shade but its not tall. Sorry, not much help!

Any of the Phlox paniculata varieties are good in shade. They vary in height from 2' to 5' in height. Lots of colour-ways, and with a bonus of scent in some forms. They are just starting to come into flower now, so garden centres should have a good choice.

Foxgloves (digitalis) will tolerate a certain amount of shade and can get quite tall if looked after properly.

Thank you so much. That’s really helpful

A 1 ft border is a bit slim. However try Japanese anemones,Phlomis, Hellebores, Euphorbia Fireglow or other tall varieties of Euphorbia. I think Ladies Mantle and Huechera would look good in the front of a wider border.

A couple of years ago there was a poster on here who had a thread called 'shady characters'. If you search for that thread it might help you out. I will try and do a link but I often fail.

for-shade-garden-suggestions This is it

for-shade-garden-suggestions
Failed again but this might work

www.mumsnet.com/.../2441728-Shady-characters-a-permanent-home- for-shade-garden-suggestions
Cut and paste alternative. I give up

Camelia? Ours flowers well in constant shade!

I have recently seen some martagon lilies growing under dense trees. They had been there for decades but were very pretty and very tall. They were pink or white but other colours seem to be availAble. You would plant the bulbs in the autumn.
I second Japanese anenomes, the show up very well against a dark backdrop.

In the shade I'd plant lots of hostas and heuchera but I'm obsessed with the stuff.

I've a similar size shady border
Crocosmia
Alchemilla
Acquilega
Red Valeria
Poppies
'Lambs ears' tall, long furry leaves, purple thistle like flowers
Tall chunky stalked daisies (don't know proper name!)
Periwinkle variegated
Sedum

I love/had hostas but the bloody slugs and snails shred them within no time so they're now in pots!

We have a shady atea under a tree, but because of the tree, its very dry. Any ideas?

Angelical will grow tall in the shade, as will sanguisorba, but only if it’s not too dry.

Dry shade is a bit of a devil; spring bulbs can work and can geranium machrorhizzum (apologies for the terrible spelling)

I have put astilbe in a dry shady area and they are growing ok but I chose darkish red flowers and they are too dark to give much show, I think there are lighter ones available.

I have loads of well established daffodils in the same spot. They are over before the leaves are on the trees to shade them but I leave the daff leaves to die diwn naturally so make good bulbs for the next year.

solomon's seal do well in the shade, even dry shade. In those conditions I also have hostas, a few ferns (Osmonde, Athyrium, drypoteris filix-femina, japanese painted fern) Hepatica, Hercherella, Syneilesis, Uvularia to name a few that are doing great.

Astrantia grow well in my shady raised bed, and perfect for a cottage garden feel. The taller varieties grow to nearly a metre, and the flowers last for weeks and weeks! I've never see them sold in garden centres though, I order mine bare rooted online. They won't flower until next year now though, unless you buy some potted ones already in bud. They really are fab, one of my favourite flowers.

I suggest Tellima Grandiflora - otherwise known as Fringecups. Looks lovely with hostas, and not as tasty to slugs.

My alliums grew well (from bulbs) this year in a shady bed about one foot deep against a west facing fence. They're not long flowering, but they were good while they lasted. I started a thread a couple of weeks ago asking for advice as to whether Astrantia would be good in the same area and here is the advice I got: advice. They're not tall (or perennials!), but what I have in a very similar area to you and grows fine are holly, bergenia, cotoneaster, ferns and heuchera. The grapevine is also taking off at the moment, but I don't think it has enough sun to produce grapes worth doing anything with.

Forgot to say that there are loads and loads of daffodils in there too. Seems like spring was a long time ago!

Penstemon 'Golden Arrow'.