My Top Ten For The Shade

So many of the new housing developments around here (that were until just recently popping up like spring mushrooms) were built on old farm land with little or no existing trees. I always regret seeing open or green space being eaten up to build rows of uninspiring houses, but I sometimes am envious of those people who have been given a blank slate in which to garden. Then I think about how oppressive that shadeless yard will be in a Southern July and August (or June and September for that matter). Although I do wish for a wee more sun in my own garden, I am thankful for my mature trees and the shade they provide.

Nan at Gardening Gone Wild is hosting a Garden Bloggers Design Workshop - Made for the Shade. I have enjoyed reading the other workshops since I have been blogging, but this is the first one I felt comfortable participating in. At least 3/4 of my garden space is shaded and fortunately some of my favorite plants (regardless of light requirements) are shade plants. I have decided to list my top 10 favorite shade plants, all of which I grow now in my zone 8a garden, though not all of the pictures were taken there. I could not imagine a garden of mine without either one of these plants.

Acer palmatum Japanese Maple
Who doesn't love these trees? I only have two of them, but if I had more room, I'd have more Japanese Maples. In this climate they need light shade to do well. Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua I could never live much further north than I do now. Not only would it be too cold for me, but I could not grow these. Ferns
I have several ferns but my two favorites are Ursula's Red Japanese Painted Fern (Athrium niponicum 'Ursula's Red') and the evergreen Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora). The Painted Fern looks best when you put other things near it, but the Autumn Fern can stand alone. Both of them have been very longed lived for me.
Edgeworthia chrysantha - Paper Bush, Rice Paper Plant
I need this plant because its fragrant cheery flowers bloom in February when I need something fragrant and cheery the most.
Helleborus orientalis - Lenten Rose
Evergreen, winter blooming, flowers for a long time, drought tolerant, shade loving, beautiful, and seeds around nicely - what's not to love?
Hydrangea macrophylla
When I see the first bloom of the hydrangeas, I know summer is here. I took this one yesterday morning. I have more varieties of this plant than any other, or maybe its the Camellias - I'll have to count.

Liriope muscari 'Pee Dee Gold Ingot'
Liriope is common as dirt, but this variety has chartreuse foliage that creates pools of light where none exists. It is also the newest member of my top ten. This one is shown next to another plant that almost made the list, Hardy Begonia (Begonia grandis).

Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' - Variegated Solomon's Seal

Tough as nails, spreads easily and it is beautiful.

Trachelospermum asiaticum 'Ang Yo' - Ang Yo Asiatic Jasmine

I planted only one of these evergreen variegated groundcovers about 10 years ago from a 1 gal. pot. It is now covers about a 12' wide area mingling at the base of the shrubs, never climbing them, but growing like a carpet thick enough to keep weeds out. I was initially concerned about its hardiness, but that was worry for nothing. There is great variation in how it is variegated, the new growth is bronze to pink, and it has been completely stable for me not reverting to green.

While we are on the subject of Asiatic Jasmine, I wanted to mention this one, Trachelospermum asiaticum 'Ogon Nishiki'. I think it translates as Golden Brocade. The new growth is Halloween orange and the older leaves are a golden chartreuse and green. It is not as nice as the 'Ang Yo' in that it is stringy and does not make a thick ground cover. Although it is fun having those colors run around underneath of other things.

Trachelospermum jasminoides - Confederate or Star Jasmine

This is a very sweet smelling close cousin of the above Jasmines and one of my favorite vines. It is featured in this month's Bloom Day post. Our computer desk is just on the other side of the one pictured here, and its smell is nearly overwhelming as I type this.

There were so many others I wanted to talk about and feel guilty not mentioning, but a Top Ten list is not a Top Sixteen or Twenty-Three. What's on your list?