True , dry shade might be the hardest set of conditions to find plant for . A dandy many interesting alternative do exist — including some plants you might be conversant with but just did n’t eff were candidates for the dreaded ironical refinement . Here are a few of my pet .

See more about plan with dry shade inDry Shade Done just

pic : Juliette Wade / gapphotos.com

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Photo : Steve Aitken

Golden lamium

( Lamium maculatum‘Aureum ’ )

Zones:3–9

Size:6 to 8 inches marvelous and 18 to 24 inches wide

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Native kitchen stove : Europe , Asia , Africa

This is one of the great “ sociable plant . ” The sweet pointed leaf sport chicken variegation , with the bow spread lightly along the ground . The snapdragon - like flowers look in previous spring and keep to blossom through Robert Frost .

‘Jack Frost’ brunnera

( Brunnera macrophylla‘Jack Frost ’ )

Zones:3–8

Size:12 to 18 inches tall and wide

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Native orbit : Europe , Asia

This is really an amazing plant . It continues to give and give , with starry blue forget - me - not flowers in spring and brilliantly silver variegated leaves that really beam in the deepest spook . In office with soft winter , it can be evergreen .

exposure : courtesy of perennialresource.com

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picture : Jenny Lilly / gapphotos.com

‘Big Blue’ lily turf

( Liriope‘Big Blue ’ )

Zones:5–10

Size:14 in tall and broad

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Native kitchen range : Asia

This grassy perennial is ripe for retaining soil at the bound of planting or mixing into lower terra firma screen . Spikes of blue bloom with a fine grain will finish with Charles Edward Berry on the stems in gloaming .

‘Ann Folkard’ geranium

( Geranium‘Ann Folkard ’ )

Zones:5–8

Size:12 to 18 inches tall and 24 column inch wide

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aboriginal range : Europe

The beautiful yellow - unripe leaves of this plant look like jagged maple foliage spread out along red stems . It crawl amid other plants without killing them . superb purple - red flush with impenetrable veining come along throughout summer and into fall .

exposure : Brandi Spade

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Photo: Juliette Wade/gapphotos.com

Photo : Michelle Gervais

Taiwan mondo grass

( Ophiopogon formosanum )

Zones:7–9

Size:4 to 6 inches tall and 2 to 3 foot wide

Golden lamium

Photo: Juliette Wade/gapphotos.com

A gentle unassuming mondo pot that rise happily without much attention , this is a ho-hum spreader . In spring it bloom like crazy , with capitulum of lily-white flowers coming up through the foliage . Small blue berry seem in fall and are eaten by many overwintering snort .

Autumn fern

( Dryopteris erythrosora )

Size:18 to 24 inches tall and broad

Native image : Eastern Asia

‘Jack Frost’ brunnera

Photo: Steve Aitken

This mythic fern has such amazing colour that from a distance it looks like sweeps of astilbe ( Astilbespp . and cvs . , Zones 4–9 ) . The vertical fronds set out out copper color - colored before turning to brilliant yellow - Au . Pores on the back of the frond are bright red , adding another dimension of colour . It ’s evergreen plant in most zones .

Photo : Jennifer Benner

Photo : DoreenWynja.com

‘Big Blue’ lily turf

Photo: courtesy of perennialresource.com

Black Scallop bugleweed

( Ajuga reptans’Binblasca ’ )

Zones:4–9

Size:3 to 6 inches tall and 24 inch all-encompassing

‘Ann Folkard’ geranium

Photo: Jenny Lilly/gapphotos.com

Bugleweed has a bad rap . Sometimes it escape and goes where it is n’t want . However , the bigger scale of this variety gives it gravid structure and makes it easier to control . The large runners can be well tear out to keep it in stay . pollinator love its fragrant purple - blue flowers .

Crimson Fans mukdenia

( Mukdenia rossii‘Karasuba ’ )

Zones:4–8

Size:8 to 10 inches tall and 18 inches wide

Taiwan mondo grass

Photo: Brandi Spade

Native range : China , Korea

I think this plant is most beautiful when sit on the sharpness of pathways . It would be more vigorous with more urine , but it still grows well with substantially less moisture ( a level of mulch is a good theme ) . The leaves are colourful yr - round and impossibly shining .

Susan Calhoun is the possessor of Plantswoman Design in Bainbridge Island , Washington .

Autumn fern

Photo: Michelle Gervais

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Black scallop bugleweed

Photo: Jennifer Benner

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Crimson Fans mukdenia

Photo: DoreenWynja.com

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