Shady area in garden - what can i plant?

[RubySlippers]

herbs???

there is some rosemary and lavender already planted there

would other herbs thrive, and if not what would be nice?

TIA

Fennel
Lemon Balm

Thank you

ferns

mint would great as it grows every year - it spreads & some people mind this but I don't!

stuff to eat or stuff to be pretty? parsley (flat and curly), lovage, sorrel, dill - but most do prefer some sunshine, depends just how shady it is, but if rosemary and l;avendar are doing ok then it can't be too bad. lettuce will grow in shade, in fact it hates being really hot. I am just about to go outside and rip up another two square metres of unwanted escaped mint, but each to their own. lemon balm tends to run too but does smell lovely.

Fennel grows very well in shade - it does in mine anyway. Grows quickly and looks lovely.
Ferns are the only other thing that grow well in our shaded bit - watch as they can spread and take over though.! P.S don't eat the ferns, not good....!!

Oh yse, we have sage there too that is thriving..

Hostas do well in shade too - but you have to watch out for slugs

thank you all

lovely ideas - i love mint for my tea!

LOL at eating ferns - they may be good for some screening against the fence

solomon's seal? Not a herb but I've got some in my garden, rather like it, and when I looked it up, says it does well in shade. I wouldn't plant mint in the ground - keep it in a pot. Really very invasive.

solomon's seal - never heard of it ... does it grow compactly/with flowers?

Echo PeaGreene - don't put mint or lemon balm in the soil, or you'll have a garden full in no time!

We have a patch of shade, I've planted ferns, bluebells, primroses and cyclamen for winter colour.

Bluebells also invasive, but I like them

i can plant mint in a pot and then put that into the soil though?

If you bury the pot the mint will still spread as it layers itself. That is it sends out stems as runners which when they touch the ground they root so it can spread even from a pot.

I have my mint in a small bed at edge of the patio and it still spreads even on the stone.

I second don't plant mint - even in a pot, it's almost impossible to get rid of. Some geraniums are very shade tolerant and very pretty (and even edible in some cases) and I have chives growing in a part of my garden that gets no sun at all.

Mehga - thank you for explaining

i hope to improve my gardening skills this year - you can probably tell i am an absolute beginner at the mo'!

I'm no expert but have learnt through experience.

I should be out there now, the weeds are winning in my veg patch at the mo but it's too hot to weed at the moment. I need to plant out my runners and courgettes.

Applemint will spread too. It's very successful stuff is mint.

Phew - I've just put my beans in. Have watered and watered but they look very bedraggled (worst time of day, full sun but DS4 asleep so only chance I get)

how much space? Cammelia's, hydrangeas, grasses.

Foxgloves! They're woodland flowers, come out late may'ish, tall and beautiful! They spread themselves too, so multiply after a each year.
Those tall anenomes too, which come at the end of the summer so there's always something flowering.
Both need moist'ish soil, watering.

lily of the valley - dead easy, spread (perhaps a bit too much) and smell lovely

Kew - fair amount of space TBH - i love Cammelias as they smell so good

Nothern and Eek - lots of lovely ideas, thank you