Suggestions for an ugly, shady spot?

[margaritasbythesea]

Dh and I are not sure what to do with this part of our garden. It's at the bottom of the rest of our garden, at the corner of the house. As it's quite low, it doesn't get much sun and as you can see from the wall, it seems a bit damp.

I would like fruit trees, perhaps in pots, somewhere in the garden but it's probably a silly idea to put them there, isn't it?

Is there anything else that would be happy in a pot that would stand the shade?

It faces SE and is quite protected from the wind.

Some fruit trees don’t mind shade. I grow a Morello cherry tree against a north facing wall, where it’s very happy and produces masses of fruit.

I’d be a little concerned about the humidity in that corner though as it looks like it might be a spot with poor air circulation, which is something fruit trees really don’t like. How high is that wall? Would a pot cover most of it height wise? (i.e. would the actual tree be above that spot?). If so, it might not be too much of an issue

How about a fernery. There are some beautiful ferns that would thirive in that situation.
Hostas And hydrangeas might do well and jungley type plants that like a bit of shade.

Begonias grow well in my shady spot. I have a large corm which makes a 2 foot plant and 3 small hanging ones in a basket.

Would you be able to paint the wall?A grey or black would look nice and highlight any plants that go there?

Thanks for those suggestions. I'm quite encouraged as I'm a novice gardener and had been thinking about a few of them so I must be understanding something.

I hadn't thought of a fernery and am quite taken by the idea of that against a painted background.

Another possibility, as you say the spot is sheltered from the wind, would be an acer.

Thank you. I have a purple one but I'd quite like one of the orangey ones.

Big pots with variegated Hostas would look good.

Also a large pot with a Fatsia japonica would look splendid there.

That wall would look nicer rendered.

Planters and pots could be moved around so they would get more light at times.

You could put a bleeding heart in there if you wanted flowers. I have a bleeding heart and a fern in a completely shaded bed that is quite damp and they are doing very well. I also have a skimmia in that bed but it isn't great.

Unfortunately, DH won't agree to doing anything to the wall itself. Don't ask!

I like the idea of hostas but I have cats that eat everything and I have just read that they are poisonous to cats.

Thanks for th eideas. I will look up Bleeding Heart.