Gardening novice with north facing garden

[ChristinaYang10]

Complete gardening novice alert!!

We have a north facing garden that has patio, then some steps down to the grass. Either side of the steps at the edge of the patio are two raised beds. These are a mess, I don’t know what’s in them, predominantly weeds I think. This area will get some sun for a few hours a day in the very height of summer, otherwise it’s in full shade.

What easy things can I plant in there that will look nice and that will do ok in the shade? The beds are long, but relatively narrow so there’s not loads of room.

If you google “plants for full shade”, you’ll get a comprehensive list from gardening experts, OP. But easy ones to grow in such conditions are ferns, hostas, heucheras, ivy, foxgloves and lily of the valley. I can vouch for all those in the shady part of my own garden.

It will be useful to know if it's dry shade or damp shade before you Google it. Raised beds can be dry, but you can check if the soil is usually damp.

We have a north facing garden and one bit is always in the shade.hydrangeas really light it up in the summer and don't need to get big if you prune them. Hellebores good for first few months of the year for colour then Pulmonaria follows. Pachysandra good for dark green glossy evergreen leaves and doesn't get very big, good for edging.

I have also created a woodland sort of corner with a few well rotted logs, ferns, hostas, vinca, ivy, and Ajuga for ground cover. Bulb wise I have bluebells and chiondoxia, the regular daffs etc don't do well in shade. I put in some wild garlic last year, looks to be doing ok.

I have a salad raised bed by our back door which gets morning sun then afternoon shade and lettuce, radish and spring onions have done well there.

ferns are always good in a north facing garden - some are evergreen which is good in the winter

daffodils seem to manage in my shady garden.

My shady border has evergreen ferns, ivy, hellebores, aucuba and bulbs.... snowdrops do really well there.