It's a dandelion ffs

[ohfook]

I have a very shady part of my garden that has a flower bed in it but never really gets any sun.

The first year we lived here I left it just in case anything had already been planted. It hadn't.

Second year I adopted my usual sink or swim approach to gardening and just planted stuff I liked there on the off chance they'd be fine - they weren't.

The third year I threw a load of cow parsley and wild flower seeds down with my thought process being a) I love cow parsley and b) it's grows bloody everywhere so it should be fine. No cow parsley or wild flowers grew.

After last summer I finally researched flowers that grew well in shaded areas and ordered a few different bulbs as a 'test'. Out of all of the ones I ordered, only one has really taken. It's been growing really tall and I've been eagerly awaiting it to bloom so I can see what will grow in this stupid area. Well today the buds have finally started to open and it's a fucking dandelion- granted a very tall one. Possibly the tallest dandelion I've ever seen but it's still a dandelion!

The stupid area has me stumped. I'm now wondering if I just lean into it and have it as a dandelion patch. My garden is shit it's 90% concrete and gravel yet it's this one flower bed that is refusing to grow anything except one solitary weed!

So does anyone have a completely fool proof plant that will thrive in the shade before I commit to the dandelion patch!

So are dahlias and Michaemas daisies.

yes, it’s a Sow thistle. Think it’s Smooth Sow Thistle, not Rough Sow Thistle,

Dandelions have only one flower per stem

. I was puzzled at your suggestion of nipplewort because it’s one of those niche weeds that people generally don’t recognise until they’ve learnt to recognise quite a lot of weeds. So your explanation makes a lot of sense.

I can see where someone’s suggestion of groundsel came from too - those half open flowers do look like the “shaving brushes” of groundsel.

Looks like everyone was agreed on Asteraceae family though

How about growing plants for foliage rather than flowers? Many interesting foliage plants do well in shade. Bergenia, Polemonium, pulmonaria, Asarum europeaeum, asplenium, cyrtomium, rheum, gunnera and of course ferns - there are literally thousands of them and they look so lovely in a dark corner. If it’s dry shade, try dryopteris, if damp shade, you have lots of choice.

Fatsia is tough as old boots and does well in shade, grows quickly and has amazing big leaves, especially the variegated one.

Astilbes thrive in shady spots.

Some climbers are happy with their feet in a shady spot if there is sun above - clematis, passionflower might work.

Hedychium is supposed to be a woodlands plant, might be worth a try.

Nasturtiums will seed anywhere in my experience, may not flower as much in shade but the leaves are lovely.

What have you done to the soil - do you give your plants compost, regular feeding, mulch? Is the soil any good?