Live in NC and am about to redo one of our front flower beds next to the house.

Problem is that side of the house doesn't get a lot of full sun from the angle of the house and a large maple tree.

Wanting to plant one short ornamental tree (5ft height, maybe a dwarf cypress or something) and several flowers (mix of annuals and perennials).

Thanks! Liking this board a lot.

This post was edited on 3/26/19 at 12:32 pm

4 ...

Report Post

Posted by CoachChappy

Member since May 2013

32501 posts

Posted on 3/26/19 at 12:35 pm to i am dan

A dogwood seems like what you are looking for, and it's the official state flower of North Carolina

1 ...

Report Post

Posted by hungryone

river parishes

Member since Sep 2010

11987 posts

Posted on 3/26/19 at 12:41 pm to i am dan

Part shade = camellias. They're very slow growing, have surface roots, and like good air circulation. They'll bloom when everything else is dormant.

I also love old fashioned shasta daisies. Very easy to grow, perennial, will flower in partial shade, and drought tolerant. Spreading growth habit, with a rhizome, so they're easy to split & propagate. If you lived near me, I'd happily give you a bunch of them. I keep separating them & putting them in other places in my yard. They're one of a few flowering perennials that will reliably bloom when planted under a shade tree (at least in my climate zone). Shasta daisy info: LINK

0 ...

Report Post

Posted by Clint Torres

Member since Oct 2011

2659 posts

Posted on 3/26/19 at 7:16 pm to CoachChappy

Dogwoods are pretty slow growing

0 ...

Report Post

Posted by East Coast Band

Member since Nov 2010

62712 posts

Posted on 3/26/19 at 10:29 pm to i am dan

Where in NC are you? There are several gardening zones there, so this will make a difference.
If you are more in the mountain area, perhaps a rhododendron could be nice. If you are in the Piedmont area, perhaps an azalea. If you are more coastal, perhaps a camellia sasanqua.

0 ...

Report Post

Posted by Nashram

Member since Sep 2011

43 posts

Posted on 3/27/19 at 6:43 am to i am dan

I really like using the Missouri Botanical Gardens website. It provides a lot of useful information for growing plants and trees. Here are some of my favorite shade-loving perennials.

Chinese astilbe (Astilbe chinensis ‘Visions’)
Perennial (zone 4 to 8)
Part shade to full shade
Medium water (this variant is known for better drought tolerance)
Bloom time: July to August (pink)
Low maintenance
Dimensions (1 to 1.5 ft high and spread)
Attracts butterflies; safe for dogs and cats
No serious insect or disease problems
Companion plants: bleeding heart, hellebore, hosta (dark foliage), other astilbe varieties (Deutschland), azalea, rhododendron, coral bells,

Hellebore (Helleborus x hybridus ‘Yellow Lady’
Perennial (zone 4 to 9)
Part shade to full shade
Medium water
Bloom time: March to May
Low maintenance
Dimensions (1 to 1.5 ft high and wide)

Bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)
Perennial (zone 3 to 9)
Part shade to full shade
Medium water
Bloom time: April to May (white/pink)
Low maintenance
Dimensions (2 to 3 ft high, 1.5 to 2.5 ft wide)
Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, goes dormant in summer (plant among later developing perennials)

Pigsqueak (Bergenia cordifolia)
Perennial (zone 3 to 8)
Part to full shade
Medium water (drought tolerant)
Bloom time: April to May (deep pink)
Low maintenance
Dimensions (1 to 1.5 ft high and wide)
Good fall leaf
No serious insect or disease problems

Black cohosh (Actaea simplex ‘Brunette’ or ‘Black Beauty’)****
Perennial (zone 4 to 8)
Part to full shade (lean more towards full shade)
Medium water (water more regularly first year)
Bloom time: August to October (white)
Low maintenance
Dimensions (4 to 6 ft high and 2 to 4 ft spread)
Attracts bees, birds, and butterflies; fragrant flowers (insect repellant), showy leaves (dark purple), long-lived, slow-growing (don’t need to divide)
No serious insect or disease problems

Page 1