Plant ideas for a north facing front garden please?

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Our front garden is medium size (not quite big enough for parking in). It’s currently paved over but we are about to redo it and put in some flowerbeds.

It gets a fair amount of light, but almost no direct sun because it’s NNW facing and there’s a Rowan tree in the pavement just outside which shades it. Parts of it get the last of the afternoon sun but that’s it.

Looking for ideas for low maintenance plants that will flourish here please? I would especially love some scented options for different times of year. Possibly Daphne?

Are there any small flowering trees which will be happy in N facing (and quite close to the Rowan)?

Thank you!

I think Daphnes tend to want some sun, so you might need to earmark the sunniest spot for that? Daphne 'Eternal Fragrance' is recommended for the lovely flowers in winter. I have Lonicera purpusii 'Winter Beauty' by the boundary/gate, it reliably flowers from December to late March (was still producing a few flowers in April this year) which is quite an extended flowering season and so welcome in the darkest time of year.

Some herbaceous suggestions include Heucheras, very versatile and come in small, medium and large and many different leaf colours. Astrantias, mine do well in shade (including a variegated one) and flowers in a range from white, pink and red. Geraniums (not pelargoniums) are reliable stalwarts in shade. Cyclamen grow very well in dry shade, they evolved under trees so should cope very well. Hostas also have some useful shade tolerant varieties.

You could also have something shrubby and evergreen to give structure and fluff in winter. Pyracantha Caphyr Orange is easy and trouble-free, Callicarpa has pretty purple berries on it in autumn. Sarcococca (Christmas Box) has lovely scented flowers in midwinter and positively likes dry shade. Fatshedera (a cross of Fatsia and Hedera, Ivy) 'Annemieke' has beautiful variegated leaves and cannot climb so is good ground cover.

I have acers in pots in my north facing garden. One called Butterfly is growing in shade next to the house, never gets direct sunshine and seems to be doing well. I also have a garnet coloured one which seems to like the shade as it keeps its dark colour better there.

I've also a hosta called Marmalade in deep shade which is doing well. The shade just means it is a bit slower to get going in the spring time.

Thank you both!

Ok I will need to watch and see which areas get most sun.

I had Daphne “Eternal Fragrance” in mind but you’re right, looking it up it does need at least partial sun. I will have a look at other varieties to see if there are any more shade tolerant. Especially winter flowering, that would be lovely.

I love astrantias and the more subtle geraniums thank you for the suggestion! Also cyclamen, lovely. Hostas I don’t love but could be useful to cover bare patches.... I have astrantias and heucheras in my sunny back garden actually and now wish I’d saved them for the shady front!! Never mind

I definitely need evergreens... only know Sarcococca from the suggestions so will need to look the others up, thank you!

Ooh acers - for some reason I thought they needed sun but will reconsider. Acers would fit well either side of our front bay

Thanks again

The astrantias and hucheuras in you back garden will divide easily once they are a couple of years old and bulked up.

I’ve got some astilbe in the shade that love it, I love their frothy flowers, and a dicentra, you can get lots of different colours not just candy pink. Also Solomon’s seal.

Ferns if you like them...I’m not fussed personally but they can look great if cared for.

Crocosmia lucifer did surprisingly well for me too. Also foxgloves. Lots of spring bulbs too.

I will need to look most of these up thank you !!

Yes I could try dividing the astrantias and heucheras... does that mean they will spread all over the back if left?

No they won’t spread, but it’s a good idea to divide perennials every 3 years or so, depends on the plant, it revives them.

www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-divide-plants/

Is now a good time of year to divide heucheras, does anyone know? Or, has it been too wet?

Some hydrangeas do well in light but no direct sun. There are so mantle of them, but if you look them up, you’ll find one suitable for your spot.

Also foxgloves, euphorbia and lots of spring bulbs.

Rhododendrons

Spring bulbs are a good suggestion WellTidy, forgot about those completely. They should work OK (as would autumn bulbs like Nerine or Colchicums) because the shade caused by the rowan outside would only effect your garden when the leaves have grown towards summer.

Do you know what your soil is like? It would help to find out before you commit to buying plants. An strongly acid or alkaline soil will limit the range of what will grow happily, although you would still have lovely plants available within it. You can buy pH testing kits in garden centres, and also check out what's growing successfully in neighbouring gardens.

I also agree with hydrangeas, I had some in my small north-facing rear garden and they were vibrantly green in the permanent shade next to my house. They would have flowered more prolifically with some sun but they were supremely healthy in the shade.

My heucheras have flower buds on now @Howshouldibehave, I'm not going to disturb them while they're in flower. It's best done when it's not too wet, so in a wet autumn I'd do it in early spring before growth gets too advanced - March/April (or Sept/Oct) - depending on the weather).

Oh, hellebores would be lovely too. Mine do brilliantly in heavy shade.

Thank you all!

So far my wish list includes

Sarcococca
Hydrangeas (shade tolerant)
Astrantias
Hellebores
Cyclamen
Bulbs spring and autumn - I had never heard of Colchicums but they are lovely! Definitely Nerines. I’d love some snowdrops and anemones and maybe muscari … but will be running out of space
Daphne if I can find a shade tolerant one

Lots to be getting on with, thank you!

I have a row of Annabelle Hydrangeas in my north facing front garden behind a low (1 foot) buxus hedge. They grow really well and are spectacular when in full bloom.