What can I plant in a shady spot in the garden
One planting problems in the garden is finding something that will grow in shady spots in the garden such as under trees or alongside south-facing walls. Many species grown for their floral displays will not perform well in such situations so a better option is to grow things that have attractive foliage instead.
Consider varieties that are grown as indoor plants, particularly if you are in a climate that does not experience heavy frosts. Cordylines, philodendrons, spathiphyllums (peace lilies), aspidistra (cast iron plant) as well as many species of ferns will all thrive in shady situations. Simply remove any dead foliage as it appears and feed with controlled release fertiliser at recommended rates at the beginning of spring. There are a few exotics that will flower in shady places such as impatiens and cliveas.
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Plectranthus parviflorus 'Blue Spires'
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Dendrobium speciosum - rock orchid
There are some natives that grow well in shady spots, and under trees. Plectranthus and the native violets are good groundcovers, and will flower, as will native orchids like Dendrobium speciosum, Dockrillia and Dendrobium kingianum. Well grown stag horns and elkhorn ferns attached to trees or shady fences look spectacular. The red backed native ginger thrives in shadier places, and will grow into a pleasing clump.
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Staghorn and elkhorn ferns
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Alpinia caerulea - red-back native ginger
You can find plants that are good for shade with my advanced search page