Plants to sit at north facing front of house

[WhatAWasteOfOranges]

The front of our house is north facing so gets very little sun. We are looking to get some plants in rectangular planters to sit either side of the front door but have no idea what to pick. It’s a stone cottage but the usual choices of wisteria etc are out as need more sun!

Hydrangea pitealaris if you want a climber. Ferns & hosta if you want something more low growing.

Sarcococca

We've a north facing front and have hydrangeas. They've done really well but do get a decent amount of sun in the summer.

Camelias are pretty and love a shady spot.

We have Lavender and Leucanthemum (large daisy like flowers) in our front planters and the front of our house is also north facing.

Ferns, camelias, Hebes and hellebores are all thriving in my north facing garden.

Thank you for all the suggestions! Love hydrangeas so might treat myself to those. But then I like the look of lots of the others suggested! How many plants is too many?!? 😊

Camellia

This is mine, taken last week. Shouldn't be flowering atm.

Slightly depends where you are. For instance in the south camellias thrive in shade. In Scotland they need a bit of sun to flower reliably.
What sort of effect do you want? Architectural or flowery. There's so much you can do with a shady area. Unless it's dry shade which is more of a challenge but still doable.

@Chasingsquirrels gorgeous!!

@Bideshi in Oxfordshire. Not sure what dry north facing means but interested to know more. The set up is a bit like the attached photo but the windows are much wider (about 1m) and then there is space at the end of each window for a climber.

Vinca does really well. Loves facing north and flowers well.

Hydrangea petiolaris is a self clinging climber which is brilliant if you don't want trellis etc. But if your walls have render as in the photo it might need a good think about.
Many shrubs can be pruned and shaped to give a formal feel if that is what you want. I would suggest an eleagnus, something not too variegated. Something like 'limelight, or there is one with a silver edge. And smells lovely in winter.

In our north facing front garden, we have star Jasmine, geraniums, lavender and rosemary.

All absolutely thrive.

Think I’d like more of an informal cottage feel. The cottage is stone

Thanks everyone - this is so helpful

Be careful with vinca, it can be a thug.

I have honeysuckle, skimmia, eleagnus, a Bay tree, some variegated ivy (not sure what type it is but not the normal stuff - it doesn't cling), a generous gardener rose on the shady north east facing front of my house. These are all placed right against the wall so only get a little direct sunlight in the morning. I'm in Berkshire.

I thought lavender and jasmine and rosemary need loads of sun?!

All sorts of ferns, Fatsia, climbing hydrangea, clematis Montana and jasmine.

@LookslovelyinSpringtime

I thought lavender and jasmine and rosemary need loads of sun?!

Yes me too. I have these in the front but further from the house where they get considerably more sun. Not all day though and mine are thriving.

You could try a Madame Alfred Carriere climbing rose- its often recommended for north facing walls.

Viburnum tinus 'Eve Price', sarcococca, skimmia, photinia 'red robin' or hydrangea petiolaris would all be good for a north facing border. If you go for a hydrangea be choosy about what you go for, I've always struggled to get the more showy hydrangeas (like arborescens) to flower in very deep shade.

Last year I planted some Roald Dahl shrub roses in the sunniest part of my north facing front garden, and they are doing very well so far.

I have a hardy Fuchsia by our NE facing front door, and it loves it there. I've also got cyclamen, a peony, lily of the valley, ferns and hellebores. Come summer I have lobelia and nasturtiums and half-hardy fuchsias.

hellebores, ajuga, lady’s mantle, tirella, heuchera, leucothe shrub ( all varieties,) fatsia japonica, pulmonaria would be my suggestions

foxgloves wil survive in shade, very cottagey!